Hurling & Camogie

Morgan Fuels Down SHC: Portaferry and Ballycran replay last year’s final and south Down sides fight for first points

Portaferry are current Down senior champions after beating upcoming opponents Ballycran in last year’s showpiece and Bredagh and Carryduff both look for their first win of the championship

Ballycran's Christopher Egan and Portaferry's Ronan Smyth. Egan played the final days after his mother, Dawn, passed away Picture: Philip Walsh
Ballycran's Christopher Egan and Portaferry's Ronan Smyth in the 2023 Morgan Fuels Down Senior Hurling Championship Final. Picture: Philip Walsh
By Liam Grimley

PORTAFERRY and Ballycran continue their rivalry as they meet in the second round of fixtures in the Down Senior Hurling Championship.

The two Ards clubs have made up the last six county finals, with each side sharing the spoils.

Visitors Portaferry go on into this match as heavy favourites, having won the last three Down championships and reaching the Ulster senior semi-final last year only to be edged out by Cushendall.

Ballycran will want to break Portaferry’s streak and recover from the surprise loss to Ballygalget in the opening round of fixtures.

Throw-in for the Ards clash is scheduled for 5pm on Sunday.

Ronan Costello should be available for Down against Kerry on Saturday despite splitting his hand in training Picture by Philip Walsh
Ronan Costello should be available for Down against Kerry on Saturday despite splitting his hand in training Picture by Philip Walsh

Bredagh host Carryduff at Cherryvale on Sunday at 2pm as both sides look for their first win of the championship so far having suffered losses to Portaferry and Liatroim respectively.

Liatroim Fortenoys’ manager, Collie Murphy, earlier this week admitted to going into their Ballygalget match-up this Saturday as underdogs but also said that the Stangford gap is “slowly” closing between the Ards teams and the rest of Down hurling.

Throw-in for this South-Down/Ards clash is at 5pm.