Crokes cruise past Portarlington in Leinster semi-final

Portarlington 0-04 Kilmacud Crokes 1-12

Holders Kilmacud Crokes are on the brink of back-to-back AIB Leinster club SFC title successes after cruising through to next month's decider against The Downs.

The Dublin champions had a scare against Portarlington at the same stage, and on the same Croke Park pitch, of last season's provincial competition and required a late Paul Mannion inspired rally to progress on that occasion.

But they had no such troubles this time, leading virtually from gun to tape with an assured performance despite the injury absence of three-time All-Star Mannion while they could afford to withdraw Shane Walsh, a current All-Star, at the three-quarter mark.

Goalscorer Andrew McGowan, whose seventh minute strike put Crokes on the road to the comfortable win over the three-in-a-row Laois champions, came off as well along with player of the match Craig Dias, presumably with one eye already on next month's final.

A hint of fortune about it, but it's a great start for Kilmacud Crokes as Andy McGowan grabs a goal against Portarlington. Live now on RTÉ2 and the RTÉ Player - https://t.co/j90jEuigvs pic.twitter.com/MFd3OFwTEf

Walsh struck three points though two of those came from placed balls and four months on from lighting up Croke Park with Galway in the All-Ireland senior final, when he memorably scored nine points, it was a lower key return.

Crokes, impressively, held Portarlington scoreless from play until the 47th minute as they produced another defensive masterclass.

Robbie Brennan made a series of changes to his Crokes lineup before throw-in, handing starts to Aidan Jones along with former inter-county duo Shane Horan and Cian O'Connor.

The switches worked out nicely because while an utterly professional