Senior Hurling League
Ballyvarley Vs Portaferry
Last Tuesday night saw Ballyvarley’s
senior hurlers entertain Portaferry
in the Reds first home game of the
season. Still missing a few players
but buoyed by an away win from the
previous week, Ballyvarley were
determined to continue their unbeaten
league run.
Unfortunately the Reds began lethargically
leading to an early goal for the
visitors. Gradually Ballyvarley
threw off the cobwebs and began
in earnest with the full-forward
line looking energetic. Indeed Jamie
Murray got Ballyvarley on the scoresheet
with a fine score under severe pressure
while Paul O’Neill converted
two trademark frees to draw the
teams level. Long accurate balls
from David Lavery and Sean Kennedy
were supplying good ammunition for
the forwards. O’Neill with
his back to goal received the sliothar,
evaded his marker and slotted over.
Another point from Paul left the
home side two points ahead, yet
some needless fouling from their
defence allowed Portaferry to draw
level from frees.
Ballyvarley were well on top at
this stage yet they could not convert
the numerous chances they created.
The Reds defence had also tightened
up considerable since the start
of the game with John O’Neill,
Lavery and Kennedy attacking the
ball and denigning the Ards forwards
any possession. All this allowed
Colm O’Neill to burst out
of defence and calmly flick the
ball over. Colm and the Portaferry
forwards exchanged another point-a-piece
before the Reds started to draw
away from their opponents. Murray
and Paul O’Neill pointed to
put a two point margin between the
sides at the break, although on
possession alone Ballyvarley really
should have been further ahead.
HALF-TIME: Ballyvarley 0-9 Portaferry
1-4
A biting half-time team talk left
the Reds in no doubt that they needed
to raise their game for the second
period. Paul O’Neill switched
to midfield and Eunan McConville
went into half-forward as the Reds
tried to build on their narrow lead.
In the opening exchanges their was
a vast improvement with the Reds
Half-forward line coming more into
it. Niall Savage got more on the
ball and opening the scoring for
the second half winning his own
ball, going on a mazy solo run and
sending the ball between the uprights.
The ball went from end to end but
the Ballyvarley rearguard was resolute
with Naill Higgins solid infront
of the keeper and Lavery, Kennedy
and Pat McGrath sending in some
biting but fair challenges.
Ciaran Connolly at this stage was
going through a Trojan amount of
work in the middle of the field
winning some crucial frees. P.O’Neill
was on hand to convert them with
three unanswered points from 60
yards out. It was not until the
13th minute that Portaferry got
their first point of the half and
even then Paul replied with two
further points, one an excellent
solo effort from wide on the right.
This left seven points in it and
in effort to get back into the game
Portaferry made a few switches and
brought on some big physical forwards.
Slowly Portaferry edged back into
the game with a series of pointed
frees, five in a row. The game was
in the balance and the momentum
was with the visitors. Stunned into
action Ballyvarley began to create
more with some rasping shots going
narrowly wide. The insurance score
the Reds needed eventually came
in the 28th minute, when a driven
shot was parried by the Ards keeper.
A melee followed and ended with
Colin O’Neill showing the
killer instinct to slot the ball
to the bottom corner of the net.
FULL-TIME: Ballyvarley 1-15 Portaferry
1-10
This was not the best performance
of the season from the Reds, but
its reassuring that despite not
playing well the local hurlers still
found a way to win. Sean Kennedy
and David Lavery were outstanding
in defence, while Ciaran Connolly
was immense in midfield winning
key possession for the Reds when
they were under pressure while Paul
O’Neill was deadly from set
pieces. An improvement is needed
from the locals in their next game
at home to Ballygalget on 3rd June.
Ballyvarley Team
Cathal O’Neill, David Lavery,
Niall Higgins, Pat McGrath, John
O’Neill, Colm O’Neill
(0-2), Sean Kennedy, Eunan McConville,
Ciaran Connolly, Niall Savage (0-1),
David McGovern, Colin O’Neill
(1-0), Jamie Murray (0-2), Conor
Grew, Paul O’Neill (0-10).
Subs: Stewart Cartmill, Martin Malone.
