Gort ease past Portumna into Intermediate ranks

Date Published: {J}

Gort 2-13

Portumna 1-10

Michael O’Brien

at Kenny Park

A Portumna team dependent on the freetaking of David Canning were outclassed by the overall greater teamwork of Gort in this junior A hurling final at Kenny Park, Athenry on Sunday.

From early on, Gort held the upperhand and once they went a few points ahead, they never looked like relinquishing their lead. Portumna huffed and puffed without ever looking like creating enough scoring chances.

As a spectacle, this game lacked any sparkle for long periods. But that shouldn’t take away from a Gort side that for long periods looked to be playing well within themselves.

Apart from a couple of brief spells, Gort were on top in every line of the field. Their half-backline in particular swept all before them, with Kris Finnegan playing a leading role which included scoring three brilliantly struck frees. He was well assisted by Martin Moran and Darragh Linnane, the latter a chip off the old block in many ways.

The forwards weren’t always economical but one always sensed that they were capable of tagging the couple of points needed if the opposition ever got within reach.

But apart from the dying moments of the game, when Portumna rattled the net in the 59th minute through a David Canning free, the opposition never looked like closing the gap.

In general play, Portumna competed well but all too often they were that fraction too slow in their decision-making while Gort always looked to have the better combination to work a score when they had possession.

While both sides were angered at times due to the stop-start nature of the game due to frees, it wasn’t a factor in the overall result. If anything, the regularity with which frees were awarded blunted the hopes of fast-flowing game which would surely have allowed Gort to further impose their authority on the game.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.