Down Camogie Senior Championship sees an historic win for Portaferry

The weather forecasters talked generally about a mild Sunday afternoon with a dry overcast sky but Drumaness or Droim an Easa (ridge of the waterfall) offered a different local version. With a stiff breeze running up the pitch from the clubhouse to the village and a persistent mizzle cloaking the surrounding area coming from a porridge sky, conditions were well described by our Drumaness hosts as being ‘damp and miserable’. But that didn’t matter. It was going to be the same for both sides.

Portaferry came into today’s match with a tantalising prize set out before them that would be a first for the Club. A blend of excitement and nerves travelled up and down the dugout like a Mexican wave just ahead of the throw in. Liatroim had an air of quiet confidence but cautious of their opponents as they later admitted to having already done their homework on Portaferry from the previous championship matches.

As the teams settled into their field positions, referee Paddy Branagan rolled in the number 4 ball that would diffuse the nerves and get the game started. Today’s conditions would play a significant part in how the game would evolve, as moderate to soft damp ground, autumn worm casts and a thinner spread of grass would make easy jab lifting a rarity. Ground camogie, grit and determination would make up for the lack of life in the sliotar.

Liatroim’s Dearbhla Magee, who caused Ballycran significant problems in an earlier round of the Down camogie senior championship would begin her watch with four points from frees before Portaferry’s Niamh Mallon would respond with a point from play. Under the heavy conditions, players were pleased to hear the whistle for the first water break and the orange glow from the scoreboard announced Liatroim 0-4 Portaferry 0-1.

Mallon would start where she left off and took advantage of a free into the stiff breeze to claw Portaferry back to within two points. When Francis Toner was brought to ground, Mallon stepped up and sizzled another sliotar over the bar to register Portaferry’s third point, but when Liatroim’s Caitlin Davidson intercepted a puck to roll it on to Aimee McAleenan, Liatroim inched another point ahead as McAleenan used the wind to slot the sliotar effortlessly over the bar. A flicked on ball in mid field from a Fiona McGarry puck out by Niamh Mallon found Erin McGrattan who scorched a solo run that resonated danger to Liatroim but no one from Portaferry was in a position to take advantage of McGrattan’s speed. As the sliotar spilled onto the ground, Liatroim moved the danger quickly away. The Drumaness scoreboard cut through the misty air like a neon fog light posting up Liatroim 0-5 Portaferry 0-3 at the half time whistle.

The second half witnessed a change in wind direction which put a question mark over Portaferry’s ability to use the wind effectively to their advantage. Mallon traded points either side of Liatroim’s Alana McCrickard’s score before Francis Toner was tripped and Niamh Mallon brought both sides to six points apiece.

A series of intense scrummages ended in a missed free by McAleenan but another free taking opportunity wasn’t missed by Dearbhla Magee as the whistle went almost immediately for the last water break, taking Liatroim one point into the lead again, Liatroim 0-7 Portaferry 0-6.

The last quarter of the game had a new intensity about it. As the clock ticked down, Liatroim knew they had to maintain their lead and Portaferry were desperate to avoid walking away empty handed today. Portaferry’s Niamh Mallon picked up a spilled ball and making a determined run for Liatroim’s goal area, Paddy Branagan spotted an infringement on Mallon and wasting very little time, Mallon posted her seventh point of the championship. Both sides were level again for only the second time in the match at seven points each.

With less than five minutes on the clock, a simple over carry by Liatroim allowed Niamh Mallon to take an historic free. One point took Portaferry into the lead for the first time in the game and put immense pressure on Liatroim in the dying minutes of the game. Liatroim pushed hard and an exhausted Dearbhla Magee found reserves to keep conjuring up danger for Portaferry but despite last minute desperate attempts by Liatroim to save the match, Branagan’s whistle blew to rapturous squeals and yells from Portaferry’s dugout and supporters as they knew history had just been made. Liatroim 0-7 Portaferry 0-8.

Despite a relatively low score from either side, this doesn’t reflect the hard work and skill from both squads to keep the sliotar moving under difficult heavy conditions and in many ways is a reflection too on the tenacity and grit from both defences as they closed down any attempt at goal.

Liatroim: 1. Niamh O’Toole 2. Deirdre McCabe 3. Kate McAleenan 4. Aine O’Toole 5. Aislinn Brown 6. Karen McMullan 7. Orla Brown 8. Sophie Louise Clarke 9. Dearbhla Magee (0-5F) 10. Alana McCrickard (0-1p) 11. Aimee McAleenan (0-1p) 12. Erin McAleenan 13. Caitlin Davidson 14. Denise Brown 15. Natalie McKibbin 16. Olivia Blaney 17. Claire Greeran 18. Cara McNulty 19. Amy McElroy 20. Aimee O’Higgins 21. Sinead Neill 22. Caitlin O’Toole 23. Caitlin Owens 24. Mega McIlroy 25. Hannah Carson

Management: Damien McConville, Decky Owens, Caitriona McCrickard and Jillian O’Hagan.

Portaferry: 1. Fiona McGarry 2. Catherine Coleman 3. Aimee Mallon 4. Mary Jo Mageean 5. Ciara Finnegan 6. Dearbhla Coleman 7. Clare McKenna 8. Saoirse Sands 9. Niamh Savage 10. Mia Fitzsimmons 11. Francis Toner 12. Cliodhna Coleman 13. Collen McConnell 14. Erin McGrattan 15. Niamh Mallon (0-2p 0-6f) 16. Eva Gallagher 17. Aine Roissetteir 18. Ciara Doran 19. Leanne Coulter 20. Gerra McGrattan 21. Jenny Toner 22. Eimear McCarthy 23. Catherine Mullan 24. Maria McNally 25. Leah Coulter

Management: Tom McMahon, Claire Mahon for Philly Byers, Martin Mallon, Gemma O’Neill and Noel Sands.

Congratulations to Portaferry, it’s great to see more silver heading to the Upper Ards and good luck on your Ulster journey. Commiserations to Liatroim and some credit has to go to your management team who walked over to congratulate the Portaferry girls on their win. Thanks to Down Camogie, Drumaness and the well organised volunteers who catered for all of our needs today.