Ballygalget
win their 15th senior title
Taken from hoganstand.com
15th
SHC title for Ballygalget
Tuesday, October 05, 2004
Ballygalget secured their 15th Down
SHC title when they defeated near-neighbours
Portaferry in the senior final played
in the McKenna Park, Ballycran on
Sunday 3rd October.
The game was played
in atrocious weather conditions with
a gale force wind and heavy rain falling
throughout the game. To the credit
of both teams they did their best
in very unlike hurling conditions
and served up an interesting contest.
In the end the greater
accuracy and strength in depth of
the Ballygalget side told and they
went on to win the game on a scoreline
of 1-12 to 1-6.
Ballygalget faced
the elements in the opening half battled
tremendously and at the break they
were still very much in the game trailing
by 1-3 to 0-5. During this half the
team as a whole defended in numbers
and never allowed the Portaferry side
to get a real grip of the game.
With the wind at
their backs in the second-half the
Ballygalget side went in search of
scores. They took the lead by the
seventh minute with points from Tom
Coulter and Darren Flynn and at this
stage seemed to be on for an impressive
win. However, Portaferry had other
ideas and they were not prepared to
lie down.
Ballygalget got that
all important breakthrough with a
goal from Martin Coulter in the 12th
minute and this gave them the cushion
to hold on for a deserved six points
win at the end.
Both teams deserve
great credit for turning in such an
exciting game in such terrible playing
conditions. The question on many supporters
lips at the end of the game is why
do they have to play these county
finals so late in the season, when
the chances of a good day for playing
hurling can be a lottery at times.
It does nothing for the game to be
playing in winter-like conditions
and it is unfair to the players who
put in so much effort and commitment
in the quest for championship glory!
Ballygalget - Graham
Clarke; L. Clarke, E. Dorrian, S.
Ruddy; T. Coulter 0-1, A. Dynes, Gabriel
Clarke; P. Monan, D. Flynn 0-1; B.
Coulter (capt.), Gareth Johnston 0-2,
E. Clarke 0-1; M. Coulter 1-0, J.
McGrattan 0-5 from frees, S. Clarke
0-2. Sub - M. Pucci for P.Monan.
Portaferry - R. Murray;
M. Mallon, S. Murray, E. Adair; C.
Coulter, B. Coleman (capt.), B. Milligan
0-1; A. Savage 0-1, A. Adiar; J. Convery,
G. McGrattan 0-2, B. Braniff; E. Trainor,
Noel Sands 1-1, P. Rogers. Subs -
P. Mallon 0-1 for G. McGrattan; J.
Trainor for N. Sands; R. McGrattan
for J. Convery.
Referee - H. Torney
from Ballycran.
