Portlaoise 38 Garda Westmanstown 7
Leinster Rugby League Division 2B
Portlaoise continued the recent good run with one of their best performance of the season in Togher on Sunday.
Garda Westmanstown were the visitors on what turned out to be a perfect afternoon for rugby, and credit to both side they served a very entertaining game.
And what an afternoon it turned out to be for the Portlaoise team and their supporters, of which there were plenty. The win propelled Portlaoise to the top of Division 2B and scored six tries in the process.
There was a lot to admired about this display. The winners performance was well structured, they attacked largely with precision and defended stoutly, rarely offered Garda much opportunity in the way of scoring.
That said, the management will be well aware that Garda were at the bottom of the table and with three games left to play, Portlaoise’s fortunes are in their own hands now.
Portlaoise opened the scoring in the ninth minute with as good a try as has been seen in Togher in some time. Their approach play reached into the double-figure phases and was always controlled.
With Paddy Coss, Mark Sherlock, Ronan Lawrence and Jack Reddin to the fore in the build up, the ball was whipped out to the left wing when Iain Corrigan was on hand to cross the line.
Reddin landed a magnificent conversion from close to the touch line.
It would take another 20 minutes before Portlaoise would add to that try. In the interim Garda were enjoying a period of decent play but all too often silly mistakes let them down.
Oisin Bennett initiated the second try with a great break from deep inside his own half. Lawrence was up in support for the pass and he duly popped onto JP Nerney who was tackled short of the line.
Quick delivery from the ruck sent Niall Keenan scurrying over the line and around behind the posts. Reddin’s conversion left it 14-0 on the half hour mark.
When Portlaoise were awarded penalty minutes later, Lawrence caught the Garda defence napping with a quick tap and to.
Prop Paddy Coss was in support, took the pass and crashed over in the corner. Reddin split the posts with another magnificent kick wide out.
Garda would have the last say of the half when Portlaoise were penalised for being off side. Garda decided to take the tap and after a number of phases eventually pierced the Portlaoise rear-guard. The conversion left Portlaoise leading 21-7 at the break.
Three minutes after the restart Portlaoise secured their bonus point try. With the forwards taking the ball on a maul, it was then spread right through the hands of Reddin and Jack Duffin to Kennan who ran across the pitch, spotted a gap, straightened up and snipped in for a great try.
Again Garda enjoyed a brief period of dominance but again errors were to cost them. And with both sides bringing on replacements the flow of the game became somewhat disjointed.
Midway through the half Portlaoise were reduced to 14 men when Ryan McEvoy failed to retreat 10 metres when Garda took a quick penalty.
But it mattered little as Portlaoise were always in control.
Any hopes Garda might had had of a revival were well and truly quashed with ten minutes remaining.
Corrigan made a good break before the ball was eventually worked to Oisin Bennett made good ground to cross for the try. Reddin added the extras once again.
And for good measure Bennett made anther great break as the game entered injury time. He found replacement scrumhalf Mark Bracken who popped to Ross Cooper to crash over and leave Portlaoise 38-7 winners.
The league takes a break next weekend and resumes on Sunday March 3 when Portlaoise play host to neighbours Portarlington in what promises to be a cracking game.
A week later Portlaoise travel to North Meath and their final game is a trip to Roscrea two weeks later.
PORTLAOISE: Niall Keenan; Iain Corrigan, Oisin Bennett, Jack Duffin, Brian Keane; Jack Reddin, Ronan Lawrence; Paddy Coss, Ryan McEvoy, Sean Hennessy; Mark Sherlock, JP Nerney; Adam Duffin, Evan Bergin, Ross Cooper. Replacements: Cathal Kenny, Matthew Cremin, Sean Peters, Eoghan Brennan, Tommy Martin, Mark Rigney, Marc Bracken
GARDA: Ian Murphy; Noel McLoughlin, Aaron Grattan, Robert Kihls, David Dunne; Shane Wolfe, Natanael Costa Wallace; Attila Urban, Vincent Lyons, Martin Mullins; Paddy Nally, Niall Gorry; Cillian Walsh, James Mahedy, Brendan Darcy. Replacements: Aaron Crowe, Sean McCarthy, Eoin Holland, Fionn Mulligan, Colm Carroll, Lee Kelly
Portlaoise 28 Tullow 25
U-18 Tom Darcy Cup Round 2
From the first blow of the whistle Portlaoise kicked deep into the Tullow 22 where the home side were instantly put under pressure by a charge down by flanker Ivan Okonkwo and wing Jake Byrne forcing a rushed exit kick which went straight to Danial Thornton.
The full back ran a hard line straight back. Portlaoise went through two phases and moved the ball to the wing were quick feet from Theo Adams saw Portlaoise open the scoring with a vital first try.
On the seven minute mark Tullow gave away a penalty which Portlaoise capitalised by finding touch to set up a line out which they won.
The ball was crashed up again by Okonkwo who dodged two tackles to set up a ruck inside Tullow’s 5-metre line. Quick hands from scrum half Conor Stack saw the ball delivered to No. 8 and captain Cian Butler who touched down beside the posts setting up an easy conversion for out half Oisin Hade.
with 18 minutes on the clock Tullow scored a breakaway try to bring the game to 7-12.
An excellent 50-22 from Hade put Tullow back under pressure who gave away a penalty which Hade slotted between the posts which brought the score to 7-15.
Portlaoise continued to poke holes at the Tullow back field with pressure applied from the Portlaoise back three of Adams, Byrne and Thornton.
However, Tullow returned with a kick that found touch and from the ensuing lineout they mauled the ball over the line and scored their second try bringing the score to 12-15.
Just as the half was coming to an end Portlaoise were awarded a penalty which Hade duly converted leaving in 12-18 at the break in favour of Portlaoise.
Half time changes were made in the front row with Nathan Flanagan coming in for Colm Conroy and Cillian Tynan coming in for Jake Byrne on the right wing.
Tullow came straight out of the blocks and scored a try within a minute of the restart leaving a single point separating the sides.
Portlaoise didn’t take this lightly and continued to relentlessly attack with big carries by second row Alex Phelan and Butler this pressure resulted in Tullow infringing.
Portlaoise took a quick tap and go from the penalty with Conor Stack putting Tullow on the back foot which saw second row Darragh Townsend evade tackles and crash over for a try making it 17-23 to Portlaoise.
From the restart Tullow secured a penalty and kicked it securing three points which brought the score to 20-23 to Portlaoise.
Tullow then scored a putting them in front for the first time, 25-23.
With seven minutes left on the clock the Portlaoise forwards went through the phases bringing the ball up into the Tullow half.
The ball was then moved out the backline with the Portlaoise backs running hard at the Tullow defence, with the ball moved out to the wing resulting in winger Cillian Tynan touching down in the corner putting Portlaoise back in front by three points.
Portlaoise made some final changes which saw hooker Brody Gilligan being replaced by Ciaran O’Brien McCormack and centre Owen McGowan being replaced by Tadgh O’Sullivan.
From the restart and with six minutes left in the game Portlaoise moved the ball back to the Tullow 22 and kept them there.
The game ended with Portlaoise being awarded a scrum just outside the Tullow 22 and from that scrum the ball was kicked to touch game over.
PORTLAOISE SQUAD: Cian Butler (Captain), Theo Adams, Cian Butler, Jake Byrne, Joe Carroll, Aran Coiley, Colm Conroy, Padraig Culleton, Peter Delaney, Tomas Dooley, Liam Duffin, Cathal Dundon, Clinton Ejiofor, Nathan Flanagan, Brody Gilligan, Ryan Gilligan, Oisín Hade, Fionn Hanley, Robert Keane, Aaron Kingston, Jack Mangan, Daniel Maunsell, Owen McGowan, Euan McCann, Ciaran O’Brien-McCormack, Tadhg O’Sullivan, Ivan Okonkwo, Alex Phelan, Maciek Raczynski, Eoin Rooney, Conor Stack, Daniel Thornton, Darragh Townsend, Cillian Tynan, Eli Colbert
Portlaoise 48 Boyne 19
Leinster U-16 Cup Round 1
The early spring sun shone brightly on Sunday afternoon as Portlaoise welcomed Boyne to Togher for their opening match of the Leinster Cup.
The home side started brightly and a dominant first half performance set the platform for a deserved win and a date with Naas in the next round.
Portlaoise kicked off and were ahead after just two minutes. Strong carries from Eanna Moynihan, Fionn Mullen, and Conor Deegan had Boyne under pressure and they were penalised for offside on their own 22. Matt Cunningham split the posts for a 3-0 lead.
The home side went over for their first try after 12 minutes. The backline clicked into gear with Donnchadh Carroll, Daniel Whelan, Aaron Fitzpatrick, and Eoghan Kennedy combining to take Portlaoise deep into the Boyne 22.
From there, Cormac Drea made a decisive line break and Moynihan was on hand to take up the running and drive over and make it 8-0.
The Portlaoise pack were dominating proceedings and two tries in quick succession put daylight between the sides. First, Conor Deegan powered through on a Boyne lineout on their own 22 and a well-timed off-load put Moynihan in to the right of the posts.
Shortly after, Portlaoise were back in the ‘red zone’ once again after strong carries by Shane Foley, Darragh Maher, and Declan Iguma.
With Boyne under pressure, Fionn Mullen powered his way over under the posts. Cunningham converted both to push the scoreboard out to 22-0 after 22 minutes.
On the stroke of halftime, the home side crossed the whitewash once again for their fourth try of the afternoon. From a scrum on their own 10 metre line, Paul Byrne got the attack moving with Cullen Kirwan making good ground down the right wing.
The play switched left and Whelan made all the running to touch down out wide for a 27-0 lead at the short whistle.
Portlaoise continued where they left off at the start of the second half and extended the lead after just 3 minutes when Moynihan pounced on a loose ball at a Boyne lineout on halfway and sprinted clear to score to the right of the posts. The extras were added for a 34-0 lead.
Whelan got in on the scoring act once again 10 minutes later after a fine carry by Fitzpatrick took play to the Boyne 10m line.
David Allely and Dan Murrell protected the ball as Kyle Moore fed Cunningham who chipped the defence and Whelan was on hand to gather and dot down to the left of the posts. The extras were added to make it 41-0 to Portlaoise.
Boyne were working hard throughout for little reward on the scoreboard but they put that right midway through the half with a converted try.
Strong carries by the pack took them inside the Portlaoise 22 and Liam Reilly powered over under the posts.
Portlaoise responded in kind on the 20-minute mark when Bill Rigney capitalised on some great counter-rucking by Mark Ging and Ricky Lyons on the Boyne 22 to run clear and touch down on the left with Jamie Shiel in support. The extras were added to make it 48-7 to the home side.
Boyne finished strongly in the final minutes with a penalty try and a fine move finished off by Ronan Govern leaving it 48-19 to Portlaoise at the long whistle.
PORTLAOISE: Eoghan Kennedy, Aaron Fitzpatrick, Daniel Whelan, Donnchadh Carroll, Cullen Kirwan, Matt Cunningham, Paul Byrne, Shane Foley, Conor Deegan, Mark Ging, Cormac Drea, Darragh Maher, Declan Iguma, Fionn Mullen, Eanna Moynihan (c).
Replacements: Jamie Shiel, David Allely, Kyle Moore, Bill Rigney, Dan Murrell, Ricky Lyons
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