Sunday October 3rd marked a day many Newry Gaels will forever mark as the start of what will surely will be remembered as Newry Shamrocks finest day on the hurling field to date, as they met a very strong and heavily fancied Portaferry team, a team that had in its ranks several players that had worn the Down and Ulster jersey with distinction in the past.

Unfortunately for Portaferry, Newry failed to read the script or the local press and in a wind swept St. Malachy’s Park Kilcielf; they systematically tore the Portaferry team asunder with a passion and belief in themselves that could not be matched. The Newry management could not have asked or expected for more of their players as every single one gave his all on the field

A very well disciplined and finely drilled Newry team ultimately put Portaferry to the sword, this was evident from the very start as the Ards men were on the back foot from the first 30 seconds of the match when a quick ball in from Con Murphy saw Stephen Fullerton race out first to the ball, only for his marker to cynically foul, resulting in the first score of the game, a Ronan Sheehan free form 30 yards. From the resulting puck out

back line and the tireless running of Con Murphy in the middle of the park Newry had a solid base on which to spring their half forward line into life. On countless occasions Rory Gough, Paul Cribbin and Eoin McGuinness tormented Kevin Braniff, Eoin Lennon and Jonathan Tweedie in the Portaferry halfback line with their direct running to goal and clever interpassing to prize open opportunities for the ever alert Tom Kinney and Stephen Fullerton in attack, both who where unlucky not to finish with more Newry scores but for the robust and at times barely legal challenges of the ‘Ferry backline. In the true spirit of Hurling, Newry did not let these discretions effect their focus as the Portaferry machine started to buckle when Newry were awarded a free from all off seventy yards against the wind up stepped Ciarán Courtney who delivered a soul destroying blow as the sliotar landed over the bar with yards to spare.

The Newry defense were not in a charitable mood with Neil Courtney, Artie McGuinness and Kevin Fegan snuffing out any chances that came to the ‘Ferry’s way, in fact when the Ards men occasionally did breach the back three they found the slight statue of Damien Kearns in goals a giant in heart as he fearlessly smothered any shot with caman or body to deny Greg Mason, Chris Mageen and Conor O’Prey in the Portaferry attack.
Former Down and Ulster stalwarts Lorenzo McMullan and Chris Mageen were made to look like amateurs when competing with Artie “the rock” McGuinness, the wily Mickey Lively and the long striking of Kevin Fegan as Portaferry were forced to live off scraps of lose ball and the odd free to stay in contention. Again Shamrocks proved that the day was theirs, as the quick hand passes and deft flicks of the hurl in the half forward line resulted in Newry time and time again panicking the Portaferry backline of Conor McCarthy, TJ & Sean Fitzsimmons and forcing them into conceding punishable frees, scores Sheehan executed with the clinical aplomb. Indeed man of the match Sheehan had the game of his life scoring 0-11 in total as every time he gained possession of the ball he either struck a point or was awarded a free. The highlight of the first half came from what was surely an inspirational Newry score when Ciarán Courtney stepped up to take a sideline ball on the forty yard line, rather than drop the sliotar into the square he struck a momentous score worthy of any county hurler, as it sailed over the bar to give Newry a 0-9 to 0-4 lead. In reply Portaferry had a free from midfielder Kevin Fitzsimmons to leave Newry leading 0-9 to 0-5 at halftime.
With the wind in their backs for the second half Newry were exactly where they wanted to be, like the Cork team of three weeks ago they outplayed, out thought, out ran and out scored their opponents in the second half by seven points to a paltry two. At the resumption of the second half a low ball into McMullan saw him try to round his marker, but the ageless Mickey Lively stood his ground leaving McMullan no choice but to opt for the easier option of a point. Within minute a free resulted from a foul on Gough which Sheehan pointed, indeed at this stage Sheehan had the midas touch as he threw the ball over the Portaferry cross bar at will from frees or play. Portaferry had no answer to Newry’s direct disciplined approach, typified when young Eoin McGuinness found himself in space at midfield and leaving his marker in his wake he headed for goal only to see his first chance blocked down, but a fortunate rebound saw him fire over the bar. Moments later an attack down the left wing again saw McGuinness in possession, after older brother Eoin had cleared magnificently out of defense, fire a low ball across the square to Fullerton who unleashed a bullet to the back of the net, but as the Newry sideline jumped for joy the referee ruled a Square ball after consultation with his umpires. This decision did not phase the Newry men as moments later Fullerton again was unlucky not to have goaled when a thunderous drive over the bar could just as easily have ended up in the net. By now Shamrocks were coasting and defeat had already settled into the Portaferry side, it was now a case of damage limitation, Portaferry scored their last point of the match as they knew the Newry men had them beat all over the field of play. A loud cheer went up from the Newry support when Corner back Kevin Fegan scored a point that Brian Whelehan would have been proud of from all of seventy yards. This score and another Sheehan free finally put the nail in the Portaferry coffin. This is a day that will long be remembered in Newry hurling, particularly by some of those in attendance who watched the new generation emulate what they had done a generation ago, grace the hurling fields of Down and put Newry back on the map of Hurling.

This emphatic win by Newry will now see them embark on a new campaign as Down county champions to seek further glory and success for their club in what is the inaugural year of the Ulster Junior Hurling Championship at Casement Park come Oct. 17th.
Team & scores: Damien Kearns, Kevin Fegan 0-1, Artie McGuinness, Mickey Lively,
Joe Cunningham, Martin Keenan, Neil Courtney, Con Murphy, Ciarán Courtney 0-2, Paul Cribbin, Rory Gough, Eoin McGuinness 0-1, Tom Kinney, Stephen Fullerton 0-1, Ronan Sheehan 0-11.