Joe Canning
was a central figure at the Gaelic Grounds this
afternoon as 2006 champions Portumna won through to
their second All-Ireland club hurling final in three
years. One of four Cannings in the Galway side, the
strapping full-forward scored 1-03 as the men from
the west took a 1-05 to 0-04 lead into the second
half. Loughmore-Castleiney, appearing in their first
All-Ireland semi-final, fought on with Noel McGrath
and Michael Webster both registering goals, but a
Niall Hayes major settled the issue and set up a
mouth-watering Portumna v Birr decider on March 17.
Portumna manager Jimmy Heverin will have his fingers
crossed that his star man Canning avoids injury when
trying to help Limerick IT retain the Fitzgibbon Cup
title in Cork next weekend. Despite fears over a
hamstring tear, the 19-year-old powerhouse still
managed to crush Loughmore-Castleiney's dreams of
reaching the final with a terrific haul of 1-09.
Canning and company were left trailing in the
Tipperary side's wake though as they moved
impressively into an early 0-03 to 0-00 lead. Facing
into the wind, points from 17-year-old attacker Noel
McGrath (0-02) and Evan Sweeney, the son of team
manager Eamon, saw the Tipp men canter ahead.
Portumna took their time to settle and for McGrath's
second point, goalkeeper Ivan Canning had been
penalised for taking a puck-out from outside the
small parallelogram. By that stage, Portumna had
missed two chances to open their account with
Canning wayward from a 100-yard free and the
All-Ireland Under-21 winner also scooped a line ball
across the face of goal. But he was right on the
money when he raced through to net a ninth-minute
goal. Canning, who had cry therapy sessions to help
his hamstring injury, took the ball on 40 yards out
and managed to outdo Derek Bourke for pace before
shortening his grip and finding the
Loughmore-Castleiney net from a tight angle. Helped
by their short-passing style, the Connacht champions
took a four-point lead into the break. Sweeney
supplied the underdogs' fourth point in the
26th-minute. Although Eddie Connolly pointed for
Loughmore-Castleiney just 15 seconds after the
resumption, Canning increased his influence by
firing over the next three points to hand Portumna a
1-08 to 0-05 advantage. It was a family affair in
the 43rd-minute when Damien Hayes, who ran his legs
into the ground, supplied the pass for his brother
Niall to goal from 13 metres out. Portumna were now
cruising and Loughmore-Castleiney were soon down to
14 men. They lost corner back Paul Ormond to a
second bookable offence. An All-Ireland winner with
Tipp in 2001, Ormond was initially booked in first
half injury-time and he saw red in the 45th-minute
for a frontal challenge on Damien Hayes in the
lead-up to the goal. Despite their numerical
disadvantage and being 2-11 to 0-07 behind with
eight minutes remaining, Loughmore-Castleiney
rallied in the closing stages to find the net twice.
McGrath, one of Tipperary's best minor talents, set
up Webster's goal and then scored one himself in the
58th-minute after collecting a long ball in towards
the danger area. In front of a 5,600-strong crowd,
the Munster champions reduced the arrears further
with an injury-time point from Sweeney but two late
efforts from Canning copper-fastened the westerners'
win.PORTUMNA:
I Canning; M Gill, E McEntee, O Canning; G
Heagney, M Ryan, P Smith; L Smith, E Lynch; A Smith,
K Hayes (0-02), N Hayes (1-00); D Hayes (0-01), J
Canning (1-09, 0-06f), D Canning (0-01).
Sub used: A O'Donnell for
Gill (60+3 mins).
LOUGHMORE-CASTLEINEY:
J Gleeson; A Stapleton, D Bourke, P Ormond; E
Ryan, D Kennedy, T King; C McGrath, G Sweeney; E
Sweeney (0-03, 0-01f, 0-01 '65'), D McGrath, N
McGrath (1-04, 0-02f, 0-01 '65'); E Connolly (0-01),
M Webster (1-01), P Brennan.
Sub used: D Brennan for P
Brennan (52 mins).
Referee:
Anthony Stapleton (Laois)
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