Portaferry retain their Antrim SHL title in style
25/11/2003
By virtue of their 0-17 to 2-9 win on Sunday 23rd
November at Casement Park, Belfast, Portaferry retained
their Bushmills Antrim Hurling League title, and into
the bargain got sweet revenge for their defeat by
Ballygalget in the recent Down senior hurling championship.
This all-Down final in the Antrim
league decider proved an exciting contest all through,
with Ballygalget coming back strongly in the finish
to add a great spice to the occasion.
Leading from start to finish the
winners, Portaferry were always in command of this
contest and they never looked in real danger of losing
their league title against their near-neighbours and
great rivals, Ballygalget. They dominated play in
the opening half and were good value for their 0-9
to 0-6 lead at the break. The third quarter saw Portaferry
race into a nine points lead with three points each
from Paul Braniff and Gerard McGrattan and the game
at this stage looked over.
However, the Down title-holders put
in a late rally with two goals in the closing ten
minutes Johnny McGrattan and Stephen Clarke, but the
Portaferry side held their nerve and composure to
finish up deserving winners at the finish.
For the winners Gary Smyth, Stephen
Murray, Barry Coleman, Barry Mulligan, Paul Rogers,
Gerard McGrattan and Paul Braniff were outstanding,
while for Ballygalget their most prominent players
were Graham Clarke, Emmet Dorrian, the Coulters (senior
and junior), Pat Monan, Johnny McGrattan and Stephen
Clarke battled bravely to the end in their quest for
a senior ‘league and championship double’ for their
club, but it wasn’t to be on this occasion.
Portaferry – G. Smyth; E. Adair,
S. Murray, M. Mallon; R. McGrattan, B. Coleman, B.
Mulligan 0-2; P. Mallon, A. Savage; P. Rogers 0-3,
Gerard McGrattan 0-4, J. Convery; E. Trainor, Paul
Braniff 0-7, Noel Sands. Subs: N. Kelly 0-1 for Rogers
(injured).
Ballygalget – G. Clarke; L. Clarke,
E. Dornian, S. Roddy; M. Coulter snr. 0-2, G. Clarke,
C. Braniff; P. Monan, M. Pucci; B. McGrattan, G. Johnston
0-2, B. Gallagher; M. Coulter jnr. 0-2, J. McGrattan
1-1, S. McClean 1-2.
Referee: J. McClean from Dunloy.
