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Down
Senior Hurling Final at Downpatrick
Portaferry
make it three in a row - 29/09/02
Portaferry
0 - 14 v Ballygalget 3 - 04
 Portaferry
made history in this thrilling SHC at Tomas Ruiseil, Downpatrick
defeating Ballygalget 0 - 14 to 3 - 04 to make it three
titles in a row, a first for the club. This final was fiercely
fought through out with Portaferry being forced to battle
for the title right up until the final whistle. All in all
the standard of hurling was not great, but with the game
so close and so many keen exchanges, the game was sheer
enjoyment for the small crowd that turned up at Pairc Tomas
Ruiseil for the game.
Ballygalget started the better team with full forward Gareth
Johnson scoring a goal after only a few minutes of play.
Corner forward Paddy Coulter hit a point a minute later
and Ballygalget led 1 - 01 to no score. With five minutes
gone Portaferry responded with a score from half forward
Paul Braniff. Braniff was outstanding throughout the game
and in total hurled 10 points, missing just one change during
the full hour. With only ten minutes gone Ballygalget hit
the defending champions with another goal when Paddy Coulter
found the back of the net, for a well taken goal. Ballygalget
2 - 01 Portaferry 0 - 01.
Portaferry were stunned at this stage but amazingly Ballygalget
failed to score for the remainder of the first half. Portaferry
settled and lifted their game with points coming from Braniff,
John Convery and Emmet Trainor pushed them into the lead
and at the break the score line was 0 - 11 to 2 - 01, with
Portaferry ahead. In total Braniff pointed five points,
Convery lobbed three and Trainor pointing one.
Ballygalget started the second half as they had the first,
with a flurry of scores in what proved to be their best
ten minute spell in the game. Two points by Johnny McGrattan
and one from Martin Coulter reduced Portaferry's lead to
just one point. But just as it looked as if Ballygalget
were mounting a challenge, teenager Braniff hit three unanswered
points and Portaferry led by four points once again. In
the final ten minutes of the game Ballygalget went into
all out attack and came forward in droves. They manged to
score their third goal four minutes from time, with Gareth
Johnson scoring his second goal, and only one point split
the sides again. Ballygalget surged forward but it was not
to be, as Portaferry held on for the remainder of the game,
to earn a famous win and write themselves into the history
books.
Portaferry: G Smyth, E Adair,
S Murray, J Trainor, M Mallon, B Coleman, B Milligan, B
Braniff, G Adair, J Convery 0-3, G McGrattan, P Braniff
0-10, E Trainor 0-1, P Mallon, N Sands.
Sub: P Rodgers for E Trainor
Ballygalget: G Clarke, L Clarke,
E Dorrian, B Smith, B McGrattan, G Clarke, T Coulter, P
Monan, B Gallagher, P Coulter, B Coulter, J McGrattan 0-2,
M Coulter 0-1, G Johnson 2-0, P Coulter 1-1.
Sub: S Clarke for J McGrattan
Referee - F McDonald (Bosco)
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