Na Fianna produce extra touch of class

Portarlington can sit down after this and feel sorry for themselves. In their own backyard and with typically partisan support, they spent most of the afternoon shooting with broken arrows, and yet still landed just short of reaching the Leinster club semi-final.

Sure the Dublin champions had the greater class from midfield up, but if Portarlington had been half as efficient with their scoring chances, the result may well have been reversed. You can't shoot yourself in the foot and expect to be first over the finish line.

So the right to meet Kildare champions Sarsfields in the semi-final deservedly goes to the Dubliners. Goals win matches and whenever Na Fianna got a sniff, they went for the kill.

Dessie Farrell had his left knee heavily strapped and was looking the worse for wear but his goal after five minutes was vintage Na Fianna. Jason Sherlock started the run on goal, passed back to Pat McGeeney, who in turn laid it on for Farrell's lethal finish.

Five minutes before the break the ball was in the net again, this time intelligently flicked over the Portarlington defence by Ian Foley. Two more points from Foley and Sherlock after that pushed them into a six-point lead, and despite an obvious lapse in concentration in the second half, they were able to defend their advantage until the end.

Had the Laois champions been hitting their targets, however, that advantage may well have run out. Both Hugh Emerson and David Sweeney were guilty of some reckless shooting, helping to mount 13 wides before the hour was up. Na Fianna shot wide only once and that was in the last five minutes.

It was unfortunate for Portarlington because there was a lot of hard work being done elsewhere. Wing back Kenneth Hoey was the man of the hour, adding two points when the side needed them most. And both corner forwards Kevin McCann and Paul Maher at times defied their size and out-strengthened the Na Fianna defence.

Not surprisingly then, the most satisfying thing for Na Fianna manager Mick Galvin was the result: "We made it very difficult for ourselves," he said. "We lost our shape at midfield in the second half, lost all the breaks, and couldn't seem to get back in the game.

"But I couldn't have asked for any more commitment out there and when you come to a place like this you don't expect to walk away with an easy win. They were exactly the sort of side we expected. They were hearty and gutsy and the crowd got right behind them, but that bit of extra class up front was on our side in the end."

Ian Foley will have gained considerable confidence after this game. His 1-2 contribution no doubt caught the attention of new Dublin manager Tommy Lyons, but it was also a lively afternoon for Sherlock and Senan Connell. Kieran McGeeney was at his influential best in the first half.

When Portarlington cut back to three points coming into the last 10 minutes, it was the reliable boot of Farrell and Sherlock that held real danger at bay. Portarlington never threw in the towel but they never solved their accuracy problems either.

NA FIANNA: S Gray; N O Murchu, N Clancy, P McCarthy; T Lynch, S McGlinchey, M Foley; K McGeeney, K Donnelly; D Mackin, S Connell (0-1), P McGeeney; I Foley (1-2, one free), D Farrell (1-2), J Sherlock (0-4, two frees). Subs: A Shearer for Mackin (40 mins ).

PORTARLINGTON: I O'Neill; A Bracken, A Phelan, P O'Dwyer; J McCowen, D Ryan, K Hoey (0-2); B McCann, J Bolton; C Bennet, D Sweeney (0-2), G Burke (0-1); K McCann (0-2, one free), H Emerson (0-1), P Maher (0-3). Subs: P Turley for B McCann (38 mins), D O'Connor (0-1) for Burke, O Nolan for Bracken (both 39 mins), B Doris for K McCann (42 mins).

Referee: S McCormack (Meath).