Portumna 2-24
De La Salle 1-8
Another chapter in the glorious recent history of Portumna GAA Club was written at Croke Park on St Patrick’s Day.
Portumna are now level with Athenry, Blackrock of Cork, and Kilkenny’s James Stephens on the roll of honour with three titles. While this win will surely elevate their claims as one of the greatest club sides of all time, it will hopefully not be their defining success, as the chance to make history by becoming the first team in either code to claim the three-in-a-row will now dangle before this talented group of players as an enticing carrot for further glory.
In a game that was pockmarked with moments of individual brilliance from various sources, it was the unrelenting work ethic and teamwork throughout that truly marks this Portumna team as a class apart.
No matter the paucity of quality among the De La Salle ranks, Portumna treated them with the same respect afforded to Ballyhale Shamrocks in the semi-final and clinically tore them to shreds in a devastating first half hour.
Joe Canning was again a central protagonist, bringing his tally in club finals to 1-25, but he was surrounded by willing assistants. Eugene McEntee strode forward from full-back to land the opening score before Canning registered his only point from play with a majestic score over his right shoulder.
Brian Phelan responded with a pointed free before Lee Hayes wasted a glorious chance for the Waterford men when choosing to kick for goal. Ivan Canning saved well and 22 seconds later Niall Hayes had hit his first score at the other end.
Joe Canning had already narrowly missed with a sideline cut from the Cusack Stand side when he lined up a cut from the opposite side of the ground in the 15th minute. Facing into a slight breeze, the young star landed an amazing score from 43 yards out.
De La Salle were struggling to win any clean possession as Portumna harried and hassled them at every opportunity and were weakened by the early substitutions of Lee Hayes and Damien McGrath, both succumbing to injury.
Damien Hayes duly roared into the action, leaving Michael Doherty trailing in his wake on the right touchline before scoring a trademark point while at full tilt. He then won a free which Canning converted; the two were to combine again to spellbinding effect for a 19th minute goal.
It was a move which encapsulated everything good about this Portumna side. Kevin Hayes, rightfully awarded the Man of the Match accolade for his Trojan effort, was back in his own half-back line helping out. He pulled on a loose ball down the centre of the pitch and Niall Hayes darted out and controlled the ball under pressure in an instant before finding a colleague, Joe Canning in space.
Canning studied his options in a split-second and hand-passed the sliotar over his shoulder, to a collective gasp of wonderment from those who saw it up close. Damien Hayes collected the ball without breaking stride and powered goalwards before drilling the ball into the bottom corner.
Just to prove that hard work, words written in red marker on the arms of all the Portumna players, wasn’t beyond him, Canning popped up in his own half back line moments later to provide another glimpse of magic before clearing downfield. A second successful free resulted and a lead of 1-7 to 0-1 had now opened up.
Phelan pointed from a free to narrow the gap but it was only their fifth effort on goal in the opening 23 minutes, highlighting the dominance of McEntee, Martin Dolphin, and their fellow defenders. Leo Smith responded for Portumna with a raking long distance point which Joe Canning added to with another impressive free.
Then came the second goal which finished the matter, if it was ever in doubt, as a contest. Ciaran Ryan initially misjudged Ivan Canning’s long delivery but profited from a mistake by his marker, Alan Kelly. Ryan quickly broke clear of Kelly and delivered an accurate hand-pass for Damien Hayes, again, to profit from, and the net duly bulged.
Kevin Hayes and Joe Canning added further scores before the interval while Stephen Brenner wasted the opportunity to reduce the deficit when he blazed a penalty over the bar. While substitute Thomas Kearney’s early scores for De La Salle were added to by a scrappy 41st minute goal by Paidi Nevin, Portumna had themselves added three points by this stage through Joe Canning, Niall Hayes, and Damien Hayes. A further flurry of points followed for the victors before the end, with notable strikes from Andrew Smith, Eoin Lynch, substitute Davy Canning, and Kevin Hayes.
Portumna : I Canning; M Dolphin, E McEntee (0-1 ) O Canning; G Heagney, M Ryan (0-1 ) , A O'Donnell; E Lynch (0-1 ), L Smith (0-1 ); N Hayes (0-3 ), K Hayes (0-2 ), A Smith (0-2 ); D Hayes (2-3 ); J Canning (0-9, 5fs,1sideline ), C Ryan. Subs : D Canning (0-1 ) for C Ryan (56 mins ), M Gill for G Heagney (57 mins ), P Smith for L Smith (57 mins ), P Tracy for A O'Donnell (59 mins ), J O'Flaherty for E McEntee (59 mins ).
De La Salle: S Brenner (0-1, pen ); A Kelly, I Flynn, M Doherty; D Russell (0-1 ), K Moran, S Daniels; B Phelan (0-2, 1f ), C Watt; P Nevin (1-0 ), J Mullane (0-1 ), L Hayes; D Twomey, D McGrath, D Greene, Subs : B Farrell for L Hayes (10 mins ), T Kearney (0-2 ) for D McGrath (17 mins ), J Quirke (0-1 ) for B Farrell (half-time ), A O'Neill for C Watt (56 mins ), D Dooley for D Twomey (56 mins ).
Referee : J McGrath (Westmeath ).
