All you need to know as The Harps and Portlaoise meet in the 2020 Premier IHC final

For the third season on the trot, The Harps will go in search of a return to the top table of Laois hurling when they contest the 2020 Premier IHC final against Portlaoise.

They are bidding to win their first adult hurling title with their premier team since they formed in 1984 – and standing in their way is the side who stopped them in 2018.

Back then, which is three years but two seasons ago, The Harps came into this final as favourites but couldn’t get the job done.

Instead, Portlaoise ground out a 1-13 to 1-11 win but their stay at senior level lasted just one year as they were relegated in 2019.

You have to go back more than 12 months to remember how both teams got to this stage.

Derek Delaney’s Portlaoise were in Group B where they began with a 0-18 to 2-7 win over Ballyfin.

They sealed their semi final spot thanks to a 2-15 to 0-15 triumph against Colt-Shanahoe and concluded the group with a 1-20 to success against Slieve Bloom.

Their semi final last October saw them run out 3-18 to 0-16 victors against Camross’ second team.

The Harps were drawn in Group A and after a tense start against Camross where they scraped by with a one point win, they really opened up after that.

Clonaslee were felled by 4-16 to 0-13 to clinch a last four place while they hammered Mountrath 6-24 to 0-7 in the final group match.

In the semi final, The Harps were ten point winners over Slieve Bloom to qualify for their third straight final.

Portlaoise should have a clean bill of health for the final and can call on Cahir Healy who will play in his final ever game for the club.

The Harps will hope Daniel Comerford and Ciaran Burke can shake off niggles while we can expect to see Laois U-20 star James Duggan make his first appearance at this level too.

The game throws in at O’Moore Park at 7.30pm and you’ll be able to follow all of the action as it happens via our Live Blog.

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source https://www.laoistoday.ie/2021/08/13/all-you-need-to-know-as-the-harps-and-portlaoise-meet-in-the-2020-premier-ihc-final/