Morgan Fuels Down SHC final: Ballycran v Ballygalget (St Patrick’s Park, Portaferry, 4pm)
WITH a double-scores lead established and time running out, Ballygalget looked to be coasting home in the Down Senior Hurling Championship final last year.
A little magic from Gareth Johnston had given them what appeared to be a comfortable 0-12 to 0-6 cushion but a Benny Ennis goal and some nerveless finishing from Scott Nicholson turned the game on its head in the closing stages and bitter rivals Ballycran went home with the Jeremiah McVeagh Cup from a record 24th time.
The Ards neighbours lock horns again today and Johnston – who was part of the Ballygalget side that saw off Portaferry in the semi-final by 1-13 to 1-9 - predicts another see-saw encounter at St Patrick’s Park.
“We definitely dominated most of the game last year and it was annoying to let a game like that slip out of your hands, especially when we were in full control of it,” he said.
“I’ve no doubt that we would have pushed on and won it if Declan McManus hadn’t have went off injured, but it’s over and done with now and tomorrow’s a new day.
“We didn’t have the players last year, we had to bring on a few young lads off the bench but we’ve fairly improved this year – the boys are another year older and hopefully this time around we can win it.”
Ballygalget will be without Down star Caolan Baillie today as they attempt to stop Ballycran recording their first back-to-back championship success since their three in-a-row run from 1993 to ’95.
“Liam Savage has come through for them and he is definitely once to watch out for,” said Johnston, who retired from county hurling after the 2015 season.
“I think it’s going to be a very close game, there’s not a puck between the three clubs now and the wind and rain tomorrow means it’s probably not going to be a pretty game of hurling.”
The semi-final win against Portaferry was a bruising encounter that will certainly have helped focus Ballygalget’s players for today’s final.
“That semi-final game was one of the toughest championship matches I’ve ever played in in Down hurling,” said Johnston.
“The refereeing was brilliant, we hardly heard a whistle and it was hard-hitting – I’ve been stiff and sore since it. I nearly feel like I’ve picked up whiplash or something!
“I don’t know if playing the semi-final is much of an advantage or not, but the intensity we played at was something I’ve never experienced before in Down hurling.”
The semi-final was played in the tighter confines of the Ballycran grounds so the wide open spaces of St Patrick’s Park could make for a different spectacle this afternoon.
“I was over on the pitch the other night and there’s always a wicked wind going down it so it’ll be a different ball game,” said Johnson.
“It’s going to come down to hunger and I’m quietly confident we’ll win but there’s not going to be much in it.”
