This was a game of two halves with the wind proving to be a deciding factor to dictating where the two points went. Portaferry opted to play with the breeze in the first half but it was the hosts who started the brightest racing into a 1-01 to no score advantage after some great work by Conor Dorrian and Kevin Coyle. Portaferry then began to get to grips with game and started to dominate proceedings with some great points from play and the placed ball of Michael Doran. With Aaron O Prey displaying some great touches and two quite long range points from Shay Mc Mullan and corner forward Peter Mason the boys in blue and gold stretched their lead to 11 points to Ballycran's 4 points. With Portaferry looking as if they would hold onto a 7 point half time lead Ballycran struck for a decisive goal to reduce the margin to 4 points at the break after a defensive mix up in the full back line.
Portaferry held their own in the opening stages of the second half and in fact edged further in front after a quite brilliant 65 from Michael Doran. However the breeze strengthened in the second half and the Crans used it to their full advantage and further points from Mc Gourty, Dorrian and Hughes Ballycran levelled matters with 15 minutes to go. The game remained on a knife edge with both teams showing great commitment and no less skill but it was the home side who held all the aces in the deck once Fergal Rodgers received his marching orders with a second yellow card and consequently Ballycran ran out 10 point winners.
This was a game which as a contest was without doubt one of the most fiercely contested in recent years with both teams displaying great stick work and some quite brilliantly taken long range scores. The encounter didn't lack the physical edge either with tackles all within the rules of the game. The end result a 10 point winning margin for the home side was a little flattering but ultimately hinged on their goal before half time and the dismissal of Fergal Rogders.
Best for Ballycran was without doubt Conor Dorrian who was outstanding coupled with Kevin Coyle and the excellent Michael Hughes. For Portaferry Michael Doran carried the fight in the first half together with Aaron O Prey and Shay Mc Mullan who provided the bulk of their scores. Both teams now gear up for the championship with the semi final pairing of Ballygalget v Ballycran on 21st September 08 and Portaferry await the winners in the final on 12th October 08.

Man of the Match: Conor Dorrian: Ballycran

Referee: Conal Coulter: Ballygalget

The Portaferry team was as following:

1 Paddy Mc Nally, 2 Eoin Dumigan, 3 Fergal Rodgers, 4 Chris Collins, 5 Ryan Miskelly, 6 John Merron, 7 Neil White, 8 Michael Doran, 9 Aaron O Prey, 10 Brendan Coleman, 11 Conor Mageean, 12 Matthew Conlan, 13 Peter Mason, 14 Eunan Mc Mullan, 15 Shay Mc Mullan

Subs 16 Joe Mc Quade for 11 Conor Mageean