Portumna cruise into last eight with game to spare

Portumna 0-19

Padraig Pearses 2-10

Portumna booked their place in the quarter-final stages of this year’s Senior Hurling Championship thanks to their three point victory over Padraig Pearses last Sunday.

Though there is still one round left in the group stages, Portumna’s unbeaten start to the campaign means they have done enough to progress straight to the last eight, while Pearses are now left with an uphill battle to advance from Group 2.

A couple of biblical downpours in Duggan Park made conditions fairly tough in this contest, but both sides gave their all in what turned into a very entertaining game. While Portumna may have hit seven more scores than their opponents, Pearses got their goals at crucial stages to keep them in the match. The result was in the balance until the final moments, but Portumna’s extra touch of class in attack was enough to get them over the line in the end.

It was Pearses who led after the opening five minutes, Tomás Flannery opening the scoring with a free before he and Joe Canning traded points from placed balls, a sight that was to become a fixture of the afternoon. Pearses were reliant on Flannery because the ball into their forward line wasn’t sticking early on, and when Portumna finally settled into their rhythm, they were able to open up a lead.

Ivan Canning got their first from play with a nice effort from the left-wing. That was followed up by a Damien Hayes point before Joe Canning added two more long-range frees to leave his side 0-5 to 0-2 ahead with 16 minutes played.

Portumna were finding their range at this point, but Pearses soared back into the contest with a goal in the 19th minute. Tomás Flannery launched a long ball forward from midfield and Lee Murphy got himself in the right position before getting the deftest of flicks onto the dropping ball, directing it past Joe Keane in the Portumna goal.

Joe Canning responded with a 65, but Pearses were soon back in the lead. From the ensuing puckout, the ball was flicked through to Murphy by Sean Hardiman but Murphy blazed his shot over the crossbar. A minute later Tomás Flannery made it 1-4 to 0-6 to Pearses after Colm Raftery had been fouled.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.