Former county man Michael Donnelly scored 1-10 as Portlaw beat thirteen-man Kilmacthomas 1-16 to 1-7 in the Waterford SFC at Walsh Park.
The 38 year old smashed home an injury time penalty to secure second place in Group C for the Tannery side. Donnelly notched 1-5 from dead balls and five points from play. Déise hurler DJ Foran shot three points.
Reece Power and David Sutton got their marching orders for Kilmac. Adam Walsh (1-1) and Eoin Walsh (0-3) did the bulk of the scoring. Benji Whelan's team took the field without county panellist David Hallihan although he did come on as sub in the second half.
Portlaw played with the breeze at first and raced three points up inside six minutes. Darren Rockett's high ball bounced over the bar after just ten seconds. Kilmac hit back when Adam Walsh fisted home John Cleary's delivery in the eighth minute. A Dan Cusack point put them 1-2 to 0-3 up.
Donnelly fired five points in a row for Portlaw off his lethal left boot. On 16 minutes, Reece Power received a straight red card from referee Anthony Fitzgerald for a striking offence. Three DJ Foran points left Portlaw 0-12 to 1-4 clear at the break.
A Dean Walsh double got Kilmac within three points on the restart. Both sides missed goal chances before Donnelly sent over Portlaw's first score of the second period on 41 minutes. Cormac Rooney and Donnelly added further points.
On 53 minutes, Kilmac keeper Niall Cronin clipped Peter Woods and Fitzgerald signalled a penalty. Cronin redeemed himself with a diving save from Donnelly. David Sutton was dismissed on two yellows with five minutes left.
In injury time, DJ Foran was fouled for a second Portlaw penalty. Donnelly made no mistake this time as he rattled the roof of the net.
Portlaw boss Noel Mackey spoke to WLR Sport afterwards.
