Portumna Overcome Nerves In Limerick

All-Ireland Club Hurling Semi-Finals
Portumna 2-13
Loughmore 2-9

By Dermot Kavanagh

After ten minutes of this hard hitting semi-final at Limerick a shock result looked a possibility. Loughmore, playing against the wind were leading by three points to no score for Portumna. In fact Portumna had registered five wides by then and looked completely out of sorts. Then in the tenth minute Joe Canning scored a brilliant goal and Portumna were on their way. Through they were leading only by 1-5 to 0-4 at the interval Portumna looked likely winners. The Loughmore attack incapable of unlocking the Portumna defence.

By the forty third minute Niall Hayes scored Portumna's second goal to widen the gap considerably. Further Portumna points, namely through Joe Canning left his side in front by 2-11 to 0-7 with fifteen minutes remaining. The game looked all over as a contest.

To their credit Loughmore kept up the challenge and gradually whittled away Portuma's big lead. Webster and McGrath scored good goals and with other forwards contributing points the game looked wide open as the lead was now only three points with about five minutes left to play.

As in the first half Canning again came to the rescue of Portumna with two excellent points to settle the issue.

Portumna now marched on to the final brimming with confidence. They did not excel on Sunday but when they did momentarily click they looked a very confident side.

However, there will be concern that defensive lapses caused an uneasy finish to game that they appeared to have wrapped up earlier.

Loughmore, while disappointed at a defeat will nonetheless be relatively happy with their performance, their first time competing at this level.