Leinster club SFC: stroll in the park for Portlaoise

November 12, 2012

St. Patrick's Tommy Kelly and Brian Mulligan of Portlaoise during the Leinster Club SFC clash at Aughrim. INPHO
Portlaoise (Laois) 3-15
St. Patrick's (Wicklow) 0-4

Seven-time provincial winners Portlaoise set up an AIB Leinster club SFC semi-final meeting with Killoe Young Emmets after hammering a hapless St. Patrick's in Aughrim.

Mick Lillis' charges were at a different level to the home side, who had beaten Carlow's Eire Og after extra-time in the first round. The game was over as a contest by half-time with the winners holding a 2-6 to 0-0 lead.

Excellent wing back Conor Boyle opened The Town's account inside the first 30 seconds before grabbing the opening goal at the end of the first quarter. With full forward Brian 'Bruno' McCormack, centre forward Barry Fitzgerald and corner forward Paul Cahillane to the fore, the visitors added a second goal five minutes before the break through Tommy Fitzgerald. St. Pat's first half woes were best summed up when former Mayo player Austin O'Malley missed a 14-yard free.

O'Malley finally opened the Wicklow town side's account within a minute of the restart and Tommy Kelly was then unlucky to see his shot come back off the woodwork. Normal service resumed shortly afterwards as Portlaoise added a further 1-7 without breaking sweat. The Town's third goal arrived eight minutes from the end courtesy of Eoghan Whelan.

Portlaoise - M Nolan; T Fitzgerald, B Mulligan, C Healy; K Fitzpatrick, K Lillis, C Boyle (1-2); A Kelly (0-1), H Coghlan; C Rogers (0-1), B Fitzgerald (0-4), B Glynn (0-2); P Cahillane (0-2), B McCormack (1-2), B Smith. Subs: E Whelan (1-0) for Smith, B Gaynor for Rogers, J Delaney for Fitzgerald, L McGovern for Coghlan, S Nerney (0-1) for Boyle.

St Patrick's - C Byrne; S Murley, P Higgins, R Connolly; P McWalter, C Doyle, D Healy; D McEvoy, D Fitzgerald; M Byrne (0-1), P Earls, R Murphy; T Kelly, A O'Malley (0-3), D O'Sullivan. Subs: S Duffy for Fitzgerald, N Kennedy for Murphy, A Jameson for Doyle, S Alexander for C Byrne, M Donoghue for O'Sullivan.

Referee - D Gough.

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