Hurling & Camogie

Ballycran have one eye on Down title record ahead of final

Ballycran's Conor Woods expects a tough battle with neighbours Ballygalget on Sunday afternoon 
Ballycran's Conor Woods expects a tough battle with neighbours Ballygalget on Sunday afternoon  Ballycran's Conor Woods expects a tough battle with neighbours Ballygalget on Sunday afternoon 

Down Senior Hurling Championship final: Ballygalget v Ballycran


(Sunday, Portaferry, 3pm)

TAKING out the reigning county and Ulster champions hasn’t resulted in automatic favourites’ status for Ballygalget in Sunday’s Down Senior Hurling Championship final.

Spearheaded by goals from skipper Danny Toner and Brooke Byers, the ’Galget side scored a 2-13 to 0-18 win over Portaferry last Sunday, but they face another tough examination from Ballycran in the decider.

Ballycran are out for a record-breaking 24th win in the competition (they currently sit on 23 alongside Portaferry), while Ballygalget have won their county championship 19 times so far.

While Ballygalget warmed up with that semi-final win, Stephen McAree’s Ballycran haven’t had any competitive fixtures - but McAree explained that hammer-and-tongs in-house games have helped his players stay sharp.

“We had a game between ourselves and we tried to make it as realistic as possible by using different sets of jerseys and getting a referee in,” he said.

“We split the management. I went and managed one team and Gary Savage managed the other. It was as good a match as we’ve had most of the year. We were able to pick our team out of it and it was a nightmare trying to pick one because so many boys were in form. We’re happy enough with the form that we’ve got at the minute.”

Both finalists have shown excellent league form – but at different levels. Ballycran have been operating in Division One in Antrim and are currently sitting second in the table behind Loughgiel Shamrocks. Meanwhile, Ballygalget lead Division Two by four points, having won all but one of their fixtures and with games in hand over their rivals.

Full-forward Gareth ‘Magic’ Johnson has been among the scorers from play and from placed balls in the league, but he was restricted to just a point in last Sunday’s semi-final win over Portaferry.

“It was some win for us,” he said.

“It was a tight finish, but I hardly struck leather, I had Paul Braniff and John Convery marking me.”

Despite the victory Johnson – who scored 2-5 when these sides last met in the county final back in 2010 - insists Ballygalget go into the final as outsiders.

“No doubt they’ll be gunning for us,” said Johnson, who scored 2-1 in Down’s 2013 Christy Ring Cup final win over Kerry.

“They’d rather be playing us than Portaferry, we’re definitely underdogs. They’re playing at a higher standard, but I’d rather be coming into the final with that game under our belt.”

Johnson could have his Down team-mate Conor Woods for company on Sunday. Experienced defender Woods, who was also part of Down’s 2013 success, is well aware of what the Ballygalget star is capable of.

“In the Antrim league, we’ve performed well, we did well in most of the games,” he said, adding: “Big Magic and a few of the Ballygalget forwards are always tricky, so you just never know.

“The big man [Johnson] is capable of winning a match on his own, so it’ll be hard enough I’d say.”

Of course, Johnson will be a handful and so will Danny Toner, Byers and Conor Toner is a reliable free-taker. Elsewhere, Ballygalget will look to the experience of Graham Clarke in goal and Gabriel Clarke, who marshals their defence.

But Ballycran have tons of experience and quality in their ranks too. Woods, Andy Bell and Michael and Seán Ennis are all proven performers in defence and the Nicholson brothers, Scott and Brett, and James Coyle lead the way in attack.

Ballycran were expected to win last season’s Down title, but they seemed to lose their nerve when it really mattered. There is a feeling in the county that the side hasn’t delivered on their talent, but manager McAree is confident his players will put previous disappointment behind them and deliver the club’s first county title since 2011.

Ballygalget have dangerous players, but the depth of talent and experience in this Ballycran side should make the difference on Sunday.

LAST 10 FINALS


2014: Portaferry 1-12 Ballycran 1-11


2013: Ballygalget 1-18 Portaferry 1-11


2012: Portaferry 3-8 Ballycran 0-11


2011: Ballycran 1-11 Portaferry 0-13


2010: Ballygalget 3-19 Ballycran 1-13


2009: Ballycran 1-14 Ballygalget 0-12


2008: Ballygalget 2-13 Portaferry 0-8


2007: Ballycran 1-13 Ballygalget 0-9


2006: Portaferry 1-15 Ballycran 0-14


2005: Ballygalget 3-14 Ballycran 0-15

PREVIOUS FINAL MEETING


2010: Ballygalget 3-19 Ballycran 1-13


BALLYGALGET strolled to a 12-point win over the reigning champions. The Mitchel's had ridden their luck to see off Portaferry in the semi-final, but they controlled the final from start to finish.

They took the game to their opponents and regained the McVeagh Cup thanks to 2-5 from ‘Magic’ Johnson and a goal from Conor Doran. Simon Wilson top-scored with six points for Ballycran and Aidan Clarke replied with 1-1, but Ballygalget were worthy winners in the end.

’Galget skipper Eoin Clarke said: “All the players played their part.

“Today, we took a step up from the Portaferry game, but that helped us. We saw how we played and saw where improvement was needed.

“We lost to Ballycran last year, but we learned from the mistakes and, this year, it all fell into place.”