Antrim Hurling League – Division 1
Portaferry 0-14 Ballycastle 3-20
Ballycastle delivered a another fine performance on the road this week, as they beat Portaferry with a clinical display of goal-scoring and relentless point-taking to secure a dominant sixteen-point victory in the Senior Division 1 Hurling League and keep their unbeaten run in the league to six. The visitors signaled their intent from the first whistle, finding the back of the net only five minutes into the contest when Cadhan Crawford gave the Town an early cushion they would never relinquish.
Portaferry struggled to contain the early momentum as the gap widened significantly following a second goal from Conor Donnelly. This strike propelled the Ballycastle men into a commanding eleven-point lead during the opening period. While the hosts staged a minor revival late in the half to narrow the deficit to 0-09 to 2-11, they headed into the changing rooms with a significant mountain to climb.
The second half began with a brief surge from the Down side, as they notched the first two points to bring the game within a single score. However, that was as close as they would get. MacUilín responded with a devastating scoring burst to re-establish control. The decisive blow arrived midway through the half when Lorcan Donnelly raised a third green flag for the visitors, effectively breaking the Portaferry resistance and allowing Ballycastle to reel off a succession of points from all angles.
The men in black and amber retained control during the final quarter as they outscored their opponents ten points to three in the closing stages. By the time the referee blew the final whistle, the scoreboard reflected a comprehensive 3-21 to 0-14 margin. It was a clinical, high-octane performance from the winners, while Portaferry, who were without a lot of their top players because of county duty, will look to find more defensive stability after failing to match the goal-scoring threat of the traveling side.
BALLYCASTLE – Eamonn Elliott Oran Kearney Cian Baudant Ardan Kelly Conor Boyd Eoin McAlonan Niall McClean Cathair Donnelly Ronan McCarry Seamus McAuley Reuben McClean Dairmaid McShane Conor Donnelly Cadhan Crawford Subs used – James Bakewell Neal McAuley Oisin McAuley Callum Campbell Lorcan Donnelly
