Masita Paddy Buggy Cup semi-finals (All-Ireland PPS hurling)
St Killian’s Garron Tower 4-16 Portumna CS 3-16
St Killian’s Garron Tower wrote their name in the record books on Saturday when they beat Connacht champions Portumna CS to qualify for the Paddy Buggy Cup final for the first time and set up a final meeting with Blackwater CS from Waterford on March 16th.
Leading the charge for the Ulster champions was team captain Joseph McLaughlin who showed his wide range of skills, as he scored 3 goals and ten point in a man of the match performance. Overall it was a great display by the Tower team, with each and every one of them playing their part, but McLaughlin was on a different level, turning it on when it mattered most to steer his side to their first All Ireland final.
However it was far from a one man show and early in the second half, when they were coming under a bit of pressure, the defence were top class, two in particular really standing out. At corner back Colla Ward excelled as he held his marker scoreless, while at left half back Niall Magee made a series of great catches and blocks to keep the Galway boys at bay.
PORTUMNA MAKE THE EARLY RUNNING
Calum McIlwaine pointed St Killian’s in front but when Portumna hit back with a brilliantly taken goal by Brian Horan the were warning signs for the Ulster side. The Galway school stretched their lead to 1-5 to 0-4 as they produced some great scores, but despite playing against a still breeze St Killian’s were showing well.
A great move involving Sean McAuley and Cormac McKeown found Joseph in space close to the Portumna goal and the big Cushendall man made no mistake he fired home with aplomb. Portumna came back with a strong spell of their own St Killian’s still went at the break with a 1-11 to 1-10 advantage.
Portumna were back on terms within a minute of the restart as Horan showed his class to fire over and Murty and Kelly added to their total the Connacht champions looked to be gaining the edge. The Tower needed something to happen to regain the upper hand and it did eight minutes into the second half when a great shot from corner forward Michael Furey rocketed off the underside of the Poutumna crossbar, and the ensuing mayhem as the ball bobbled around the ‘square’ McLaughlin coolly slotted home.
The Tower’s tails were up and McLaughlin added a point from a free, Orrin O’Connor popped one over from play, before a cross from the wing found full forward Oran McCambridge who fired home his team’s third goal.
Eight points ahead entering the last ten minutes the tempo dropped a little and a few good scoring chances were squandered and Portumna brought the deficit back to six.
There was a sense of anxiety among the fans for a short spell but those fears were laid to rest when Joe McLaughlin came out and won a ball in front of his marker before breaking clear and completing his hat trick with a sublime finish.
Portumana hit back right away with a goal of their own, but it was a case of too little too late and the Tower celebrations were soon in full flow.
St Killian’s: J McLaughlin 3-10 (0-6 frees), O McCambridge 1-1, T McLaughlin (free), C McIlwaine, C Mooney, C McKeown and O O’Connor 0-1 each.
Portumna: B Horan 1-4, A Roche 1-0, I Kelly 0-7 (frees), J Canning 0-2, C Murray, B Porter and C Kennedy 0-1 each
St Killian’s: T McLaughlin, C Ward, C Devlin, J Scullion, A Birt, C McAuley, N Magee, C McIlwaine, C Mooney, C McKeown, J McLaughlin, O O’Connor, M Furey, O McCambridge, N Hynds.
Subs: E Ward for C McAuley (47), P McDonnell for M Furey (55)
Portumna: A Canning, C Campbell, C Fahy, C Duggan, C Murray, S Felle, D Hughes, B Porter, J Canning, C Kennedy, M O’Sullivan, B Horan, C keane, C Treacy, I Kelly.
Subs: A Roche for C Treacy (23), A Callanan for D Hughes (52), D Reynolds for I Kelly (53)
