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Laois Junior 'B' Football Championship

Semi-Final

Thursday 9th July 2007

Ballylinan 0-08 Portlaoise 1-04

Shockwaves were sent throughout the junior championship when Ballylinan sent Portlaoise packing in the semi-final of the competition. The result was not a surpise at the end of the game as it was a battling performance by both of these footballs strongholds. Ballylinan’s opponents in the final are O’Dempsey’s who were defeated at the same stage last year by Mountmellick. It took the sides ten minutes to settle with some physical challenges mixed into some impressive football. Murray Rogers opened the scoring for Portlaoise and this was quickly added to by Paul Gaynor. Ballylinan were out to show that they were no pushovers as a fine point from Laurence Kealy had them on target. It was Kealy again who sailed over another point to draw the sides level. Ballylinan were gaining a foothold in the midfield sector through Brendan Kealy; he fed Willie Murphy who split the posts with a score to give his the lead for the first time. The margin was extended even further when Brendan Kealy tapped over a point and it seemed Portlaoise were in trouble. But everyone knows that The Town are warriors and they grabbed a goal against the run of play through Paul McCormack. It could have shocked Ballylinan put they battled hard as Jimmy Rowan sent over a point to leave the scores level 0-05 to 1-02 at the interval.
The first score after the break was crucial and it fell to Brendan Kealy who pushed his side back into the lead. Paul McCormack pegged back the score and at times it was starting to get very heated between the sides. A brace of points from Adrian Casey and Jimmy Rowan had Ballylinan eyeing victory but Shane Mitchell reduced the margin. Mitchell had a chance to draw the sides but his late effort sailed wide.

Ballylinan: David Dobbyn, Joeby Brophy, Niall Walsh, Mark Kelly, Eric Kenna, James Loughman, Alan Kehoe, Brendan Kealy (0-2), Adrian Casey (0-1), Jimmy Rowan (0-2, 1f), Oliver Walsh, John Sourke, Willie Murphy (0-1), Walter Hovenden, Laurence Kealy (0-2). Subs Gerry Mulhall for Hovenden, Billy Ryan for L. Kealy, James Dunne for Casey.

Portlaoise: Colin Rochford, Niall McEvoy, Mark Brophy, Fryer Donegan, Murray Rogers (0-1), David Browne, Dermot Hooban, Keith Dempsey, Craig Scully, Barry McEvoy, Paul Gaynor (0-1), Paul McCormack (1-1, 1f), Colm Finn, Trevor Shore, Dermot Costello. Sub Shane Mitchell (0-1) for Shore.

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