Portlaoise CBS 4-11 Gorey CS 4-7
South Leinster ‘B’ 2nd Year Football Championship Final
Portlaoise CBS have been crowned South Leinster ‘B’ Second Year champions following a titanic tussle with Gorey Community School this afternoon.
Adrian White’s charges found themselves five points down at half time but battled back to win by four and claim the title.
The Laois school had won the First Year equivalent of this last year and came into the final after a convincing semi final display.
They started like a train too and could have had two goals in the opening five minutes as Ryan Fennell and Jack Moore forced Gorey keeper Darragh Morris into stunning saves.
Gorey were threatening down the other end though with Kyle Kinsella bursting up from centre back and drawing a fine save out of Dylan Fitzpatrick in the CBS goal.
Frees from captain Darragh O’Riordan and a point from Finn McLernon cancelled out efforts from Rian Cullen and Seosamh O Luasaigh for Gorey in the opening quarter.
But the Wexford side were slowly starting to turn the screw in midfield and got control of the game for the remainder of the first half.
Midfielder Harry Swaine burst in for their first goal and that sparked a frantic period in the game.
The CBS instantly responded as a move started by Jack Davis, which involved Tadas Sirvaitis, Fionn Delaney and Jack Moore, ended with Ryan Fennell raising a green flag.
But there was little time to celebrate as Gorey went straight down the other end where a ball from Seosamh O Lusaigh was flicked to the net by Rian Cullen.
Ryan Fennell and Luke Devaney hit back with points for the CBS but right on the stroke of half time, Gorey struck again.
This time, corner forward Will Gardiner wriggled his way through and shot low to the net to leave his side 3-4 to 1-5 ahead at half time.
Portlaoise CBS introduced Noah Finn at half time and moved Conall Lalor to midfield – with both switches paying instant dividends.
Tadas Sirvaitis and James Lynch also had excellent second half performances as they split the Gorey defence open time and again with powerful runs – while Finn McLernon also shone with his ball carrying ability.
McLernon, O’Riordan and Fionn Delaney pointed before the aforementioned Finn combined with O’Riordan to set up Delaney for a goal which meant the CBS led 2-8 to 3-4 after 35 minutes.
Delaney added a point after that but Gorey came back as two frees from O Lusaigh levelled it with a quarter of the game to go.
O’Riordan put the CBS back ahead and then a wonderful team move, started by vice-captain James Lynch that ended with McLernon supplying captain O’Riordan to rattle the net.
And the game looked to be over as a contest with ten minutes to play when O’Riordan forced a save from keeper Darragh Morris but Ryan Fennell was on hand to tap home the rebound.
Gorey stayed going though as Oisin White pointed and then the CBS were reduced to 14 men in the 58th minute when Lynch was dismissed following a second yellow.
That sparked an avalanche of pressure and a goal from Paidi Bernie gave Gorey hope the arrears reduced to four points.
However, a heroic interception by Jack Davis snuffed out a goal chance in the final play and the CBS held on to win.
They now advance to the Leinster stage with a semi final or final to come in the following weeks.
SCORERS – Portlaoise CBS: Darragh O’Riordan 1-4 (0-3 frees), Ryan Fennell 2-1, Fionn Delaney 1-3 (0-2 frees), Finn McLernon 0-2, Luke Devaney 0-1 Gorey CS: Seosamh O Lusaigh 0-4 (frees), Rian Cullen 1-1, Will Gardiner, Harry Swaine and Paidi Bernie 1-0 each, Oisin White 0-2
PORTLAOISE CBS: Dylan Fitzpatrick (Portlaoise); Finn Moore (The Heath), Eoghan Dunne (Portlaoise), Zac Scully (Annanough); Luke Devaney (Portlaoise), James Lynch (Stradbally), Jack Davis (Stradbally); Tadas Sirvaitis (Portlaoise), Brooklyn McCarthy (Portlaoise); Finn McLernon (O’Dempsey’s), Darragh O’Riordan (Stradbally), Conall Lalor (Portlaoise); Jack Moore (The Heath), Fionn Delaney (Portlaoise), Ryan Fennell (Portlaoise). Subs: Noah Finn (Portlaoise) for McCarthy (ht)
GOREY CC: Darragh Morris; Jim Kavanagh, Ben Morris, Charlie Kennedy; Seosamh O Luasaigh, Kyle Kinsella, Finn O’Brien; Paidi Bernie, Harry Swaine; Charlie Kavanagh, Rian Cullen, Oisin White; Noah Rossiter, Paddy Fanning, Will Gardiner. Subs: Patrick Glinski for Rossiter (47), Stephen O’Flaherty for Gardiner (55)
REFEREE: Lar Murphy (Carlow)
