Galvin leads the way as Portarlington set up Leinster Club SFC semi-final against Athy

Portarlington are into a Leinster Club SFC semi-final after a superb showing against Naomh Mairtin in Integral GAA Grounds Drogheda on Sunday afternoon.

Pat Roe’s side dominated the game from the 12th minute onwards and it now sets up a blockbuster last four tie against Kildare champions Athy in two weeks time.

The game had been score for score up until that moment before Port hit the front and rattled off six scores unanswered before the break to lead by five points at half-time.

There was a poignant moment before the start of Sunday’s contest as the packed stand in Drogheda stood for a minute's silence to remember those who lost their lives in that horrible car crash in Dundalk on Saturday evening.

It didn’t take long for the home side to open the scoring as recent All-Star winner Sam Mulroy split the posts after 15 seconds. Jack Murphy dominated Naomh Mairtin’s lead after two minutes before Darragh Galvin got Port off the mark after he was on the end of a patient attack. Rioghan Murphy levelled the sides with eight minutes played with a superb score off his left foot.

Mulroy added two more points to his and Naomh Mairtin’s tally with Colm Murphy opening his account from a free in the middle of those two Mulroy points. It was from here that the Laois champions took the game by the scruff of the neck.

The Murphy’s combined as Colm played a free short to Rioghan, who turned his marker and curled the ball over off his right. Mikey Bennett then popped up with a point from corner-back with the help of the post. Colm Murphy added another free after Galvin, who proved to be the trickiest of customers for Naomh Mairtin, was fouled.

Port’s seventh point was one of the scores of the day as Darragh Slevin won the ball high up the field and it fell to captain Ronan Coffey to slot between the posts. 

A big goal chance followed for Pat Roe’s side as Sean Byrne played a great ball over the top to Galvin, he played it to Coffey, but his shot was saved. Jason Moore ended up getting on the ball and raising a white flag. The half ended with a third free from Colm Murphy as his side led 0-9 to 0-4 at the break.

Portarlington’s five-point lead was erased within six minutes of the restart as Naomh Mairtin raised an orange flag and a green flag. Dara McDonnell was the scorer of the two-pointer, while Curtis Lyons was caught in possession after taking a short kick-out and it allowed Mulroy to square the ball to Tom Gray to smash it past Luke O’Reilly. Mulroy almost got a goal before Gray’s effort as he tried to score from a 21-yard free, but Robbie Pigott was on the line to clear it for a 45, which Mulroy put wide.

To their credit, Port probably got better from here and they replied with two important points from Galvin and a fourth Murphy free. They led 0-11 to 1-6 with 20 minutes to play. Mulroy cut the gap to one with a free before Port scored three points in a row to go four ahead.

Darragh Slevin got the first with Galvin adding two more to his tally as he finished with four points. In the middle of those scores, Mikey Bennett made a great interception on Val Leddy to deny them a goal and a way back into the contest. Darragh Dorian took a shot from outside the arc, which O’Reilly got a touch on so it reduced it to just a single pointer.

Port held onto the ball for the remainder of the game to spark wild celebrations from the massive travelling Portarlington crowd.

Next up for Port is a clash in Newbridge against Athy in two weeks.

Final Score

Portarlington 0-14

Naomh Mairtin 1-8

SCORERS— Portarlington: Darragh Galvin and Colm Murphy (frees) 0-4 each, Rioghan Murphy 0-2, Ronan Coffey, Jason Moore, Mikey Bennett, and Darragh Slevin 0-1 each. Naomh Mairtin: Sam Mulroy 0-4 (0-2 frees), Tom Gray 1-0, Dara McDonnell 0-2 (two-pointer), Darragh Dorian and Jack Murphy 0-1 each.

PORTARLINGTON: Luke O’Reilly; Mikey Bennett, Robbie Pigott, Curtis Lyons; Alex Mohan, Jason Moore, Patrick O’Sullivan; Keith Bracken, Sean Byrne; Darragh Slevin, Ronan Coffey, Rioghan Murphy; Tom Corcoran, Darragh Galvin, Colm Murphy. Subs: Diarmuid Bennett for Lyons (43 mins), Sean Michael Corcoran for T Corcoran (57 mins)

NAOMH MAIRTIN: Darren Morgan; Cian Sands, Thomas Sullivan, Conor Healy; Evan Whelan, Sean Healy, Jack Murphy; Adam Booth, Dara McDonnell; Darragh Dorian, Sam Mulroy, Wayne Campbell; Eoghan Callanan, Tom Gray, Val Leddy. Subs: Joe McGrane for Dorian (HT), Shane Morgan for Sands (42 mins), Jack Lynch for Wayne Campbell (49 mins), Darragh Dorian for S Healy (60 mins)

Referee: Patrick Coyle (Meath)