LEINSTER CLUB SFC PRELIMINARY ROUND Portlaoise 2-11 Moorefield 0-14:PORTLAOISE WITHSTOOD a spirited second-half effort by Moorefield to emerge victorious from a pulsating tie at O'Moore Park and maintain their grip on the AIB Leinster club SFC title.
Goals from Barry Fitzgerald and Craig Rogers gave the Laois side a seven-point lead early in the second half but Moorefield responded with five consecutive points, including two each from Ciaran Kelly and Ronan Sweeney to reduce the deficit to two.
Impressive midfielder Daryl Flynn was dismissed late on when shown a second yellow card but the Kildare men kept driving forward and Niall Hurley-Lynch almost snatched an equalising goal at the death, fisting just wide.
PORTLAOISE: M Nolan; E Bland, C Healy, B Mulligan; K Lillis, H Coghlan, C Boyle; A Kelly, T Fitzgerald; B Glynn, B McCormack (0-2), C Rogers (1-3); P Cahillane (0-4, frees), Z Touhy (0-1), B Fitzgerald (1-1). Subs:K Fitzpatrick for Glynn (52); C Byrne for T Fitzgerald (57).
MOOREFIELD: T Corley; L Callaghan, K O'Neill, I Lonergan; Kenny Duane, G Naughton, K Murnaghan (0-1); D Flynn, D Whyte (0-1); P Murray (0-3, 0-1 free), R Sweeney (0-3), C Kelly (0-4); F Hannify, J Phillips, Keith Duane (0-1). Subs: P Wolfe (0-1)for Hanniffy (38); L Keane for Kenny Duane (41); P O'Flynn for Lonergan inj (43); N Hurley-Lynch for Keith Duane (49); C Corrigan for Phillips (60+3)
Referee: D Fahy(Longford).
