Match Report

Reds continue unbeaten run

Date Filed: 06 June 2008


Senior Hurling League
 Ballyvarley Vs Portaferry
            Last Tuesday night saw Ballyvarley’s senior hurlers entertain Portaferry in the Reds first home game of the season. Still missing a few players but buoyed by an away win from the previous week, Ballyvarley were determined to continue their unbeaten league run.
            Unfortunately the Reds began lethargically leading to an early goal for the visitors. Gradually Ballyvarley threw off the cobwebs and began in earnest with the full-forward line looking energetic. Indeed Jamie Murray got Ballyvarley on the scoresheet with a fine score under severe pressure while Paul O’Neill converted two trademark frees to draw the teams level. Long accurate balls from David Lavery and Sean Kennedy were supplying good ammunition for the forwards. O’Neill with his back to goal received the sliothar, evaded his marker and slotted over. Another point from Paul left the home side two points ahead, yet some needless fouling from their defence allowed Portaferry to draw level from frees.
            Ballyvarley were well on top at this stage yet they could not convert the numerous chances they created. The Reds defence had also tightened up considerable since the start of the game with John O’Neill, Lavery and Kennedy attacking the ball and denigning the Ards forwards any possession. All this allowed Colm O’Neill to burst out of defence and calmly flick the ball over. Colm and the Portaferry forwards exchanged another point-a-piece before the Reds started to draw away from their opponents. Murray and Paul O’Neill pointed to put a two point margin between the sides at the break, although on possession alone Ballyvarley really should have been further ahead.
HALF-TIME:      Ballyvarley   0-9 Portaferry 1-4
A biting half-time team talk left the Reds in no doubt that they needed to raise their game for the second period. Paul O’Neill switched to midfield and Eunan McConville went into half-forward as the Reds tried to build on their narrow lead. In the opening exchanges their was a vast improvement with the Reds Half-forward line coming more into it. Niall Savage got more on the ball and opening the scoring for the second half winning his own ball, going on a mazy solo run and sending the ball between the uprights. The ball went from end to end but the Ballyvarley rearguard was resolute with Naill Higgins solid infront of the keeper and Lavery, Kennedy and Pat McGrath sending in some biting but fair challenges.
Ciaran Connolly at this stage was going through a Trojan amount of work in the middle of the field winning some crucial frees. P.O’Neill was on hand to convert them with three unanswered points from 60 yards out. It was not until the 13th minute that Portaferry got their first point of the half and even then Paul replied with two further points, one an excellent solo effort from wide on the right. This left seven points in it and in effort to get back into the game Portaferry made a few switches and brought on some big physical forwards. Slowly Portaferry edged back into the game with a series of pointed frees, five in a row. The game was in the balance and the momentum was with the visitors. Stunned into action Ballyvarley began to create more with some rasping shots going narrowly wide. The insurance score the Reds needed eventually came in the 28th minute, when a driven shot was parried by the Ards keeper. A melee followed and ended with Colin O’Neill showing the killer instinct to slot the ball to the bottom corner of the net.            
FULL-TIME:        Ballyvarley 1-15 Portaferry 1-10
This was not the best performance of the season from the Reds, but its reassuring that despite not playing well the local hurlers still found a way to win. Sean Kennedy and David Lavery were outstanding in defence, while Ciaran Connolly was immense in midfield winning key possession for the Reds when they were under pressure while Paul O’Neill was deadly from set pieces. An improvement is needed from the locals in their next game at home to Ballygalget on 3rd June. 
Ballyvarley Team
Cathal O’Neill, David Lavery, Niall Higgins, Pat McGrath, John O’Neill, Colm O’Neill (0-2), Sean Kennedy, Eunan McConville, Ciaran Connolly, Niall Savage (0-1), David McGovern, Colin O’Neill (1-0), Jamie Murray (0-2), Conor Grew, Paul O’Neill (0-10). Subs: Stewart Cartmill, Martin Malone.