Michael Cusack’s 1-12
Ballygalget 0-14
The Cumann Pheadaír Naofa Minors, who play under the amalgamation of Michael Cusack’s along with lads from Carryduff & Shamrocks caused a massive shock in the Down Minor championship on Wednesday night under the lights of Páirc Esler. Ballygalget were without their influential match winner Tim Prenter, but still had the experience of several county minors in Caolan Coulter, Ciaran Watson, Owen McDermott and Michael Toner to call upon. Cusack’s had several match winners of their own in Decky Hudson, Aodhan Furlong, Tiernan Murphy, James Duggan, Billy & Sean Campbell in the middle of the park and their very own Nickie Quaid in Peter McCreesh, who made several goal line catches when it mattered most as Ballygalget dropped the sliotar into the Michael Cusack’s danger zone towards the end.
The game was finely balanced at half time with Ballygalget trailing by four points, 0-4 to 0-8. Coulters accuracy from the dead ball kept the Ards men too close for comfort as Cian Lyons was solid as a rock in defence with Furlong carrying out an excellent job in marshalling the threat of Coulter. Thomas Magee hurled superbly over the hour ensuring that the Ballygalget lads were kept at bay. Mid-way through the second half the Ards men had levelled the game, but it was a James Duggan goal that gave the home side an advantage they were to keep until the whistle, but with the game finely balanced in the closing stages, McCreesh pulled the sliotar down from above the cross bar in what would’ve been the game tieing score to keep his sides slender one-point advantage and see out a well-deserved victory.
This is the first year where Cumann Pheadaír Naofa have had representation on the Cusack’s side and they certainly played a major part in this momentous victory. Congratulations to Peter McCreesh, Thomas Magee, Jake McNabb, Eoin McGivern, Conan Kelly, Tiernan Murphy, Eoin Cassidy, Oisin Kelly, Oisin Magone and Nathan Foy. Next up for Michael Cusack’s is a home fixture against Bredagh, a victory would see them make history and reach a first ever Cup Semi-final, defeat would see them into the shield final.
