Sean Treacys preserves Premier Intermediate status with defeat of poor Portroe

FBD Insurance Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship Quarter-Final

Sean Treacys 1-22

Portroe 0-19

By Thomas Conway

Time to start worrying in Portroe. The North Tipp club has spent years consistently punching above its weight and defying demographic realities, but now, in 2023, the prospect of relegation to the intermediate grade looms large over this sleepy rural village.

Should it actually happen, it would represent a disaster for the small community-based club, but crucially, Port’s fate is still in Port’s own hands. It’s win or bust, but it will require a far superior performance to that which they produced last Saturday in Newport.

Sean Treacys, for their part, were sublime. They did what they had to, dominating the middle third and capitalising on a strong wind to propel themselves to victory. Pa Carey, Patrick Deegan and Patrick Dawson led the charge up front, while at the back Seán Ryan dictated affairs, constantly controlling his territory, patrolling his patch, and ultimately delivering a Player of the Match performance from his berth at centre-back.

Sean Treacys’ superiority was evident from the get-go. Portroe might have scored first, the wily Kevin O’Halloran snatching an early point, but within seconds Tom Hickey had levelled affairs with an epic long-range effort. Moments later, Deegan sent his first flying over from the wing, before Carey got his account up and running from placed-balls.

The wing was strong, granting the West Tipp side a clear and obvious first-half advantage which they exploited wilfully. There were standout moments, a Darragh Kennedy sideline cut among them, but by and large this game was a tale of Treacys dominance. Without John Sheedy’s frees, Port would have wilted entirely, but even with their marksman on form they struggled to mount a viable challenge.

The gap at half-time was only three points, Treacys leading 0-12 to 0-9, but it felt wider. Soon enough, it became wider too, the West side pulling further in front in the early stages of the second-half through a combination of slick link-up play and clinical shooting.

A Patrick Dawson sideline shoved Treacys 0-16 to 0-9 ahead by the 39th minute, and from there it seemed there was no way back for Port. But in fairness to the North Tipp side, they rallied, growing into the second-half and clawing back the deficit courtesy of points from Robert Byrne, Sheedy, and Jack O’Callaghan.

But a goal had been coming and eventually, it arrived, in the 45th minute, after Treacys midfielder Michael Feehan channelled his way through the centre on a powerful forty-metre run. He could have kept going himself, but unselfishly, he resisted the temptation and instead slipped a handpass to Cillian Kennedy, whose finish - a low effort past Diarmuid Boyle and into the corner - was a picture of composure.

With the scoreline now at 1-18 to 0-13, the goal effectively killed the game, extinguishing all hopes of a second-half Portroe revival. But to their eternal credit, Port kept battling admirably, and actually reduced the deficit significantly in the closing minutes, primarily through O’Halloran and his venomous sharp-shooting. But it was never going to be enough.

Sean Treacys were simply too good, too sharp and too determined. They controlled this game from the outset and played with a spark that they should have discovered well in advance of now. Based on Saturday’s showing, it seems mystifying why they ended up in a relegation play-off in the first place, but they can now rest easy.

Sean Treacys: Shane Stapleton (0-2f); Brian Nolan, Seán Hickey, Eoin Sheldon; Christy Egan (0-1), Seán Ryan (0-2), Tom Hickey (0-1), Brian Carey, Stephen Carr; Cillian Kennedy, Michael Feehan, Patrick Carey (0-7, 0-4f, 1 65), Patrick Deegan (0-4), Darragh Kennedy (0-1 s-cut), Mattie Feehan.

Subs used: Patrick Dawson (0-3, 0-1 s-cut) for Kennedy (HT inj); Jodie Ryan (7) for Mattie Feehan (37); Donnacha O’Brien (6) for Carr (50); Brian Nolan (6) for O’Brien (56), Darragh Carr (NR) for B Carey (58).

Portroe: Diarmuid Boyle; Jack Moloney, Conor Byrne, Adrian O’Halloran; Michael Creamer, Colm Gleeson, Jack O’Callaghan (0-1); Brian Keating, Robert Byrne (0-1), William Flood, Michael Breen, Sam Madden (0-1), John Sheedy (0-11, 0-10f), Mark Gennery (0-1), Kevin O’Halloran (0-4, 0-1f).

Subs used: Anthony Bourke for Creamer (43); Justin Conroy for C Byrne (43); Daithi Gleeson for Madden (59).

Referee: Séamus Delaney (JK Brackens)