Ports secure fourth county title in a row

Ports secure fourth county title in a row

29 October 2025

PORTAFERRY claimed a fourth consecutive Down Senior Hurling Championship title with victory over Ballygalget on Sunday and will now target the Ulster glory that has eluded them since 2014.

Ballygalget, having stopped the recent run of Ballycran-Portaferry finals in the past two deciders, came out with authority, intent on causing an upset and securing a first county title since 2017.

They were firing on all cylinders in the first half, using the wind to their advantage as they disrupted Portaferry’s attacks with a multitude of turnovers.

Eoin Pucci set the pace in the opening 30 minutes, capitalising on a defensive error to squeeze the ball under goalkeeper Pearce Smyth, before making it a double and creating a two-point lead at the change of ends.

However, that was as far as the ‘Galget title charge could stretch, with the Ports flexing their muscles in the second half, blowing their Ards rivals out of the water.

Six Cathal Coleman frees set Portaferry in the ascendancy after the restart, and they never looked like being toppled from there. 

Barry Trainor epitomised the strength of the champions, carving through the entirety of the Ballygalget defence for a point, while Niall Fitzsimmons put one hand on the Jeremiah McVeagh Cup with a haul of five points.

With the ‘Galget chasing a seemingly insurmountable deficit, they were left completely deflated when Michael Og Dorrian launched a shot wide of the upright.

The Ports, on the other hand, showed their ruthless streak, netting majors courtesy of Coleman and All-Star Eoghan Sands, before Niall Milligan and Daithi Sands points confirmed a result that was beyond doubt for much of the second period. 

While the triumph was a historic one for Portaferry — the first time they have done the four-peat — they have ambitions that lie outside the realms of county success.

The 24-time Down champions have only tasted Ulster glory on one Occassion, in 2014, and manager Gerard McGrattan is not hiding their hunger for a second provincial title.

“It’s a big achievement for this group of players. You have to celebrate such an achievement, but we know there’s plenty in us,” he said.

“The last few years, our goal was to compete in Ulster and we’ve done that, but we haven’t got over the line, so there’s a lot of unfinished business.”

McGrattan’s men were denied in cruel circumstances last year, when they let an eight-point lead slip from their grasp against Derry champions Sleacht Néill, but they will have a chance at redemption when they face the same opponents in the semi-finals in three week’s time.

Ballygalget: E Clarke, M Toner, C Watson, O Birt, B Teggart, J McManus, M Fisher, Cormac Coulter, S Pucci, O Coulter, M Og Dorrian, Cathal Coulter, Caolan Coulter, T Prenter, E Pucci.

Subs: D Toner, J Smyth, O McDermott.

Portaferry: P Smyth, D Mallon, C Taggart, R Smyth, B Trainor, M Conlan, C Milligan, T Murray, S Conlan, N Fitzsimmons, F Turpin, C Coleman, E Sands, N Milligan, D Sands.

Subs: C Mageean, N Rogers, C Fay, C Savage, E Magee.