Laois Today: Remember the Game: Portlaoise CBS denied 2004 All Ireland glory

Portlaoise CBS 1-8 St Louis Kilkeel (Down) 1-11
2004 All-Ireland Colleges SFC ‘B’ Final

In May 2004, a star-studded Portlaoise CBS team went in search of All-Ireland glory.

Players like Darren Maher, Denis Booth, Cathal Óg Greene, Scott Conroy, Craig Rogers and MJ Tierney were in teacher John Duggan’s ranks that day as they tried to claim the title.

Kilkeel led well early on but Portlaoise CBS battled back through the free taking exploits of Tierney and led shortly after the resumption of play.

But the Down men were too strong. They had a young man by the name of Marty Clarke in their ranks and he would go on to win an All-Ireland minor title with his county in 2005.

Clarke signed for AFL side Collingwood in 2007 and had two spells with the Australian side either end of representing Down from 2009 to 2012.

He later returned to Australia with Collingwood until 2014 where he was diagnosed with a rare conditioned called Addison’s Disease which forced him to retire from all sport aged 29 last year.

But in this game, despite having a man sent off, Clarke and his Kilkeel side were crowned champions.

SCORERS – MJ Tierney 0-6, Craig Rogers 1-0, Scott Conroy 0-2

PORTLAOISE CBS: Darren Maher; Alan Dowling, Mark Delaney, Keith Murphy; Denis Booth, Brian Dunne, Fintan Walsh; Cathal Óg Greene, Craig Rogers; Joe Delaney, David Carroll, Kieran Delaney; Scott Conroy, MJ Tierney, Dan Reddin. Subs: Larry Fitzpatrick for J Delaney

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