Match Report

Understrength Ballyvarley Produce Fighting Display

Date Filed: 03 June 2011

A much understrength Ballyvarley side made the short trip to Castlewellan and after a fighting display of committed hurling they were most unlucky to lose by seven points to the home side. The Reds struggled to field for this rearranged league game but with Sean O’Neill coming out of retirement and James McGrath, David Lavery, Thomas Lennon and John O’Neill all playing with injuries, Ballyvarley took the field dreading a heavy defeat. However, a spirited performance from the men in the red jerseys turned a potential disaster into a moral victory with a stunning performance that should have yielded a surprise victory if only their shooting had been on target.
An opening Castlewellan point should have signalled the start of the onslaught but instead Ballyvarley settled to their task and Sean O’Neill set the tone with the equalising point. A goal and a point from Castlewellan edged them ahead again but Colm O’Neill sent over three Ballyvarley frees to reduce the deficit to the minimum. Injury to John O’Neill forced James McGrath to enter the fray as Castlewellan took advantage of Ballyvarley’s temporary disarray to send over three further points and sprint into a four point lead. But then followed a golden spell of Ballyvarley scoring with Cathal O’Neill flicking the ball to the net from close range and Niall Savage(2), Colm O’Neill and Conor McClorey all getting points to give the Reds a three point lead. Two late points from the home side reduced the lead to the minimum and Ballyvarley’s hope of entering the interval in the lead was dashed when a high ball into the box slipped under the crossbar for a sickening goal against the run of play.

Half time:  Castlewellan  2-7   Ballyvarley  1-8

The first twenty minutes of the second half were most frustrating from a Ballyvarley point of view. It was almost one-way traffic towards the Castlewellan goal with the Reds giving way to an obsession of getting goals and as a succession of chances hit the posts, crossbar and goalkeeper and slipped narrowly wide, Castlewellan broke to the other end and with the minimum of fuss added two goals and five points to their tally. In a game they were dominating Ballyvarley trailed by 13 points and finally the penny dropped and they settled on going for points. In a fine move up the right wing Conor McClorey struck over his second point but the Reds continued to miss the target. James McGrath followed up his own parried shot to push home the second goal and then Ciaran Connolly and Colm O’Neill completed the scoring with two more well-taken points.
The defeat felt like a victory because a much-weakened team had played so well in the face of adversity. Everyone had given their all to the cause and if only their finishing had matched their endeavour they would have chalked up an unlikely win. The spirit shown was in marked contrast to the debacle in Hilltown just two days earlier.

Final Score:  Castlewellan  4-12   Ballyvarley  2-11

David Lavery; Peter McConville, Adam Twohig, Michael Cairns; Stephen Daly, Colm O’Neill(0-5), John O’Neill; Ciaran Connolly(0-1), Conor McClorey(0-2); Jonathan Lennon, Niall Savage(0-2), Rory McShane; Sean O’Neill(0-1), Cathal O’Neill(1-0), Thomas Lennon;   Sub: James McGrath(1-0)