Port focus on Towns Cup

With their league status secured for another season, Portarlington travelled to league leaders North Kildare with a side that showed six changed as they rested players ahead of next Sunday’s Provincial Towns Cup clash in Naas.

Despite these changes, the Laois side put up a strong performance and will feel aggrieved to have only come away with a losing bonus point having had a try disallowed but player/coach Ross Doyle will surely be pleased to have maintained a sense of momentum while giving a much needed week off to some of his front line players.

Portarlington’s only try came from Doyle himself who added to his impressive tally for the season with another powerful finish. The rest of the points came from the boot of Stephen Mulhall who slotted a penalty and a beautifully struck drop goal.

However it was the disallowed try that ultimatelyseparated the sides was the talking point on the side line as North Kildare maintained top spot in Division 2A of the Leinster League.

The reality though is that the result matters little to Portarlington who sit comfortably in third place but 17 points behind second placed Mullingar. With no pressure on them in the league, Port will feel that next week’s visit to Naas in the Town’s Cup is their big opportunity to throw caution to the wind and see if their expansive style can deliver a cup run during the club’s 40th season.

The tie will also provide an opportunity to gain revenge over a Naas side who dumped Port out of the competition in 2013 with an extra time victory that still leaves a bitter taste in the mouths of those who remained involved two years later.

That game will kick off at 2.30 next Sunday in Naas when Doyle will hope that his strategy of resting players like Armand Smit, Joander Brazon and captain Cathal Bannon will pay off.