Antrim Hurling League – Division 1
Ballycastle 1-18 Portaferry 0-10
Report and pics by Brian McKee
After their opening convincing victory over Rossa in week 1 of the ACHL, Portaferry undertook the long journey to Ballycastle with some optimism. However an opening goal from the home team’s Lorcan Donnelly after only 25 seconds was a warning sign that they were up against a McQuillan’s side that was determined to get their first points in this year’s league campaign.
Portaferry got the scoreboard ticking shortly afterwards when Padraig Doran split the Ballycastle posts with a pointed free. A further point from play by Doran was matched by Donnelly. Cian Waldron ventured out to the middle of the field and picked up a point from play for Ballycastle, but Portaferry kept in touch through two long range points from midfielder Connor O’Prey.
The soft ground underfoot made fast flowing play difficult and the rest of the opening half was a dual between Donnelly and Doran, with each of them picking off a further 3 points to leave Ballycastle ahead at the break by 1-05 to 0-07.
The second half started well for Portaferry with Connor O’Prey picking up a further point in the first minute of the restart but Ballycastle did not take long to take control of the game. A great catch by Ronan Lavery for Ballycastle led to a pointed free by Tiernan Smyth. Ballycastle pushed further ahead following a great pick up by Seamus McAuley from the puck out and a surging run through the Portaferry defence saw him move Ballycastle a further point ahead.
Ballycastle continued to push further ahead as the second half progressed. Although they were well on top by the 10th minute of the second half, they will not be happy with the number of missed opportunities and a tendency to overplay the ball when presented with scoring opportunities. The men in black and amber will be delighted with the 11 point win that gets their league campaign back on track, while Portaferry will hoping to be at full strength for their home game against St Enda’s in seven days’ time.
Ballycastle: Ryan McGarry, Jack McGowan, Thomas McIlroy, Conal Colgan, Oran Kearney (0-01), Ronan Lavery, Matthew Donnelly, Reuben McLean (0-01), Ryan McCook, Cathal Connor, Ronan McCarry, Ferghal McKiernan, Lorcan Donnelly (1-05), Oisin McAuley, Cian Waldron (0-02), Tiernan Smyth (0-07), Cailin O’Connor, Conleth McCaughan, Seamus McAuley (0-02), Michael Dallat, Tiarnan Hegarty, Darragh Kelly, Conall Magee, Eoin McAlonan, Paddy McAlonan
Portaferry: Paddy McNally, Neil White, Callum Smyth, Ryan Convery, Ronan Smyth, Conor O’Neill, Richard Keenan, Matthew Conlan, Connor O’Prey (0-03), Conor Fay, Eoin Magee, Padraig Doran (0-07), Conor Mageean, Aaron O’Prey, Leuan Byers, Michael Doran, Danny Gilmore, Kevin McGarry, Calum McNamara, Colm O’Neill, Jude Roddy, Fergal Rogers, Noah Rogers, Coran Trainor
Referee: Kevin Parke
