Portumna Community School were crowned Connacht Post Primary Schools Senior B Hurling Champions after a 1-18 to 0-13 victory over Holy Rosary College Mountbellew at St. Croans GAA Grounds, Enfield on Saturday afternoon.
At half-time, the sides were level at eight points each, with captain Conor Murray and Iarla Kelly to the fore for Portumna. Tom Hoolahan and Cillian Roache, with five frees, kept the Mountbellew men right in the game at the halfway mark.
Kelly and Roche traded points at the start of the second half, before Portumna struck a crucial blow on 37 minutes. Kelly found Cathal Larkin, who rattled the net to make it 1-9 to 0-9. After 45 minutes, it was just the goal separating the sides at 1-11 to 0-11. The South Galway School then went six in front thanks to points from Jody Canning, Kelly and captain Murray. Cillian Roache powered forward for the Mountbellew men and was fouled, leading to a penalty. His resulting penalty beat the goalkeeper but struck the post. Immediately after Portumna stretched further ahead thanks to Kelly raising a white flag from a free.
Another goal opportunity went a begging for Holy Rosary College, and a free won on the counterattack allowed Kelly to put eight points between the sides with five to play. Two points back-to-back from Jody Canning ended the game as a contest with a minute to go, leaving it 1-17 to 0-11. Roache and Tiernan Lohan scored Mountbellew's final two points of the game, but it wasn't enough as Portumna Community School are Connacht Senior B Hurling Champions again after their last victory in 2024.
Portumna now advance to the All-Ireland semi-final, which takes place next weekend.
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Portumna Community Schools' Captain Conor Murray spoke to Darren Kelly after his side were crowned Connacht champions for the second time in three years...
After the game, Portumna Community Schools' joint-manager Kevin Hanney spoke to Galway Bay FM's Darren Kelly...
