Portaferry poised for latest senior final after downing old foes in impressive display

MORGAN FUELS DOWN SENIOR

HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP SEMI-FINAL

Portaferry 1-31 Ballycran 3-14

By Séamas McAleenan

HOLDERS Portaferry breezed into their eighth successive Down Senior Hurling Championship final with a comfortable home win over Ballycran on Sunday.

Their movement and accuracy really impressed in a dynamic performance driven by full-forward Tom McGrattan who top-scored with 1-12, seven points of that total coming from open play.

Ballycran’s half-backs were continually pulled out of position, leaving little cover for the full-back line and the Sands brothers, Finn Turpin and Niall Milligan, revelled in the space in front of them.

Defensively, the Ports were soundly led by Pearse Smyth, the goalie setting up countless attacks over the hour.

Ballycran were forced into changes early in the second half but they still couldn’t make any huge impact on the scoreboard with their second and third goals no more than consolation scores to lift their heads at the end.

Portaferry rushed into a double score lead of 0-8 to 0-4 in the first quarter with points from McGrattan, the Sands boys and Niall Milligan. McGrattan then powered a penalty to Stephen Keith’s left corner in the 15th minute and Ballycran were struggling.

The Ports outscored their neighbours 0-6 to 0-5 during the second quarter to lead by 1-14 to 0-9 at the break and at that stage it was difficult to see a way back for the Black and Amber.

A further three points on the re-start stretched that lead to 11 points before substitute Ayrton Gleeson grabbed a Ballycran goal in the 36th minute.

Portaferry didn’t let up however and they were 1-22 to 1-12 ahead by the midway point of the second half and in complete command of the play. But for a goal from Paul Sheehan in the 57th minute followed by a penalty strike from Conor Woods at the start of injury time, the winning margin would have been much greater.

The last Portaferry v Ballygalget final was in 2017 when the Mitchel’s edged home 2-13 to 2-12. However, the form of the Portaferry forwards at the weekend would suggest that they can avenge that defeat with a much higher tally.

Portaferry: P Smyth, D Mallon, T Murray, R Smyth, B Trainor, C Taggart (0-2), C Milligan, M Conlan capt. (0-1), S Conlan, N Fitzsimons (0-1), F Turpin (0-3), E Sands (0-2), D Sands (0-6), T McGrattan (1-12, 1-0 pen, 5 frees), N Milligan (0-4).

Subs: P Doran for N Fitzsimons, C Doran for M Conlan.

Ballycran: S Keith capt., B Watson, S Ennis, M Hughes, B Nicholson, C Woods (1-1, 1-0 pen), J Clarke, S McCarthy, P Savage (0-1), L Savage (0-1), C McAlister v, P Sheehan (1-7, 0-5 frees), N Breen (0-1), S Nicholson (0-2), C Egan.

Subs: A Gleeson (1-0) for S McCarthy, E Bell for M Hughes, B Arthurs for C McAlister.