Senior Hurling - Ballyvarley vs
Ballycran
Senior Hurling League
Ballyvarley Vs Ballycran
When Ballycran come to
play Ballyvarley Senior hurlers you
are always in for a good competitive
game with both teams intent on
playing hurling not the men. Last
week was no exception with both
teams playing some good attractive
hurling with the Ballyvarley men
narrowly losing at the death in an
excellent close contest.
In a game when the home
side probably should have won, the
Ballyvarley men were the first to
register a score with Paul O’Neill
showing great accuracy from a place
ball to put over a point.
Ballyvarley then had to endure some
heavy pressure from Ballycran as
they played a lot of diagonal balls
to their corner forwards trying to
open up the home defence. The Reds
defence though held firm with James
McGrath, Thomas Lennon and James
McDermott solid as they reduced the
opposition to frees from far out as
Bacon sent over three placed balls
from 70 yards out.
Eventually Ballyvarley
got to grips with the game and
O’Neill sent over two more frees
before veteran Sean O’Neill flicked
a point over from wide on the left.
That tied the game and then David
McGovern put the Reds back into the
lead when he ran at the Ballycran
rearguard and slotted over showing
great strength and determination.
There followed a period of sustained
pressure when the Reds probably
should have added to their tally yet
even when the ball was falling
unkindly they showed great heart and
determination and fought on.
Ballycran eventually came more into
it as the half drew to a close with
Gilmore tying the game before he and
both the corner forwards added
points-a-piece to take a flattering
three point in at the interval.
HALF-TIME: Ballyvarley 0-5
Ballycran 0-8
Determined to win this
game Ballyvarley came out like men
possessed and outhurled the Ardsmen
for the first ten minutes. Paul
O’Neill got the ball rolling with a
lovely point on the right after
leaving his man trailing in his
wake. David McGovern was exerting
himself more at half-forward and
showed his class by fielding a lot
of high ball, shrugging off his
markers and sending two points over
under tremendous pressure. Paul
added two more points one from close
in before sending over a great 70
yard free against the breeze. The
belief was there as Ballyvarley had
overturned the three point deficit
at the break to lead by two points.
Even when the Ardsmen got a sloppy
goal halfway through the second
period there was only one score in
it and the Reds continued to press
forward at every opportunity with
David Lavery and Conor McClorey
leading the way at the back and
Eunan McConville and Michael Cairns
coming good in the middle of the
field.
Colm O’Neill converted a free from
just inside his own half before his
namesake Paul added another point
from close in. When Paul O’Neill
converted a 70 yard free sending it
between the uprights Ballyvarley
trailed by a solitary point. The
Reds pressed for that equalising
score with balls dropped in and
those elusive goals just being
missed after several melees in the
Ballycran penalty area.
Then the killer blow
came as Ballycran’s Bacon soloed
down the right before sending the
sliothar high across the 21 yard
line to be met by an overhead first
time pull that ended in the net
being raised. It was a score worthy
of winning any match and despite
late scores from Colm O’Neill and
Conor Grew, Ballycarn retaliated
with two more points of their own to
ensure the Ardsmen took all the
points back to the peninsula.
FULL-TIME: Ballyvarley 0-14
Ballycran 2-12
It was hard luck
on the Reds who hurled well
throughout and were just missing
that bit of luck at times.
This was a much better performance
from the Castlewellan game with more
hunger and desire from the Reds.
Ballyvarley fought to the end and
the game was in the balance until
just before the final whistle
sounded. James McDermott making his
league debut at corner back was
tremendous, with another minor
hurler Conor McClorey putting in a
spirited display, and David Lavery
putting in his now customary
excellent display at left half-back.
In the middle Michael Cairns and
Eunan McConville fought tirelessly,
with Ciaran Connolly, Paul O’Neill
and David McGovern working hard
upfront.
Ballyvarley Team
Cathal O’Neill, James McDermott,
James McGrath, Thomas Lennon, David
Lavery, Colm O’Neill (0-2), Conor
McClorey, Michael Cairns, Eunan
McConville, Paul O’Neill (0-7),
David McGovern (0-3), Ciaran
Connolly, Brian Donald, Conor Grew
(0-1), Sean O’Neill (0-1). Sub:
Sean Kennedy, Christopher Higgins.
Sent in by Colm O’Neill
