Kildare legends team up to lead Portarlington to glory in Laois
Moorefield and Kildare legend Ronan Sweeney was manager, with Johnny Doyle as coach, as Portarlington won the Laois Senior Football Championship today in O'Moore Park Photo: ©INPHO/Lorraine O’Sullivan
Kildare GAA legends Ronan Sweeney and Johnny Doyle teamed up to lead Portarlington to the Laois Senior Football Championship title today in O’Moore Park.
With Sweeney as manager and Doyle as coach, Portarlington were extremely impressive on the way to the final and continued that form with a 1-19 to 0-8 win over Courtwood as the club won their sixth county title in seven years.
The same two clubs met in last year’s final and Portarlington needed a replay before lifting the trophy and this year, the first with the Kildare men at the helm, seemed set for a similarly close encounter with Courtwood a point ahead going into the last 20 minutes.
However, a Jordan Fitzpatrick two-pointer was quickly followed by a goal from man of the match Colin Murphy and Port romped home from there.
It’s quite the feather in the cap for Sweeney, who won more Kildare Senior Football Championships than any other player, as he won his first county title as manager alongside his long-term friend and team-mate Doyle.
They will now turn their attention to a Leinster campaign. Last year, Portarlington’s Leinster dreams were ended at the semi-final stage by Athy and they will hope to go at least one better this year and reach their first provincial final.
Their first game in Leinster will be in the quarter-finals against the winner of next weekend’s Carlow final. That could yet be an all-Kildare sideline as Monasterevan’s Brian Lonergan’s Old Leighlin look to repeat last year’s win over Rathvilly.
There is the potential for another meeting between Portarlington and the Kildare champions in the semi-finals, if both were to make that stage.
Meanwhile, in Wicklow, Ronan Joyce’s Blessington were beaten by An Tochar. The game was level at half-time but Blessington scored just one point in the second half as the Roundwood side raced away to win 0-21 to 1-7 for their first Wicklow SFC title since 1995.
In Westmeath, Philly Wolfe was part of the St Lomans management team as they were beaten 1-18 to 0-20 by The Downs in a thrilling final. John Heslin scored ten points and Ronan O’Toole chipped in with 0-5 but it wasn’t enough as The Downs retained the Westmeath Championship for the first time since their three-in-a-row team from 1968-70.
On the field, Athy's David McGovern played in midfield as St Mary's won the Sligo Senior Championship for the first time since 2015 with a 1-12 to 1-10 win over Shamrock Gaels.
