Hayes and Canning do the damage for Portumna

Portumna 2-19

Mullagh 2-12

A clinical Portumna side withstood a determined early challenge from Mullagh at Duggan Park, Ballinasloe last Friday evening to book their place in the quarter-finals of the 2015 county senior hurling championship with one game still left to play in Group C.

That game is against one of their arch rivals St. Thomas’ who, themselves, may need to get something out of that fixture if they are to proceed to the knockout stages. As it stands, Killimordaly and Mullagh can also make it while bottom placed team Turloughmore aren’t entirely out of the running either.

At any rate, Portumna strengthened their credentials as championship favourites with one of their trademark displays against Mullagh. With the game tied at 0-5 apiece after the outstanding Damien Hayes hit the equaliser on 19 minutes, the victors subsequently hit their opponents for another 1-3.

Firstly, Kevin Hayes hit two points before a loose clearance from the otherwise solid Kevin Briscoe was taken by Kevin Hayes and his cross-field ball found an unmarked Ronan O’Meara. Goal! Moments later, Joe Canning added a free after a foul on O’Meara to make it 1-8 to 0-5.

In fairness to Mullagh, who had to field without the unavailable Davy Glennon, it wasn’t that they were playing badly. Their starting fifteen had a nice balance to it and they were hugely honest in their endeavours. However, that they would hit five wides in the first half – Portumna hit none – didn’t help them.

As it was, they did respond to the Portumna blitz with points from Conor Dervan – a brilliant sideline cut – and through midfielder Sean Hardiman but just as they showed signs of recovery, Portumna struck for their second goal. Again, it was slick hurling from Vincent Treacy’s men.

A sideline cut from Leo Smith was collected by O’Meara who delivered to Canning. What made the goal was the angle the Galway sharpshooter took down the ball, changing the direction of his run to create the goalscoring opportunity. Super goal and coming two minutes before the break it hurt Mullagh.

Indeed, Canning subsequently clipped over two free before the change of ends and with a 2-10 to 0-7 advantage, they were unlikely to be caught by a Mullagh attack that only had one starting forward, namely the imposing Cathal Dervan, who scored over the 60 plus minutes.

In contrast, five of Portumna’s starting attackers raised flags, with Damien Hayes to the fore with a whooping six points from play. Five of those came in the second half and they enabled Portumna to control the game and, more importantly, its outcome.

Full report in this week’s Connacht Tribune.