Towers fall just short
By Daire Walsh
PADRAIG Cahill recorded an impressive haul of 12 points at Clondalkin Community Centre on Sunday afternoon to propel Portobello towards a 1-16 to 0-11 triumph over Round Tower Clondalkin in the Go Ahead Dublin Junior ‘H’ Hurling Championship final.
Runners-up at the Junior ‘E’ grade in 2013 and intermediate title winners in 2019, Towers were hoping to make it a day to remember on their home patch.
The powerful Mick Broderick ensured the hosts were in the hunt during the early exchanges, but they ultimately fell short in their quest for championship honours.
In addition to Sunday’s triumph, Portobello also secured a Division 10 South League title and went the entire year unbeaten.
Despite losing both of their games in Group Three to St Finian’s, Swords and St James Gaels, Towers advanced into the knockout phase of the competition.
Their form subsequently picked up from there with a victory over Finian’s at the quarter-final stage (2-16 to 3-7) being followed by a last-four win against Geraldine P Moran’s in Cornelscourt.
Following a successful march through Group Two, Portobello accounted for James Gaels and St Anne’s en route to last weekend’s intriguing final battle.
Thanks to unanswered points from Anto Davis, Broderick and Oisin Douglas, Towers pulled three points clear in the opening moments of the action.
It was looking ominous for Portobello at this point and it remained that way when a Cahill free was cancelled out by a similar effort at the opposite end. However, the visitors proceeded to dominate the remainder of the half.
Ably-supported by Niall Duggan, Cahill continued to catch the eye with his dead-ball prowess. Inside forward Barry McPhillips drew a lot of fouls that were within his range and – as a result – Portobello were 0-10 to 0-5 in front at the interval.
Towers needed to hit the ground running on the resumption, but instead it was their opponents who remained in the driving seat. After Cahill bolstered his tally, Duggan shook the net to leave Portobello all of 10 points to the good (1-13 to 0-6).
Despite registering four scores in succession either of the second half water break, Towers were left to play catch up for the closing minutes of the tie.
Christopher Kavanagh kept plugging away for the Clondalkin men as he registered a plethora of pointed frees across the course of the contest.
This kept Portobello on their toes for large stretches, but with Cahill, Duggan, Tommy Byrne and team captain James Tansey in excellent form, they were not to be denied.