Newport survive late Portroe rally

GAA: FBD Insurance County Premier Intermediate Hurling Relegation Final

Newport 1-17

Portroe 2-11

Report: Thomas Conway in Nenagh

Talk about drama at the death on Saturday. With several minutes remaining, this game was gone from Portroe, their hopes of retaining their premier intermediate status completely extinguished, Newport in total control.

And then, within a matter of seconds, the game took a different course. The action intensified, Port swiped two opportunist goals from right under Newport’s nose, and suddenly Kevin O’Halloran was standing over a twenty-metre free with just three points separating the sides and the final whistle perched on Conor Doyle’s lips. O’Halloran went for it, as well he might have, but the effort was blocked on the goal-line by one of the five Newport defenders scattered inside the small square. It was a case of so close, yet so very far.

Had Portroe completed their Lazarus-like last gasp comeback, it would have ranked as one of the most dramatic late revivals MacDonagh Park has played host to. But alas, things transpired differently.

Really and truly, the better side prevailed. Newport were a cut above Portroe here, and though they failed at times to show it, they contrived to produce a scintillating second-half performance which ultimately ensured that they will remain a Premier Intermediate side in 2024.

For Portroe, relegated to intermediate for the first time since 1990, there was no hiding the disappointment. The players were distraught, the supporters crestfallen, the entire village cast into a state of despondency. But one gets the impression that they will bounce back, that maybe relegation might serve them well in the long run. With players like Kevin O’Halloran at their disposal, they can hardly remain an intermediate side for long.

O’Halloran was not the full story of this game, but he was arguably the most entertaining sub-plot. The agile forward conjured up another sublime display, treating the crowd to a selection of grade-A quality points, the most impressive of which was an eleventh minute sideline from close to 65 metres. It was a momentous score, so slick and magical that there was no need to even watch. The crisp ‘thump’ of the sliotar against the bás was enough to indicate that this one was flying high and over.

Several minutes later he produced another moment of excellence, shuffling onto his back foot before sending the ball shooting over from underneath the stand at the far end. That cut the deficit back to one, Port trailing 0-4 to 0-3, but very much in the game.

A John Sheedy free and another O’Halloran gem would soon push Portroe in front, and truth be told they should have taken a commanding lead into the half-time dressing room.

But Newport’s Oran Connors had other ideas. His 30th minute goal propelled his side right back into the action, ensuring that Newport remained in the game despite a relatively poor first-half. The scoreline was delicately balanced at the interval but Port retained the lead, Nick Weir’s side on top, 0-9 to 1-4.

Whatever happened in that Newport dressing room, they seemed to re-enter the field a newly awakened force. They were bolder and more authoritative and soon enough, thanks to an avalanche of points from Connors, Tommy Floyd, and his devastatingly consistent namesake Colin, they had regained the lead, 1-8 to 0-10, with just over forty minutes on the board.

Things were tense at this point, painfully tense. Bear in mind that this was a last-chance saloon with each club’s future at stake. It made for scrappy, desperate hurling, but it was also marked by touches of individual class from the likes of Newport midfielder Cian Flanagan, who roared into the game midway through the second period and effectively steered Newport to victory. Flanagan would register four points, each one of them pivotal, in a consummate display of attacking talent. When Newport needed leaders, he stood tall, and along with Floyd, ensured that this side danced off into the sunset for what appeared like it would be a comfortable victory.

But late goals from Sam Madden and then Robert Byrne suddenly changed the dynamic, turning the game on its head in the latter stages. Ultimately, the task proved too arduous, but Port certainly made a spectacle of it. The dying minutes were nail-biting in ways, spellbinding in others, but Newport eventually clawed their way over the line, their Premier Intermediate status intact, and a long winter of rejuvenation in store.

Player of the Match: Cian Flanagan (Newport)

Newport: Paul Hogan (7), Andrew Hickey (7), Seán O’Brien (7), Rob Houlihan (7), Aidan Moloney (6), Conor Floyd (7), Oisin O’Brien (7), Cian Flanagan (0-4, 8), Tommy Floyd (0-3, 8), Kealan Floyd (0-1, 7), Conor O’Mahoney (7), Peter O’Sullivan (0-1, 7), Oran Connors (1-1, 8), Colin Floyd (0-6, 4f, 8), Pa Ryan (0-1, 7).

Subs: Conor Hickey for K Floyd (35-38); Martin Carey (6) for O’Sullivan (47); Aaron O’Neill (6) for Moloney (50); Jack Delahunty (6) for Ryan (55).

Portroe: Diarmuid Boyle (7), William Flood (6), Michael Breen (7), Justin Conroy (6), Brian Keating (6), Robert Byrne (1-0, 7), Jack Moloney (7), Jack O’Callaghan (7), Kevin O’Halloran (0-4, 1 s-cut, 8), Colm Gleeson (7), John Sheedy (0-7, 6f, 1 65) 8), Mark Gennery (7), Sam Madden (1-0, 7), Conor Byrne (6), Michael Creamer (6).

Subs: Anthony Bourke (6) for Conroy (38); Conor O’Brien (6) for Creamer (45).

Referee: Conor Doyle (Silvermines).