Ballymena 4 : 09 Glenravel 2 : 27 Div.4 Hurling League Sun. 3pm Glenravel Hurlers record 9th. straight win in tough league encounter. Niall Donnelly and Neil Mc Cann scored 2 - 16 between them to take the spoils over Ballymena on a clammy Sunday afternoon. From an early wide for the away team, the Ballymena keeper poc-out fell into the hand of James Duffin who struck an early point, this was followed by Cormac claiming a ball on the 65 and he fed yound Duffin again who obliged by slotting over his second score. Our defence tried to clear a home attack but allowed a forward to pull on the ball passed Ched in goals. On five minutes the home team added a further point to lead by 2 points. It took Vic and Niall to stem the tide with a point a piece to level this match, Vic converting a thirty yard free, and Nialls effort from play. Another free was converted by the black and whites on the eighth minute. Vic went forward on one of his trademark runs, and left three defenders in his wake, he sent the ball in but it rebounded off the parallel into the path of Niall who hit another point. Ten minutes into this game, and Niall stepped up and drove over an excellent free from ninety yards. James Duffin added another effort off his left side from play out near the centre of the park. Frustration crept into the Glenravel rear-guard as the home team pointed again from a needless free. Wing half forward Niall Donnelly for Glenravel, was fouled and the big No. 10 drove the ball straight as a die, right between the sticks for a lovely point. Shanlee working at midfield jumped up to pluck the ball from the skies, and coolly hand-passed to Cormac, to slot over his first in the game with an high effort over the bar. Niall and Padge traded points, before a Soda free landed in Vics patch, where the Glenravel full-forward pegged over a fine point. Padge O Neill found a loose ball and hit an excellent point deep on the wing on the twenty minute mark. From the resulting Ballymena poc out Glenravel stalwart Cormac Scullion jumped up between a couple of defenders and emerged with the sliótar, he evaded another tackle, before hitting ball fiercely between the uprights for a superb Glenravel score. He mirrored his previous, with an equally great score a minute later!! A rare threat in the Con Magees defense, was pounced on by Turbo, he sliced through two players and cleared upfield to Niall, who fed the ball to a charging Vic. The big forward wasted no time by driving the sliótar beyond a hapless keeper for a Glenravel major!! On twenty six minutes Niall turned from provider to scorer when he cut through the Ballymena backs and shot a rasper into the back of the All Saints net for another Glenravel flag!! Padge having a great half at midfield, found Vic in space, he turned his marker and again blasted over the black spot on the bar. Liam Cassley of the local team, set the ball down for a twenty one yard free and hit the ball beyond Ched in goals as the first half was ending, but not before nippy forward Mick Scally drove over a Glenravel point. Ballymena 2 : 03 Glenravel 2 : 17 Both teams pointed early in the second half, with Cassley hitting a score for Ballymena, and Mc Cann hitting one for Glenravel. Evergreen Mc Cann slotted over his fifth of the match a minute later, followed by Niall who received a cute cross-field ball from Padge. Ballymena started to win a few balls and hit a goal followed by a further three points eating into the Glenravel lead. Niall steadied the ship with a well taken score from seventy yards. On forty minutes Conor Donnelly came on for Mick Scally who had played well, but deserved a break. Donnelly nearly hit a goal from a ground pull, but the keeper smothered the ball, and cleared outfield. Another threat in the All Saints defense lead to Dean and Shanlee combining to fight off the opposition, where Dean found Padge who bagged his second of the afternoon. On forty four minutes a few feet from the endline Niall picked up the ball and hit it directly between the parallels for a fine solo effort!! Ballymena came back hitting 1 : 01 without reply! Glenravel management decided to make another change with Ron replacing Dean in the forward line with the clock reading fifty minutes. Vic and Niall upped their game and traded scores, with Nialls effort out on the wing, and Vic winning a Padge low hit ball, out on the 45. Ballymena converted another free, which from Cheds poc out, Cormac rose like a salmon to win the ball and fed Shanlee who hit Glenravels last score of this tight tussle. Referee Martin Mc Gann called for the ball shortly afterwards. This was a stormer of a game!! There where some rather over-zealous tackles, with some players unpunished as well as a few strange referee decisions.....sin.e!!!!! Ballymena always provide Glenravel with a tough game, but unfortunately end up always losing the game. Liam Cassley and Darren Mc Ginty tried hard but came up short against a dominant Glenravel defense. For Glenravel, Ched will be disappointed conceding four times but he has pulled us out on numerous occasions. A strong wall of defenders with Turbo, Soda, Fred and Stevie worked hard, but will also feel aggrieved, with relenting to some Ballymena scores. Padge, Cormac, Shanlee and James all combined in the middle of the park, feeding the ball forward. Niall and Vic hit the multitude of the Glenravel scores and are my joint Man of the Match winners. WELL DONE LADS!!!!!! P.S. Hope you are enjoying your holidays Sean........................ 1. Chris Mc Cann 2.Damien O Hagan 3. Paul O Hagan 4. Stevie Atcheson 5. Fred Scullion 6. Declan Mc Bride 7. Michael Magee 8. Padge O Neill (:03) 9. Shanlee Kerr (:01) 10. Niall Donnelly (1:10) 11. James Duffin ( :03) 12. Cormac Scullion (:03) 13. Dean Kerr 14. Vic Mc Cann (1:06) 15.Mick Scally (:01) 16. Ron Mc Cann 17. Noel Kerr 18. Conor Donnelly 19. Brian O Neill.
Posted on: Sun, 20 Jul 2014 18:39:07 +0000