Robert swoops to seal victory

Robert swoops to seal victory

1 October 2014

THE Jeremiah McVeagh Cup is safely back in Portaferry after a prodigious battle with Ballycran at St. Patrick’s Park on Sunday.

Just like the semi-final win over Ballygalget, the Portaferry defence laid the foundation for this epic victory.

Time and again Ballycran attacks were repelled or players forced to shoot under pressure and from distance.

The half back line of Matthew Conlon, captain John Convery and Ciaran Coulter were the dominant line on the field and Conlon was a worthy winner of the man of the match award.

The game itself never reached any great heights of intensity or excitement although the closeness of the game kept the large crowd engrossed to the end.

Ballycran played with a fresh breeze in the first half and dominated the opening exchanges, although it was Portaferry’s Paul Braniff who opened the scoring with a point from a free.

Ballycran had notched up four wides before Scott Nicholson opened their account in the seventh minute. There was two more Ballycran wides before Steven Dineen got a rare bit of space and pointed after 12 minutes.

Play was generally scrappy before Paul Braniff levelled from a free. Andy Savage put the Ports a point up and Braniff stretched the advantage to two from another free.

Ballycran had dominated possession in the opening 20 minutes, but Portaferry were more assured in their shooting. Eugene Gilmore was isolated too often for Ballycran, but he did find space after a good passing movement to reduce the deficit to one. Karol Keating over carried when under pressure and James Doyle levelled from the free.

After 25 minutes Conor Mageean burst into the game when he shot over and although Conor Woods quickly replied from a 80 metre free, Mageean again escaped the Ballycran defence to edge his team ahead.

Eugene Gilmore’s thankless solo role finally paid off when his persistence forced a ball to run loose and Brett Nicholson swept to the net at the second attempt.

Conor Mageean slotted over his third score from play before a James Coyle free left Ballycran 1-6 to 0-7 ahead at the break.

The Ports were quickly out of the blocks in the second half. Mageean was on target for a fourth consecutive point before Eoghan Sands picked a loose ball and levelled matters.

Ballycran were struggling, but were helped by Kevin McGarry’s straight red card with 25 minutes still to play. Ballycran missed a goal chance, but Scott Nicholson eventually squeezed over a point to put his team back in front.

Aaron O’Prey and Ciaran Coulter shot wide for Portaferry when well placed, but disaster for Ballycran after 40 minutes when a short puck out saw Portaferry gain possession 40 metres out.

Two quick passes and Robert Magee shot to the net. Michael McCullough was driving forward for Ballycran and his point made it 1-9 to 1-8 in favour of the 14 men.

Robert Magee pointed again from play before Sean Mageean stretched the lead to three. After 48 minutes James Coyle pointed a free, but Paul Braniff replied a minute later to lead 1-12 to 1-9. Portaferry were winning the 50/50 battles and the dirty ball and it was hard to know which team had been reduced to 14.

Eight minutes left and Portaferry had left just two forwards in the Ballycran half. James Coyle pointed a Ballycran free to reduce the margin to one, but the packed Portaferry defence denied any scoring chances until the second minute of added time when they conceded a 40 metre free. Conor Woods’ shot was goal bound, but a defender’s stick saw the ball fly safely over the bar.

Ballycran: Stephen Keith, Michael Hughes, Padraig Flynn, Patrick Hughes, Michael McCullough, Conor Woods (0-2), Michael Ennis, Sean Ennis, Cormac Flynn, Steven Dineen (0-1), Brett Nicholson (1-0), Scott Nicholson (0-3), Conor McCarthy, Eugene Gilmore (0-1), James Coyle (0-4). Subs: C. Egan for C. McCarthy.

Portaferry: Karol Keating, Caolan Taggart, Conor O’Neill, Conor O’Prey,     

Matthew Conlon, John Convery, Ciaran Coulter, Andy Savage, Conor Mageean (0-4), Kevin McGarry, Paul Braniff (0-4), Aaron O’Prey, 

Sean Mageean (0-1), Eoghan  Sands (0-1), Robert Magee (1-1). 

Subs: B. Coleman for Magee, F.  Rodgers for A. O’Prey, S. Murray  for S. Mageean.

Portaferry 1-12

Ballycran 1-11

DOWN SHC FINAL