Cumann Pheadaír Naofa 2-16
Ballygalget 1-24
Division 2 league leaders travelled to Warrenpoint on Monday night for the last league game of the season, having already ensured themselves as divisional winners, victory would have ensured that Warrenpoint would finish no higher than third given that Ballycran had a game in hand and were a point better off.
Cumann Pheadaír Naofa got off to a blistering start with Niall McParland registering the first score within a minute of play, in deed by the forth minute he had scored his third of his 1-8 on the day. The wee man was enjoying the freedom and open space he was afforded in the corner. On the eight minute, Eugene McConville scored the opening goal, when the Ballygalget keeper fumbled an angled shot over the line to give the blues a 1-5 to 0-4 lead. At midfield the blues had match winners in Antoin Magill and Jamie Grant as the Ards men found their running game hard to handle at times. Mark Rafferty, Saran McElroy and Oggie Murphy formed the basis of a steady and solid half back line as the ‘galget were limited to taking their points in the first quarter from outside the fifty-metre mark. Ballygalget proved that they were to be worthy league champions as they slowly nibbled away at their hosts great start. Although Tom Daly & Conor Tinnelly ensured their charges kept notching up points through McParland, McElroy & Murphy in the second quarter of the game, Ballygalget had managed to turn the tide in their favour with nine points in the last fifteen minutes ensuring that both sides went in level at half time, Cumann Pheadaír Naofa 1-11 Ballygalget 0-14.
Antoin Magill opened the scoring within a minute and a half of the restart. Ballygalget responded immediately and then took the lead with three quick points. McParland brought it back to a two-point game, but the ‘ards side pushed on and got the next two points and could have had their opening goal but for a superb save from Warrenpoint goalie Declan Doyle to keep the blues within touching distance. The Warrenpoint side gave their visitors a big shook when after a Tomas Magill point, McParland gained possession on the twenty-one-metre line and let loose a rocket goal bound shoot that rattled the net to see the teams level once more. With the sides locked in battle 2-14 to 0-20 and only ten minutes remaining tit for tat points were followed by the killer blow for Warrenpoint with the ‘galget finally breaching the blues defence and getting the decisive goal of the game. They were now three points clear and a further two scores made sure that Cumann Pheadaír Naofa had too much to do to catch them.
After the game Tom Daly thanked both sides for an excellent and entertaining game of Hurling and presented Ballygalget Captain Eoin Kelly with the division Two cup.
Team: D Doyle, C Keenan, T Magill 0-1, O Murphy 0-1, M Rafferty, S McElroy 0-1, A Magill 0-1, J Grant 0-1, K McCullagh, J O’Hare 0-2, E McConville 1-0, N McParland 1-8, D Freer 0-1
C Fagan for McConville, C Cunningham for Grant, J McParland for McCullagh, Grant for Freer
