Down Senior Hurling Championship semi-final
Venue: Ballycran
Time: today at 3.15pm
The countdown is on for today’s Down Senior Hurling championship semi-final between provincial kingpins Portaferry and their Ards Peninsula rivals Ballygalget.
Ballygalget, have fond memories of overcoming today’s opposition in the final two years ago on a scoreline of 1-18 to 1-11, with intercounty star Gareth ‘Magic‘ Johnson the pivotal figure in that success.
And they come into today’s match having racked up 13 wins out of 15 in Division 2 of the Antrim Hurling League.
Last year, however, Portaferry ruthlessly dished out revenge for the 2013 loss at the semi-final stage, outscoring Ballygalget by 13 points in the second half to win on a margin of 2-23 to 1-08.
Today’s match will reveal whether Ballygalget have made sufficient progress under their new management team, led by Barry Coulter and assisted by Johnny McGratten and Martin Coulter.
Speaking yesterday, Barry Coulter said: "It's nice that we’re doing but we're only in Division 2. We're top of the table, but Antrim changed their league structures and there's no real reward now for winning it as the winners are only promoted to division 1B.
"So all we care about is the championship and tomorrow will tell us where we really are."
Expectations are understandably high for Ulster champions Portaferry - but Coulter disputes the notion that the underdog tag will suit his Ballygalget side.
"It’s impossible to come in under the radar in the Ards Peninsula, Portaferry are right beside us and they've watched us in Division 2 a number of times - I'd rather be favourites to be honest.
"They beat us by 20 points last year so nobody can argue that they deserve to be favourites."
Coulter also confirmed that Ballygalget have been dealt a blow with the injury-induced absence of Down hurler Caolan Bailie.
"Caolan has unfortunately torn his hamstring and he's a huge loss for us.
"We've a couple of other players with minor injuries but Caolan was playing great hurling and he had hit form at the right time so he's the main loss."
A win for Portaferry would set up a repeat of last year’s final against 23-time champions Ballycran, which Portaferry edged by 1-12 to 1-11.
More glory followed in November when an Eoghan Sands-inspired Portaferry side defeated Antrim champions Cushendall to win their first ever Ulster Senior Hurling title.
It was the first time a Down side had tasted provincial glory since Ballygalget did likewise almost a decade prior in 2005.
Portaferry delivered a superb performance in the Ulster final, Sands scoring 1-3, to claim the provincial crown with a 1-16 to 0-10 win over Cushendall at Owenbeg, in front of 2,538 spectators.
Beaten in eight provincial finals since the competition was introduced in 1971, Portaferry, under manager Sean Young, finally delivered on the big stage last year.
Young can still rely upon the services of last year’s side barring corner-forward Sean Mageean, who is currently working in Glasgow.
And he will be hoping that the experience his Portaferry side gained from their thrilling Ulster and All-Ireland Championship campaign will stand them in good stead.
Limerick and Munster champions Kilmallock finally ended Portaferry's run in the All-Ireland club hurling sem-final at Mullingar in February.
