JACKIE CAHILL
PORTUMNA 1-15 NA PIARSAIGH 1-11
As Na Piarsaigh manager Seán Stack noted, it was that little bit of guile that got Portumna over the line in Saturday's AIB All-Ireland senior club hurling semi-final.
Dreadful weather ensured know-how and experience were key factors in determining who would progress to a final meeting with surprise packets Mount Leinster Rangers on March 17th.
And Galway's standard-bearers had those in spades throughout a war of attrition played out in front of 1,820 spectators.
Insurance score
A case in point was captain Ollie Canning winning the late free that allowed brother Joe, fortunate to be on the pitch, to slot over his ninth point and the insurance score.
Na Piarsaigh hauled them back into contention when Shane Dowling drilled home a 56th-minute penalty, to bring the Limerick and Munster champions to within three points, at 1-11 to 1-14.
But Ollie Canning’s cuteness drew the kind of foul that Stack put down to sheer craft, and Joe did the rest.
The former Clare star said: “I didn’t get the free count in the first half but I know it was totally lopsided. I wouldn’t blame James (McGrath) the referee for that one bit. It was just that Portumna knew how to pull frees.
Stack didn’t say it straight out but the tone of his voice and his body language suggested he was unhappy with McGrath’s decision not to dismiss Joe Canning in the first half for a pull across David Dempsey.
McGrath opted for yellow in the 22nd minute. Canning’s lucky escape allowed the 25-year-old, operating in a midfield role, to stamp his class all over proceedings.
He pointed three first half frees and added six points in the second half, including one from play and one trademark sideline cut.
Ronan O'Meara, a Galway minor last year, was another to catch the eye at corner forward. He had 1-2 on the board by half-time, including 1-1 in the opening four minutes.
For Na Piarsaigh, Kevin Downes struck the post in the first minute as Na Piarsaigh played with the aid of an icy breeze blowing into the Town End.
It was that kind of day for the Limerick city outfit, who suffered a second All-Ireland semi-final defeat in three seasons.
Stack elected to bring young Ronan Lynch in from the start, too, in place of veteran 42-year-old forward Damien Quigley.
Lynch, 25 years Quigley’s junior, was Munster GAA’s minor hurler of the year in 2013 and he showed why.
The key man for Ardscoil Rís in their march to a Harty Cup final, Lynch slashed over three points, including two sideline cuts that Canning would have been proud of.
But it wasn't enough as a resolute Portumna held firm to set up a St Patrick's Day decider with Mount Leinster.
NA PIARSAIGH: P Kennedy; K Breen, C King, M Casey; N Buckley, D Breen, J O'Brien; A Dempsey, W O'Donoghue; K Kennedy, K Downes (0-2), D Dempsey; K Ryan (0-1), S Dowling (1-4, 1-0 pen, 0-4 frees), R Lynch (0-3, 0-2 sideline). Subs: P Gleeson (0-1) for Kennedy (27 mins), D Sheppard for O'Donoghue (37 mins), B Hartnett for Dempsey, J Madden for O'Brien (both 53 mins).
PORTUMNA: J Keane; C O'Hare, E McEntee, G Heagney; P Smith, M Dolphin, E Lynch; L Smith, A Smith (0-1); K Hayes (0-1), D Hayes (0-1), O Canning (0-1); R O'Meara (1-2), J Canning (0-9, 0-7 frees, 0-1 sideline), N Hayes. Sub: O Treacy for N Hayes (60 mins).
Referee: J McGrath (Westmeath).
