McKenna Park had the honour of hosting the Down Senior Camogie Championship game between Portaferry and Ballygalget today. Recent weather had brought a deluge of rain but despite this, the pitch was only moderately soft under foot and with a healthy crop of lush grass, the scene was set for a great clash between two local titans of Camogie.
Referee Kieran Rice threw-in on the dot of 12:30pm with Ballygalget playing down hill in the first half. Neither side was gaining any advantage with the slight breeze as it swirled from the John Mallon stand but a low bright sun from the southern aspect of McKenna Park would hamper any attempts to catch a high ball from a puck out.
Within a few minutes, Portaferry had made their mark with a point from Colleen McConnell followed by a Niamh Mallon free but Ballygalget responded with an opening point from Beth Coulter before the game would click into a higher gear with an unexpected goal from Niamh Savage eight minutes into the first half.
Just three minutes later, the referee spotted a high tackle and flashed a red card to Maria McNally. Despite the loss of a player, Portaferry had their spirits raised whenever Niamh Mallon carved a slot with great intensity through Ballygalget’s mid field and scorched a point to match another score from Beth Coulter. At the half time whistle, Ballygalget had a six point deficit but looking to make amends in the second half. Portaferry 1-07 Ballygalget 0-4.
The second half witnessed a number of missed opportunities for Ballygalget as several frees sailed wide of the uprights and failing to take advantage of Portaferry’s diminished numbers, Portaferry went on another goal run with Saoirse Sands finding lots of space on the edge of the twenty with a very controlled pass to Erin McGrattan who didn’t miss the opportunity to puncture the back of the net. McGrattan almost had another run on goal, but a trip with no one between McGrattan and the keeper was deemed accidental by referee Rice as Mallon went on to convert the free.
All in all, Ballygalget simply didn’t manage to get into a decent gear today as Portaferry applied pressure in every portion of the pitch, pinning back any hopes of Ballygalget manufacturing a scoring opportunity. At the whistle, the final score was Portaferry 2-10 Ballygalget 0-5. Commiserations to Ballygalget, congratulations to Portaferry who we now know will proceed through to a final encounter with Liatroim.
Here are a few photos to help record the match at McKenna Park.
Catherine Coleman from Portaferry and Colleen Clarke from Ballygalget with referee Kieran Rice (PvB – 1)
Down Camogie Senior Championship (PvB – 2)
Down Camogie Senior Championship (PvB – 3)
Down Camogie Senior Championship (PvB – 4)
Down Camogie Senior Championship (PvB – 5)
Down Camogie Senior Championship (PvB – 6)
Down Camogie Senior Championship (PvB – 7)
Down Camogie Senior Championship (PvB – 8)
Down Camogie Senior Championship (PvB – 9)
Down Camogie Senior Championship (PvB – 10)
Down Camogie Senior Championship (PvB – 11)
Down Camogie Senior Championship (PvB – 12)
Down Camogie Senior Championship (PvB – 13)
Down Camogie Senior Championship (PvB – 14)
Down Camogie Senior Championship (PvB – 15)
Down Camogie Senior Championship (PvB – 16)
Down Camogie Senior Championship (PvB – 17)
Down Camogie Senior Championship (PvB – 18)
Down Camogie Senior Championship (PvB – 19)
Down Camogie Senior Championship (PvB – 20)
Down Camogie Senior Championship (PvB – 21)
Down Camogie Senior Championship (PvB – 22)
Down Camogie Senior Championship (PvB – 23)
Down Camogie Senior Championship (PvB – 24)
Thanks to Down Camogie for administrating the event, our stewards who managed the unusual parking due to the impact of the inclement weather and last but not least, our grounds and maintenance team who managed to have a pitch ready for the game despite the recent weather.
