Portumna men streets ahead of Shamrocks

Date Published: 26-Feb-2009

REIGNING champions Portumna marched into their third All-Ireland senior club hurling final in four years when they ripped asunder a vaunted Ballyhale Shamrocks outfit in a thrilling semi-final encounter at Thurles on Sunday.
But hopes of a big Galway All-Ireland club double had already been dashed in Mullingar 24 hours earlier when injury hit Corofin footballers bowed out to a Mark Vaughan inspired Kilmacud Crokes outfit in their semi final clash.
Corofin’s brave effort ended in a six points defeat, but it was a much different story at Semple Stadium the following day as a razor sharp Portumna side enjoyed a 5-11 to 1-16 victory, with the result never in doubt once corner forward Ciaran Ryan netted the Galway champions’ fifth goal on 38 minutes.
The lively Andrew Smith subsequently followed up with a neat point a minute later to propel Portumna into a commanding 5-9 to 1-8 lead. A whopping 13 points behind, there was no way back for the stunned Ballyhale men.