Under 14 Hurling: Ballyvarley/Ballela
v Carryduff
Under
14 Hurling League
Ballyvarley/Ballela Vs Carryduff
The Ballyvaley/Ballela
combined St Patrick’s under 14
hurling team entertained Carryduff
in Ballyvarley last week. It was a
tough encounter with a storming
finish with the result in the
balance right up to the last puck of
the game. The Reds dramatically
equalised from a free in the last
second of the game with the place
ball ending up in the Carryduff net.
The encounter began as
the previous league meeting between
the two sides with St Patrick’s in
command with lots of possession and
scoring opportunities. If you don’t
take your chances when they are
presented to you then you may rue
them later on and this proved the
case for the home side. A lack of
cutting edge up front and drive
forward from the rest of the team
resulted in only one point for St
Patrick’s coming from the stick of
Patrick Mackin.
Carryduff having
weathered the storm scored a goal on
the break with their first real
attack of the half. St Patrick’s
were shocked and lost any rhythm in
their play as the visitors grew in
confidence. Slowly Carryduff added
to their scores with two points
before a mistake at the back saw
another sliothar drop into the St
Patrick’s net.
St Patrick’s desperately
tried to get back into the game but
found it difficult to lift the ball
at times as Carryduff were quicker
to the ball all over the field.
As the half-time whistle
sounded St Patrick’s trailed by ten
points and had an awful amount of
work to do to get back into the
game.
HALF-TIME: Ballyvarley/Ballela
0-1 Carryduff 2-5
At the throw in
the Reds showed their determination
to get back in the game. Darragh
Brady, Peter Verhoven and Aidan
McKernan were brought on to add some
fight to the attack and immediately
they gave Carryduff loads of
problems. Michael Downey moved to
midfield and appeared to enjoy his
new found freedom as he moved
forward at every opportunity.
Christopher Martin began the
fight-back, pushing forward from
half-back to send the sliothar
between the uprights. Soon after
Owen Magee gave the Reds more cause
for optimism when he soloed through
and despatched the ball to the top
right hand corner. A Patrick Mackin
point soon after left the deficit at
five points and St Patrick’s were
starting to believe they had a
chance to take something from this
game.
Their hopes were soon
dented when Carryduff on a rare
foray into the opposing half goaled
after a goalmouth scramble. However
there was a determination in the
home side that had been missing in
the first period and they hit back
with a Tony Hegarty point from 30
yards out, before a ground flick
from Owen Magee crept over the
goal-line. The Carryduff lead was
down to four as the game entered its
final stages.
With a minute to go St
Patrick’s Tony Hegarty stepped up to
take a 25 yard free and duly slotted
it over to leave a goal in it. With
the home support behind them St
Patrick’s battled for that elusive
goal to tie the game. A Reds player
got upended 21 yards out and as
Christopher Martin lined up to take
the free he was informed by the
referee that this was to be the last
action of the game. Christopher
calmy lifted the sliothar and sent a
fierce strike past numerous
Carryduff men on the line to lift
the net. With that the whistle blew,
a great climax ending a very
competitive game.
FULL-TIME: Ballyvarley/Ballela
3-5 Carryduff 3-5
It was a Jekyll
and Hyde performance from the Reds
from poor in the first period to a
fiercely determined effort in the
second. On moving to midfield
Michael Downey excelled, Michael
McKay and Christopher Martin playing
much better in the second half
looked stronger and more assured in
defence while upfront Peter Verhoven,
Darragh Brady, Aidan McKernan and
James O’Meara competed well with
Owen Magee the pick of the forward
line with some brilliant finishing.
The next league game for
Ballyvarley/Ballela is on Wednesday
2nd April away to Castlewellan.
Players are asked to meet in
Ballyvarley at 6pm with throw in at
7pm.
Ballyvarley/Ballela Team
Michael McAllister, Paul Colgan,
Michael Downey, Lisa McCusker,
Ciaran Heaney, Christopher Martin
(1-1), Michael McKay, Conor Strain,
Tony Hegarty (0-2), Ciaron Davis,
Patrick Mackin (0-2), Jonathan
Lennon (0-1), James O’Meara, Owen
Magee (2-0), Rory McShane. Subs:
Aidan McKernan, Owen Carlisle,
Thomas Carlisle, Liam Stewart, Ryan
McCusker, Jack Kearns, Stephen
Caruthers, Peter Verhoven, Darragh
Brady.
Sent in by Colm O’Neill
