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Ulster
Club Hurling Semi Final - Ferry given fright by valiant
Keady - 21/10/02
AIB
Ulster Club Hurling Championship semi-final: St Patrick's,
Portaferry 2-20 Keady Lamh Dhearg 3-6
By Tony McGee (Taken from Irish News - www.irishnews.com)
If there was ever glorious defeat then Keady earned it yesterday
at wintry Casement Park as they took the action to favourites
Portaferry in the AIB Ulster Club hurling semi-final before
losing on a 2-20 to 3-6 scoreline.
That flattered Portaferry, who weren't 11 points better
than Keady who fought with a determination and skill that
belied their outsiders' tag. A fortunate goal right on full-time
gave Portaferry a margin they didn't expect as they had
been made to fight for each ball throughout.
Noel Sands' wind-assisted free landed in the Keady square
and the sliothar slid from Brendan Donnelly's grasp. The
ending didn't fit as the possibility of an upset had always
been on the cards.
Keady hit early and sharp. Winger Martin King grabbed a
long free from Sean Hughes and ghosted in for a goal after
just two minutes. He took a pass in the eighth minute from
hard working Paul Hughes and hit the Portaferry net again
to leave Keady 2-0 to 0-2 ahead.
Paul Branniff was in sharp form and his second point, followed
by one from Ger McGrattan, helped to shake off the shock
but Ger Enright pointed for Keady. Then came the first blow
to the Shield winners.
A centre from the left by Andy Savage was fielded by Peter
Mallon and he rocketed the ball to the Keady net to level
the argument at 2-1 to 1-4 on 16 minutes.
John Convery gave Portaferry a lead they were never again
to lose - but one that would be threatened many times.
Three unanswered points by Braniff in the closing four minutes
of the first half sent Portaferry in at the break 1-11 to
2-4 ahead with wind advantage to come.
On the restart, Francis Fullerton whipped over a Keady point.
Ger Adair, who came into the game more in midfield during
the second half, and Noel Sands pointed to ease the pressure
on the Down men but Ciaran Hatzer raced in as a sub and
seconds later hit a great Keady score.
What was probably the turning point came on 39 minutes when
Martin Fox failed to net in greasy conditions and Portaferry
tore away with points from Braniff, Peter Mallon and Adair
giving them a 1-16 to 2-6 lead after 47 minutes.
Still, the Armagh champions fought on and were rewarded
with a super goal by Ger Enright with 11 minutes to go but
that was their last score despite some great hurling from
Paul McCormick.
Portaferry fired over four points and that late, late goal
by Sands in the closing 12 minutes to book their spot in
next Sunday's final at Casement Park.
It was an entertaining game, maybe not for the purist, played
in foul conditions with both teams straining every muscle
in their efforts and Keady really surprising those who doubted
their ability.
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