An Port Mor 0-11 Ballyhegan 1-7
An Port Mor booked their place in the last four of the Junior Championship with the narrowest of wins over Ballyhegan. Neither side could really play to their full potential on the day given the horrible weather conditions.
The accuracy of Ryan Gorman was a key factor for last year’s beaten Junior finalists. Gorman finished the game as top scorer with 0-8 and was responsible for converting three superb two-point frees.
Ballyhegan played the better football throughout the opening period and yet it was all square at half time. A first half major from Mark Hughes looked like an fatal score, but An Port Mor battled back to win.
Aodhan McGrane got the scoreboard up and running after just ten seconds when he split the posts. Jack Hughes fired off a two-pointer for the league champions, but it was all Ballyhegan for the next 20 minutes.
They controlled possession and rattled off 1-3 to give themselves a five-point advantage. Hughes rattled the net while Ryan McQuade (2) and Hughes also raised white flags for the Ballyhegan men.
They had goalkeeper Joe McKeever to thank as well as he pulled off two saves to deny An Port Mor two goals. They did hit back in the final few minutes with 0-5 from Ryan Groman, including two two-point frees, making it 1-4 to 0-7 at the half time break.
James McCann and Gorman exchanged scores at the start of the second half before Gorman landed his third two-point free. Ballyhegan kept in touch as McQuade continued his accuracy in front of the uprights.
Mark Curren and McQuade both traded scores in the final eight minutes, with An Port Mor keeping their noses ahead. Ballyhegan had chances to level the game, but a few wayward shots didn’t help their case.
An Port Mor: Ryan Gorman 0-8 (3tpf, 2f), Jack Hughes 0-2 (1tp), Mark Curran 0-1.
Ballyhegan: Mark Hughes 1-1, Ryan McQuade 0-4, Aodhan McGrane 0-1, James McCann 0-1.
