Antrim Hurling League Division 1
Loughgiel 1-19 Portaferry 0-10
By North Antrim PRO – Darach Ó Maolin
A drenched and soil-churned field is never a pretty sight, nor is it pleasant to play upon. Loughgiel and Portaferry were to meet on such a field at Fr Healy Park on Sunday afternoon as the inclement weather of recnt weeks has taken its toll of the Fr Healy Park surface.
With more than a third of the Portaferry team on duty with Down in Portlaoise at the same time the Ards men faced a tough task but the battled manfully as always and were still well in touch at the break.
Loughgiel ushered in the beginning of the game with a strong deliverance which was manifested through a great performance by Odhran McFadden and Ryan McKee. Despite this strong start, Loughgiel’s forward line was put to the test by the physicality of Portaferry’s Emmett O’Neill and Conor O’Neill.
Loughgiel’s Ryan McKee scored a fantastic point by chipping the ball from the sideline, but this was swiftly overturned by an equally impressive point by Paudie Dornan.
Half Time Score
Loughgiel 0-8
Portaferry 5
Loughgiel returned to the field with great intensity and scores by Cathal Hargan and Ruairi McCormick helped widen the score difference. Ciaran Milligan continued to hold the line against Loughgiel’s advances but this was not enough to stop a fantastic goal by Dan McCloskey who had spent a great deal of effort combating Ronan Smyth.
