AIB Ulster Club IHC semi-final
Bredagh (Down) 0-13 Swatragh (Derry) 1-16
SWATRAGH’S hurlers did not dwell on the disappointment of the club’s camogs losing the provincial senior final the previous day when they beat Bredagh in Ahoghill to book their place in the Ulster Club IHC decider.
The Derry champions looked confident throughout, with their experience proving invaluable at vital stages. Bredagh will perhaps be pondering their missed opportunities, especially from the dead ball while finding the Swatragh defence a tough task to break down from open play.
Swatragh started the game with three scores, two of them coming from the former Antrim county player PJ O’Connell, playing on his former home pitch.
Bredagh’s opening score came from Ben Christie but it was Swatragh who continued to set the pace of the game with a score from Cahal Murray and a superb point from Sean Martin Quinn.
Possession was at a minimum for the Down men and a free from Tiarnan Sheehan was responded by a score by Paul Gunning.
Swatragh always seemed to have a man lurking in the correct place. James Friel worked a short free to Quinn with the Swatragh man having ample time to slot the ball over the bar to put Swatragh five ahead.
Bredagh managed to narrow the gap to three at the break but Swatragh extended their lead on the resumption, and scored the only goal of the game when Oisin O’Kane found the net.
Bredagh hung in with Christie firing over a couple of frees but Swatragh continued to keep them at arm’s length.
Friel, who finished Swatragh’s top scorer with 0-5, pushed the gap back out to five in the 52nd minute and Bredagh weren’t able to close it.
Sunday’s other scheduled semi-final, between Carey and Castleblayney, was postponed due to a bereavement in the Carey club and will take place on Saturday.
Scorers
Bredagh B Christie 0-5; MT Sheehan 0-4f; D Hughes 0-2; M Lavery & S Hughes 0-1 each
Swatragh J Friel 0-5 (0-4f); PJ O’Connell & SM Quinn (3f) 0-3 each; O O’Kane (1-0); T Walsh, P Gunning, C Murray & F McGurk (0-1 each)
