Portlaoise hurlers make it two wins from two as they power past Camross

A remarkable 10-minute spell midway through the second half was the difference as Portlaoise finally pulled away from Camross. The Town are now very well placed to top Group B of the Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship.

The rain mostly stayed away as the two sides met in Pairc Acragar, Mountmellick on Friday evening. Portlaoise finished with a seven-point victory that could and should have been much more comfortable.

Portlaoise 0-25 

Camross 2-12

Portlaoise got off to a great start to the championship, convincingly beating Rathdowney-Errill thanks to some big performances from the likes of Ciaran McEvoy and Aaron Bergin. The pair were once again wonderful in Round 2, but perhaps outshined by a spectacular first-half display from John Mark Foley.

Camross, on the other hand, came up just short against Ballinakill in their opening game. Despite the best efforts of Oisin Bennett, they lost out to a last-gasp Ballinakill goal. Bennett was even more impressive this time out, but again came out on the losing side. 

DJ White opened the scoring early for Portlaoise before Bennett struck back with the first of his eight frees. Ben Brennan landed a beauty before Bennett again equalised from a placed ball. 

White and Brennan added a second each for Portlaoise, who were beginning to take control. Bennett’s third free was next as Camross kept it tight, but Portlaoise came back with two more scores – a first of the evening from Bergin and a third for DJ White. 

Portlaoise led by 0-6 to 0-3, but the most important statistic is their eight wides in the first 20 minutes. They would finish the half with an astonishing eleven wides. The sides traded scores before two lovely strikes from Dylan Sheehan put Portlaoise five points clear. 

But Camross were beginning to up their game and slotted three scores without reply. Bergin landed a free at the end of the half to give Portlaoise a two-point lead, but Camross had no right being so close. 0-10 to 0-8 at half time. 

Another Bergin free got the ball rolling in the second half, before Bennett took the spotlight, first landing a free and then raising the game’s first green flag. He was clean through on goal and finished with confidence to put Camross in front for the first time. 

But the goal seemed to frighten Portlaoise into life. Between the 38th and 49th minute, they landed eight points without reply, including two monster frees from Cathal McEvoy and a great piece of skill from Conor Raggett. 

Bennett finally tagged on a couple of scores for Camross, but Portlaoise were relentless, coming back at Camross with scores from Eddie Critchley, Dylan Sheehan and Cormac Rigney. 

There was an audacious goal late on for Camross substitute, Darren Drennan, who flicked the ball over Brian Naughton’s head before drilling it beyond Brochan O’Reilly. 

But it came on the back of three quick points from Portlaoise, who finished the evening’s scoring with an eighth Bergin free. They face Ballinakill in the final group game where the winner will secure a semi-final place while Camross will battle Rathdowney-Errill with the loser facing a relegation decider.