ACHL Division 1 Portaferry v Loughgiel – April 14th 2024
Portaferry 2-7 Loughgiel 2-20
Pics and report by Michael Corcoran
Loughgiel travelled to Portaferry, in the Upper Ards, for the second ACHL Division 1 game of the season. The coastal road down was overcast with every shade of cloudy grey you could imagine. With both squads depleted in key players, it was a game anticipated to deliver every shade of hurling over the hour as younger players mixed with seasoned journeymen. Ray Mathews officiated today’s match and after a short spell of administration around new player injury rules, the sliotar was rolled in sharp on 2 O’clock.
Loughgiel played towards the town and arguably benefited somewhat from the south-south westerly breeze that allowed them to open up their score tally with Declan McCloskey pointing accurately between the uprights. Maol Connelly nudged Loughgiel along with another fine point and Connelly’s form would prove problematic for Portaferry, particularly in the second half.
Portaferry registered their intent with an opening point from Ronan Blair but apart from a second half closing point from Barry Trainor, Loughgiel would impress the small crowd along the pitch perimeter with a volley of points and a finely worked goal from the hand of Conor O’Mullan onto the stick of Eoin McGarry, who slotted it diagonally away from Portaferry’s keeper, Pearce Smyth.
Mathews blew for a second half result of Portaferry 0-2 Loughgiel 1-10. The second half would prove more promising for the ‘Ports’ as Naill Milligan found a way through Loughgiel’s defence for his first goal and the second found its way to the back of the net with a simple pull on the ground to warm up the spectators with hopes of a turnaround. Loughgiel pushed hard into the breeze and Maol Connelly broke free to run at Portaferry’s keeper with no chaperon to hinder a punishing sliotar between Smyth’s legs. Declan McCloskey kept incrementing Loughgiel’s purpose with some very accurate free taking despite shooting into the strong breeze. Portaferry’s younger marksman, Cahal Coleman, had two fine back-to-back points, bringing the Ards men to 2- 06 to Loughgiel’s 2-15 but a well worked hand pass from O’Mullan found the receiving hand of Connor Dickson and once the sliotar found the ball net between the uprights, it felt like Loughgiel were now in control.
The ‘Ports’ closed their account with a final point from Barry Trainor and with a successive volley of points from Connolly and Hargan, referee Ray Mathews blew the game to a close the game with an impressive Shamrocks victory – Portaferry 2-07 Loughgiel 2-20
