Comfortable win for Portarlington in Leinster opener

Portarlington 3-19 Palatine 0-09

Portarlington laid down a Leinster club senior football championship marker when they swept aside the challenge of the Carlow champions at Netwatch Cullen Park on Sunday.

The Laois three-in-a-row side were always money on to emerge victorious and while Palatine did ask some questions in the opening quarter, experience and being on the road a lot longer told in the end.

Shane O'Neill and Joshua Egan probed away at the Portarlington cover in the opening minutes but crucially the winners' corner back, Cathal Bennett, kept a close eye on Palatine intercounty player Conor Crowley.

On the other hand, Rioghan Murphy, Colm Murphy and David Murphy all found the going a little bit easier and Portarlington shot five points on the trot to bring a 0-11 to 0-05 to the interval.

The game died a death early in the second half when Colm Murphy beat his marker to shoot home from close range. Palatine were struggling and were only playing for pride now.

They found the going difficult. All the Portarlington forwards scored over the hour and at the other end, Ciaran Moran was denied a goal by keeper, Scott Osbourne. That was as near to a green flag as the Carlow champions got.

When Rioghan Murphy was presented with goal opportunities in the 44th and 52nd minute, he made no mistake. It was easy in the end and now the Laois side will surely believe they have as much chance of winning a provincial title as any of the sides left in the championship.

Portarlington: Scott Osbourne; Cathal Bennett, Diarmuid Bennett, Alex Mohan; Stuart Mulpeter, Robbie Piggott, Jason Moore (0-2); Paddy Sullivan, Sean Byrne (0-1); Adam Ryan (0-2), Ronan Coffey (0-1), Rioghan Murphy (2-2 1f); Jordan Fitzpatrick (0-2), David Murphy (0-3 1f),