GAA/Football/All-Ireland Club Championships Final/Portumna 2-8 Newtownshandrum 1-6: There was no mistaking Portumna's merit in winning a first AIB All-Ireland club title, but they did it the hard way.

On a perishing day with the wind scything into the Canal End, the weather wasn't made for hurling. Having made a dream start, the Galway champions lost the initiative and ended up with only three points to spare at half-time - and the wind due in their faces for the second 30 minutes.

Ben O'Connor's free minutes after the restart left it a two-point match, 2-3 to 1-4, and essentially Portumna had to go and win the match all over again. This time they made sure there was no let-up and hounded the Cork side into submission, racking up the five frees from man of the match Joe Canning that would ultimately separate the teams.

Winning coach Seán Treacy said the match being in the balance at half-time had been important in galvanising his team into a more concentrated effort after the break. By his reckoning, there were eight players not functioning properly in the first half, perhaps lulled into listlessness by the good start.

With John McCarthy out of the Newtown line-up Maurice Farrell dropped down to corner back with John Paul King moving to centrefield and replacement William O'Mahony coming into the attack. Portumna's captain Eugene McEntee passed a late fitness test and started at full back.

It wasn't long before the first strike. Ben O'Connor and Joe Canning had missed a 65 and a free respectively when the latter fastened on to a ball in the third minute. Although surrounded, he managed to flip it into the air, go around Farrell and hammer a shot over Paul Morrissey into the top of the net.

Given Newtown's less than prolific goal-scoring record, a big early lead was always going to make things difficult for the Cork champions. Seven minutes later, Canning was again involved as the match looked to be heading out of sight. He won possession when a throw-in spilled the ball in his direction, cut in behind the defence and laid it back across goal for Niall Hayes to finish into an empty net. Canning followed up with a free - so by the 10th minute the teenager had played a central role in opening up what proved an unbridgeable gap.

It was no great surprise he was awarded the man of the match citation for this sensational opening and the steadiness of his second-half free taking. Treacy praised the youngster's "intellectual maturity" and said he would in all likelihood be at school on Monday to refocus on his Leaving Certificate.

The early cloudburst of scores seemed to switch off Portumna's sense of urgency. They continued to threaten, but Newtown got to the pace of things and their defence began to disrupt and move ball out with Alan T O'Brien and Pat Mulcahy slowing their opponents' momentum.

When, in the space of little over a minute, Newtown's own teenage prospect Cathal Naughton rifled over two points into the wind, the early trend was being turned back and although Damien Hayes smartly converted a point after Joe Canning had hit the woodwork with a free, Newtown were right back in contention in the 21st minute.

Jerry O'Connor's solo took him into the danger area and a precise finish to the net left only a score between the teams, 1-2 to 2-2.

Among those not enjoying optimum form in the first half was Ollie Canning, but he was more himself after the break and inspired the defence to rise to the challenge of the wind and Newtown's attempts to harness it.

Centrefield picked up its game with Eoin Lynch and Leo Smith taking a hold and eclipsing Jerry O'Connor's second-half contribution. In attack there was also a rededication to the task with Kevin Hayes winning some fine possession. But for imperfect distribution Portumna would have run out even easier winners.Still, there were plenty of chances and it took some Alamo defending from the Munster champions to keep the score down.

Frequently this wasn't entirely within the rules and Joe Canning made them pay, missing only one free - not the most difficult. Pat Mulcahy picked up two yellow cards and his marching orders in the 57th minute, but had been lucky to stay on the field a few minutes previously when pulling down Canning.

That particular free pushed Portumna six ahead, 2-7 to 1-4. Ben O'Connor did knock over a couple of points in the final minutes, but Joe Canning wrapped it all up with an injury-time free and brother Ollie pulled off a breathtaking block on the line before the end to keep the scoreboard honest.

PORTUMNA: I Canning; M Gill, E McEntee (capt.), O Canning; G Heagney, M Ryan, A O'Donnell; L Smith (0-1), E Lynch; D Canning, K Hayes, A Smith; D Hayes (0-1), N Hayes (1-0), J Canning (1-6, points from frees).

NEWTOWNSHANDRUM: P Morrissey; M Farrell, B Mulcahy (capt), D Gleeson; A T O'Brien, P Mulcahy, P Noonan; JP King, J O'Connor (1-0); D Mulcahy, B O'Connor (0-4, three frees), J O'Connor; W O'Mahony, J Bowles, C Naughton (0-2).

Referee: B Gavin (Offaly).