Stories
relating to Aghaderg/Ballyvarley
Under 16 Hurling League
Mourne/Newry
Shamrocks Vs Ballyvarley
Ballyvarley’s Under 16
hurlers travelled away to
Glasdrumman
on Saturday to play the amalgamated
Mourne/Newry
Shamrocks team. The game was played
in awful conditions, the heavy rain
causing a muddy pitch with patches
of surface water.
Once the game began,
Ballyvarley displayed the fight and
determination needing to win the
contest. Conor
McClorey
lead well at centre half-forward,
shipping some heavy tackles and
driving the Reds forward. The first
score of the game came after a
reckless tackle on
Conor
resulted in a Ballyvarley free, and
Paul O’Neill calmly stroked the
sliothar
over the bar.
In these early stages
the play was somewhat hectic as the
playing conditions made it hard for
players to get space and a few
slipped on the unsure surface.
However, James McDermott was
dominating play at half-back, laying
the ball of for Paul O’Neill to beat
two men, solo forward from midfield
and slot the ball between the
uprights. Three minutes later Paul
notched up another identical score,
before adding his and Ballyvarley’s
fourth score with 25 minutes gone.
Despite Ballyvarley’s
undoubted superior possession they
could not find the killer goals.
Everyone
of the Reds’ forwards battled away,
only for Colm
McCabe to pull off some great last
ditch tackles for the
Mourne
side. Mourne,
as the half went on, became
dangerous from set plays with
dangerous deliveries into the
Ballyvarley box that needed some
good batting away from Jamie Murray
and Paul Cairns. Yet
Mourne
finally did get on the
scoresheet
with a point from play on 30 minutes
from Paul Sheehan and another from
the Mourne
player, a pointed free, just before
the whistle for the break.
HALF-TIME:
Mourne/Newry
Shamrocks 0-2
Ballyvarley 0-4
The second half began as
the first with Paul O’Neill and
James McDermott dominating at
midfield and half back respectively.
Ballyvarley added to their tally in
the first minute with another
pointed free.
Sean Savage and Kieran
Maguire began to show more upfront
causing problems with a few of their
runs, while Michael McDermott and
Colm
Madden were not giving the
Mourne
forwards any time on the ball with
some hard but fair tackles.
In the third minute Paul
O’Neill added another pointed free
after a late tackle on the
impressive Leigh
McConville,
before adding a fourth soon after.
But Ballyvarley were never
complacent at the back either. Their
rearguard was tested on numerous
occasions yet they stood firm. Some
good clearances from Paul Cairns,
Jamie Murray, James and Michael
McDermott made all the difference as
did some safe goalkeeping from James
Kennedy. All this resulted in just a
solitary point for the home side
despite some heavy pressure.
The score of the match
came late in the game when James
McDermott lifted under pressure,
surged past two opponents and drove
a long range shot that nestled in
the back of the net. That was the
killer score that ended the game as
a contest and ensured the Reds had
an easier last few minutes.
FULL-TIME:
Mourne/Newry
Shamrocks 0-3
Ballyvarley 1-7
This was a great team
performance from the Ballyvarley
players. They fought and competed in
all areas of the field. In
particular James McDermott and Jamie
Murray were solid at the back; Paul
O’Neill and Leigh
McConville
dominated midfield; and
Conor
McClorey
and Kieran Maguire ensured the
Mourne
defence was not given a minutes rest
all evening.
The Ballyvarley under 16
hurlers
next match is on Friday 31st
March at home to
Clonduff.
Throw in at 6.30pm.
Ballyvarley Team
James
Kennedy, Paul Cairns, Jamie Murray,
Cathal
McGrath, Michael McDermott, James
McDermott (1-0),
Colm
Madden, Paul O’Neill (0-7), Leigh
McConville,
Sean Savage,
Conor
McClorey, Tony
Tumilty,
Tony Hegarty,
Kieran Maguire, Shane
McAreavey.
Subs: Stephen Byrne, Martin
Connolly, Christopher Martin.
Ballyvarley Hurling Notes
Ballyvarley’s
under 14 hurlers are training
on Wednesday nights at St Patrick’s
College. Their first session will be
on Wednesday 29th March
from 6pm to 7.15pm,
and will continue on Wednesdays
until the first league game on
Wednesday 12th April. Any
new players are welcome to come
along.
The
Under 14 Hurling
Feile is
being held in
Castlewellan this year on
Saturday 22nd April. We
would hope all our players would
make themselves available for this
tournament, and appeal for as many
parents as possible to help
transport the players too and from
the games.
The
under 16
hurlers season has already started
with a good seven point win over
Mourne
on Saturday. Their third league game
is at home to
Clonduff on Friday 31st
March. Players are asked to be at
the field for 6.10pm
with throw in at 6.30pm. The
following game is at home to
Castlewellan
on Monday 3rd April with
the game starting at 6.30pm.
Ballyvarley senior hurlers are still
training at 12pm every
Sunday, and play their second league
game on Tuesday 4th April
away to
Clonduff. Throw in at 6.30pm.
Membership for all teams is now due
and should be paid as soon as
possible to any club committee
member or coach.
Colm
O’Neill (Ballyvarley HC Hurling PRO
