O’Dempsey’s 3-8 Portlaoise 2-9
2009 U-16 Football League Final
Portlaoise are the top dogs in Laois club football at the moment – as they have been for more than the last decade.
Seeking to knock them off their perch are O’Dempsey’s and the two clubs played out an entertaining senior final last year, which Portlaoise won to put titles back to back and claim their 11th title in 12 years.
This time ten years ago the sides met in the U-16 league final with O’Dempsey’s coming out on top in an entertaining affair in Ratheniska.
O’Dempsey’s got off to a dream start and led 3-4 to 0-3 at the break, their goals coming from Philip Dowling, Eoin Finlay and Ciaran McManus.
But Portlaoise came roaring back in the second half with Liam McGovern hitting 1-7 in total and Joseph Thompson also getting a goal.
O’Dempsey’s, however, had enough in the tank and they held on for a narrow win.
Ten years later a number of players from both clubs are still playing adult football though Eoin Finlay was the only one to feature for O’Dempsey’s in last year’s run to the county final.
For Portlaoise, goalkeeper Graham Brody has gone on to carve out an intercounty career for himself, David Holland has also played for Laois while a number more play either senior hurling or football for The Town.
Alf Harvey was on hand that day to capture a selection of images.
O’DEMPSEY’S: Darren O’Connor; Martin O’Reilly, Eoin O’Hora, Tadgh Mathews; Darragh Bannon, Bobby Sweeney, Ciaran McManus; Declan Horlick, Ciaran Haberlin; Liam McNamara, Philip Dowling, Seanie McMahon; Jack Slevin, Eoin Finlay, Eugene Nolan.
PORTLAOISE: Graham Brody; James Bergin, Donal Fitzgibbon, Niall McCormack; Eoghan Feane, Sam Murphy-Kerry, Dean Lynch; James Nerney, Colm Gleeson; Joseph Thompson, Patrick Downey, Patrick Conroy; David Holland, Liam McGovern, Jamie Dunne. Subs: Conor Dunphy for Lynch, Robbie McGuinness for J Dunne, Conor Dunne for Holland.
Referee: Joe Brennan (Crettyard)
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