U12s New Jerseys
The Fresh Foods Centre in Warrenpoint continue to show their support for underage Hurling in the area with the sponsoring of a new set of club jerseys for the U12s.
Nicky Rooney, manager of Fresh Foods Centre was accompanied by Zoe Orr to make the presentation to Cumann Pheadaír Naofa Hurling chairperson Colette Lock, U12 manager Paddy Lock and U10 joint manager Averill Campbell, along with some of the players from U10 & U12 Hurling panel.
Minors Lose Out To Ballycran
Patrick Rankins 4-15
Ballycran 7-13
Patrick Rankins looked to be on their way to a comfortable win at home to visiting Ballycran on Wednesday night, but the ‘Ards side powered home in the last 9 minutes of the second half. Down by five points Ballycran somehow managed to outscore their hosts 4-1 to 0-1 and with it seal victory.
The first half was a really close affair with both sides finishing level at 2-9 to 3-6, Rankins were guilty of some poor shot decisions that ultimately cost them the game. Ballycran marched into a 0-3 to 0-1 lead after Sean Campbell had opened the scoring for the home side. After managing to level things up through Tiernan Murphy and a James Duggan free, Ballycrans’ Franky Caldwell saw his sideline go all the way to the net its way to the net and when Mel Gilmour added a second a minute later the visitors now had a comfortable five-point lead. Decky Hudson found himself in space and smashed home the first goal for Patrick Rankins, swiftly followed by a fine point seconds later. With less than five minutes to go before half time, Conor Murphy had a chance to put Rankins back in front but was very unfortunate to see his bullet of a strike rattle off the crossbar and back into play out of the danger area. A brilliant individual goal from Duggan once more put Rankins in front but as was typical of this close encounter both Stuart Martin & Caldwell made sure that the side went in level at half time on a score line of Patrick Rankins 2-9 Ballycran 3-6.
The second half continued at the same pace with tit for tat scores as Ballycran Luke O’Neill & Conor Murphy traded score with Caldwell & Stuart Martin. Rankins had the chance to get their noses in front when they were awarded a penalty which Duggan drove past Cathal Lavery in the ‘cran goals as Rankins were now 3-13 to Ballycrans 3-9 and looking good for the win and when Conor Murphy grabbed his second goal of the evening it looked very likely that Patrick Rankins were finishing the game off as they now had a six point lead. But with six minutes Gerald Quinn & Caldwell had scored the two goals they need to level the game. Campbell briefly gave the home side a one point lead, but straight from the puc out, Caldwells twenty metre strike was deflected into the net as James Murray tried to take the string of the powerful strike only to see it spin past him into the net. Quinn finished off the game with his second goal for Ballycran as the ‘Ards side now sit top of their section leaving Rankins a tough encounter away to Portaferry next week.
Patrick Rankins scorers: J Duggan 2-4, C Murphy 1-4, D Hudson 1-1, S Campbell 0-3, T Murphy 0-2 L O’Neill 0-1
