Ballyvarley Notes - 29th May 2006
Under
14 Hurling League
Kilclief
Vs Ballyvarley
Ballyvarley’s Under 14
hurlers made the long journey to
Strangford to face a strong
Kilclief
side. It literally was a game of two
halves with the young Reds coming
from behind to win by a solitary
point.
The
journey and a lack of match practice
due to the
weather, seemed to hamper the
Reds in the opening minutes as they
were very lethargic and slow to
react. Kilclief
in contrast were hungry, out in
front first every time and making
their early possession
tell. The
home side converted an early free
and added two more soon after, all
three seeing the
Kilclief
players solo in and take fine scores
from the right wing.
Ballyvarley struggled to make any
headway around the middle of the
field, however they created a few
glorious chances with James Kennedy
soloing in and laying it off for
Martin Connolly who was unlucky to
send the
sliothar the wrong side of
the post. The visitors went on to
miss a few frees from
scoreable
positions, yet
Kilclief were playing the
better hurling. As if to emphasise
this Kilclief
goaled on the twentieth minute, the
Kilcief
corner forward quickest to react to
a loose ball in the box.
Near
the end the Reds felt they were
aggrieved when they had sent a free
to the net only for them to be
ordered to have it retaken.
Ballyvarley had it all to do and
rallied towards the end, coming more
into the game and Paul Cairns added
a pointed free before the break.
This left a five point margin at
half-time with Ballyvarley having a
lot to do in the second period.
HALF-TIME:
Kilclief 1-3
Ballyvarley 0-1
The
locals knew they had not played the
hurling they were capable of in the
first 30 minutes and were determined
to rectify this in the second half.
On the restart Ballyvarley got off
to a dream start with the
sliothar
hitting the net after three minutes.
The ball was delivered in long from
midfield and
Conor
McShane swung a sharp shot to
send the
sliothar to the bottom
corner.
Kilclief were
struggling as Ballyvarley pushed
relentlessly forward in search of
the equalizing score. James Kennedy
went close, his piercing solo run
finished with the ball going just
wide of the upright. There was a new
belief in the Reds that they were
well in the game as the battled and
harried for every ball, out in front
for the ball which they had failed
to do in the first half. Paul Cairns
was having a great game at centre
half back winning large amounts of
possession and setting up attack
upon attack. Finally after 10
minutes the equalizer came. The ball
was sent in low, Kieran Maguire
jab-lifted turned and struck the
ball on the edge of the big
rectangle and watched on as it took
a slight deflection and lifted the
net.
The
impetus was with Ballyvarley and
they duly went into the lead two
minutes later when a fine solo from
James Kennedy ended in the ball
flying over the bar.
Kilclief
pressed on the counter attack but
were thwarted by safe defending from
Michael McDermott,
Cathal
McGrath, Christopher Martin and a
very assured Paul Cairns.
Ballyvarley then thought they had
increased their lead to four points.
Tony Hegarty
beat two men before turning and
sending a rasping shot to the top
corner, only for it to be cancelled
out for a square ball.
The
game ebbed and flowed from end to
end, before
Kilclief reasserted
themselves for the final ten
minutes. They sent wave after wave
of attack against the Ballyvarley
rear guard but the Reds defence held
firm. Michael McDermott was very
strong at centre full back, backed
up well by
Conor Strain with Paul Cairns
providing long clearances. For all
the Kilclief
pressure they only added a point,
with Ballyvarley holding on to a
good one point win.
FULL-TIME:
Kilclief 1-4
Ballyvarley 2-2
This was at times an
indifferent performance from
Ballyvarley’s young hurlers. They
were slow at the start and credit
must be given to
Kilclief
for part of this as they were
competitive. The Reds grew as the
game progressed with Michael
McDermott, Paul Cairns, James
Kennedy and Kieran Maguire leading
by example. Ballyvarley know they
will have to raise their game when
they entertain
Liatroim at home on Wednesday
31st May.
Ballyvarley
Under 14 team:
Michael McAllister, Paul
Colgan,
Michael McDermott,
Cathal
McGrath, Christopher Martin, Paul
Cairns (0-1),
Conor Strain, Thomas
McKernan,
Patrick Macken,
James Kennedy (0-1), Kieran Maguire
(1-0), Shane
McAreavey, Tony
Hegarty,
Martin Connolly,
Conor
McShane
(1-0). Subs: Michael McKay,
Conor
McShane,
Aidan McKernan,
Neil Monaghan, Jonathan Lennon, Owen
Carlisle.
Under
12 ‘Go Games’ Hurling
Kilclief
Vs
Ballyvarley
Ballyvarleys’ under 12 and 10
hurlers faced a long journey across
country last Saturday, but the taste
of victory made the return somewhat
sweeter.
The under 12s opened the
game with some fine groundwork from
both sides, observing the new Go
Games rules. The Ballyvarley defence
held the opposition with Liam
Stewart and Mary Kate McGrath
settling well in the corner back
positions.
James O’Meara assisted
by his midfield players battled hard
and managed to launch
Conal
McNally and Rory
McShane
to test the
Kilclief defence.
After 10 minutes the
deadlock was finally broken when
Jonathan Lennon powerfully struck a
ground ball which found the net. A
confident Ballyvarley team renewed
their attack and soon produced a
second goal through
Davis. The home side responded in
kind with a goal arising from a shot
some distance out. This was soon
cancelled out by a well struck
Ciaron
Davis free which raised another
green flag for the visitors just
before half time.
HALF-TIME:
Kilclief
1-0 Ballyvarley 3-0
After the break the
young Reds extended their lead by
adding two points but
Kilclief
kept in touch by producing another
goal. The teams traded points
through Jonathan Lennon and
Ciaron
Davis but Rory
McShane
had the final say striking
the ball over the bar from a narrow
angle.
FULL-TIME:
Kilclief
2-3 Ballyvarley 3-6
This was a mush improved
team performance from the previous
match and Ballyvarley’s
under 12s
can now look forward to their next
encounter against
Mourne.
Ballyvarley Under 12s
S.
Murray, L. Stewart, J. O’Meara,
M.Jordan,
A. McKernan,
MK. McGrath, C. Davis, J. Lennon,
R. McShane,
M. Lennon, S. O’Meara, C. Lennon, C.
McNally. F.
Macauley, R. Strain, B.
Stanley, O. Byrne, C. McGrath.
While Ballyvarley’s
under 12s
were playing the Reds’ under 10s
were also playing their
Kilclief
counterparts. The young
under 10
hurlers celebrated a worthy victory
over their
Kilclief opponents. Ryan
Strain, Michael Lennon and
Odhran
Byrne remained solid at the back,
while upfront Sinead O’Meara and
Kieran McShane
were in fine form scoring three
goals between them.
UNDER
10’S FINAL SCORE:
Kilclief
1-0 Ballyvarley
4-0
Ballyvarley Under 10s
C.
McGrath, R. Strain, M. Lennon, O.
Byrne, K.
McShane, S. O’Meara, M.
McGrath, P. McGrath.
Ballyvarley Hurling Notes
Ballyvarley senior hurlers made the
long journey to
Ballygalget recently losing
to a strong home side. The seniors
continue to train on Sundays at
12.15pm in Ballyvarley.
Their next hurling game is an away
game against
Portaferry on Tuesday 6th
June (throw in at 7.30pm) followed
by a home game against
Bredagh
on 13th June.
Ballyvarley’s coaching for the under
10 and 12 hurlers continues on
Friday nights from
7.15 to 8.30 pm at
Newbridge
College,
Loughbrickland. The under 12s
hurlers play away to Newry Shamrocks
on the 3rd June followed
by Warrenpoint at home on 10th
June.
In the
coming weeks the second league phase
of the Under 14 hurling league will
begin. All the games will be on
Wednesdays with 7.30pm
throw ins.
Sent
in by Colm
O’Neill (Ballyvarley HC Hurling PRO)
