Canning is the difference as Portumna stagger over line

Portumna 0-16

Liam Mellows 1-12

THE return of Joe Canning after injury proved pivotal for Portumna as they recorded their second win in senior A Group 2 on Saturday evening in Kenny Park, Athenry. Canning’s sublime 63rd minute point denied a plucky Liam Mellows side at least a share of the spoils from a contest that they were in charge of for large spells.

Tadgh Haran’s point ten minutes from time appeared to put the city side in the box seat with a four point advantage, and if they had added another couple of points to their total then victory would surely have been assured against a Portumna side who had to rely on Joe Canning and Ronan O’Meara for all but two of their scores.

Instead, Mellows agonisingly went scoreless to finish on 1-12 for the second week in succession and they were reeled in slowly, but surely by Portumna. Five minute minutes of injury time were allotted after a couple of lengthy stoppages, and in the third of those Canning took off on a gallop down past the dugouts on the left sideline before drifting a shot over the crossbar from the narrowest of angles.

Mellows, who started without key defender David Collins, still had time to claim a draw their efforts surely merited, and were offered the opportunity to salvage that with a central free, but Ronan Elwood seemed to rush his attempt and it drifted right and wide on the wind, leaving Mellows to rue a second half in which they only scored twice.

Injuries and form had forced Liam Mellows to make five changes to their starting line-up after losing to Cappataggle in round one, and corner forward Enda Fallon proved well worthy of inclusion from the start with two early points as Mellows raced into a 0-5 to 0-2 lead by the tenth minute. With Martin Dolphin absent and Portumna playing into the breeze, Joe Canning began at centre half back but could do little to halt Mellows early dominance.

The lively Conor Kavanagh also had an impact and almost had a goal in the third minute, but was denied by a smart save from Portumna ‘keeper Joe Keane. Half forwards O’Meara and Ollie Canning got Portumna on the board, but Aonghus Callanan, Kavanagh, and a Tadgh Haran free had Mellows off to a much-needed good start.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.