No joy for Edenderry in Towns Cup
They mightn't have been that convincing for long periods but Portlaoise still did enough to advance to the second round of the Towns Cup with a 15-point win over Edenderry in Togher last Sunday.
Newstalk Provincial Towns Cup
Portlaoise 25
Edenderry 10
This game offered Portlaoise a welcome break from their struggle against relegation in the Leinster League Premier Division and they never really looked like losing after captain Will Sherlock crashed over for their first try after 20 minutes.
Yet Edenderry made little of their status as a Division 3 side and they were competitive for most of the game before Portlaoise finally put the tie beyond their reach when Gavin D Thompson made a powerful 60-yard break for a wonderful individual try 12 minutes in to the second half. That try, after initial great work by Ger McEvoy and Johnny Kingsley, pushed Portlaoise into 25-5 lead and there was no way back from there for the visitors.
Edenderry however are on the verge of promotion from Division 3 and this performance against Division 1 opposition will surely boost their confidence even further.
Portlaoise meanwhile will need to show drastic improvement if they're to get a decent run in this year's competition but they'll be happy to have at least have the show on the road. Outhalf Jamie Kavanagh got them off the mark when he landed a penalty after 12 minutes and with the aid of a bitingly cold wind, Portlaoise had plenty of possession, and territory in the opening half.
Their first try came on 20. Kavanagh opted to boot a penalty into the corner and from the resulting lineout Portlaoise drove over the Edenderry line where Sherlock was crediting with grounding the ball. Kavanagh added the conversion and Portlaoise suddenly had a healthy lead.
Edenderry only came to life then and they enjoyed a ten-minute spell of pressure before they eventually made it count when winger Jack Kilmurray went over in the corner. There was a suspicion of a knock-on in the buildup to the try but Edenderry got the benefit of the doubt from referee Simon Porter and Kilmurray's try left just five points between the sides as Brian O'Carroll missed the tricky conversion.
Portlaoise, however, cancelled that score out just before half time when they struck for their second try. It was almost a carbon copy of the first except this time it was impressive flanker Eoin Culleton that touched down. Kavanagh missed the resulting conversion but Portlaoise still went into the break with a 15-5 lead.
A Kavanagh drop goal after the break stretched Portlaoise's lead and when Edenderry sub Liam Marley was sin-binned for a high tackle on Kingsley, it signalled the beginning of the end for the Offaly side. Thompson raced in under the posts for Portlaoise's third try and from there they was no way back.
Eoin Culleton followed Marley into the bin a few minutes later but by then it made little difference. Kilmurray went over for a fabulous try near the end alright but Portlaoise's focus at that stage was firmly set on the next round.
PORTLAOISE: Gavin Thompson; Mark Delaney, Michael Fennelly, Johnny Kingsley, Gavin D Thompson; Jamie Kavanagh, Richie Gee; Richie Bond, Will Cooper, Shane Reilly, Will Sherlock, Graham Peavoy, Joe Fleming, Eoin Culleton, Ger McEvoy. Subs: Mark Sherlock for W Sherlock (68 mins), Robert Delaney for Gavin Thompson (68 mins)
EDENDERRY: Killian Farrell; Jack Kilmurray, John O'Donnell, Ethan Cooney, Tom Fossett; Brian O'Carroll, Shane Kelly; Derek Kearney, Brian Rushe, Steven Potterton, Frank Kennedy, David Keenan, Niall McEvoy, Tom Mulligan, Tony Crampton. Subs: David Smullen for Rushe (injured - 40 mins); Liam Marley for Kennedy (60 mins), Shane Melia for Kearney (60 mins)
Referee: Simon Porter
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