Ballygar Hurling Club were invited to an U11 blitz today in Pearce Stadium a huge thank you to Padraig O'Brien who helped make this happen, some very excited players this morning!! The team was made up from our current U10 and some of the u...12, thanks Gabriel Treyers! Our first match was against Rahoon who made our first win of the day hard work. We then faced Moycullen2 and we had to up our game to overcome them. Next we faced Castlegar who had a strong fast team, huge effort was shown by our lads to ensure another win. Finally we faced An Spidieal who were on a roll and fielded a big strong well run team. At half time we were ahead by two points and came out fighting in the second. Paddy and Greg really got into the swing and neatly put the ball in the net. Not to be out done Brian, Ryan and Evan helped the score line! James even tried to carry the sliotar over the line stuck in his helmet!!Our team from goalie to forwards showed some beautiful Hurling skills from some so young. All our players put in 110% effort and played out of their skins! A huge thank you to the supports who came and the parents who drove them. This was a great opportunity and privilege for our young hurlers to play in Pearce Stadium and they rose to the occasion. Thanks to Michael Kelly who aided by Tom Thomas and Gabriel successfully organised our participation and pushed the team. Thanks also to Tom who stepped in as Ref. who showed a great new skill emerging! Pictures to be put up later. U10 next match at home against Abbeyknockmoy Thurs 9th at 7pm.
Congratulations to our U10 hurlers who came out at the crack of dawn last Sunda yweek to take on Mountbellew in another round of the East Galway League. The weather held out for this fast paced match which ended in a score line of Ballygar 6-1 Mountbellew 0-0. The playing conditions were difficulty for both teams with a wet sliotar being hard to find!!. Our forwards opened the scoring within minutes... and added our first point. The first half raced by with beautiful hurling by both sides. Mountbellew really put it up to the lads and dominated the second half and forced us to defend. From backs to forwards our lads put on a great display of team communication, support and beautiful hand passing and wonderfull hurling. Once again a huge thank you to our supporters who came out to cheer on this young emerging team.

UNDER 14 'A' CHAMPIONSHIP - Monday 13th May 2013.
Result: BALLYGAR 0-07 : 0-04 Portumna

- Following a win over Castlegar in the previous round, Ballygar put back-to-back victories together when they came out on top against a very determined and well drilled Portumna side in Ballygar on Monday evening. Due to the heavy underfoot conditions, one would have been expecting a dour contest, but this ce...rtainly was not what transpired. For the large crowd in attendance would have enjoyed a free flowing game of hurling in which both sides showed very high levels of skill & determination.

With Portumna playing with the aid of a slight breeze in the opening half they were first to settle and opened the scoring from play through their full forward, Jack Canning. Ballygar's response was swift and when the industrious Mairtin Quinn was dragged to the ground, just when it seemed there was an opportunity to breakthrough the visitors defense, Simon Thomas leveled the sides when he fired the resulting free between the posts.

With Ballygar's defense coping very well as a unit and sniffing out any major threat from the Portumna attack with Sylwester Zwiercyzk & Pierce McDonagh to the fore, Ballygar were to take the lead when a well drilled effort from midfielder Diarmuid O'Brien flew between the posts, This opportunity was created as a result of some excellent defensive work from Charlie Daly & Ryan Mannion. Portumna replied with a pointed free - a well taken effort by Jack Canning from inside his own half.

Ballygar were finding it difficult to breakdown the Portumna rear-guard where full back Denis McLaughlin was excelling, but when a Mairtin Quinn effort from close range was brilliantly saved by the Portumna custodian, Oisin Donoghue, Sam O'Sullivan was unlucky not to get a score from his resulting effort. Portumna were to take the lead with eight minutes remaining in the opening half, only for Ballygar to respond through another Simon Thomas free, which came about following hard work from Patrick Quinn. Just before the break the two sides exchanged frees between them to leave the half time score 0-04 a piece.

For all those who were present and witnessing that there was very little between the two sides in the opening half not alone on the scoreboard but also in the possession stakes, would have been in agreement that whichever side settled quickly in the second half & took their opportunities would surely have a great chance of coming out on top. Within moments of the re-start Oisin McConn popped a lovely pass to Hughie Daly who without breaking stride, drove the ball over the bar from 45 metres to give Ballygar a tonic start to the second half. This was to put the Ballygar lads in the ascendancy and with Robert Kelly & Adrian Gavin dominant on the left side of defense, whilst Dylan Crehan was causing alot of problems to the Portumna defense with his ability to run at them, it appeared only a matter of time before Ballygar would get the opportunity to extend their lead.

The second half was played at a very high tempo throughout with both sides fighting hard for every ball. With four minutes remaining Ballygar were to stretch their lead out to three points from two well directed frees from Simon Thomas. There was surely going to be one big push left in the Portumna side and when that opportunity arose, Ballygar's ever reliable keeper Michael Flynn showed great composure to clear away the danger. In t he end it was a well deserved victory for the Ballygar side.

We would like to thank all the Parents & Supporters who came along to encourage and cheer on the team, surely your attendance was worth a point or two on the scoreboard. A big thank you to the Niall Walsh field committee who had the pitch playable despite the inclement weather conditions we have been experiencing.

We would like to wish a speedy recovery to Killian Mannion & look forward to his involvement in the remainder of the championship. Finally, we would like to thank the visiting Portumna side for a very enjoyable game & wish them well for the remainder of the championship.

To keep up to date with our team's upcoming fixtures in this championship etc. please follow us on our Club's Facebook page: www.facebook.com/BallygarHurlingclub.

TEAM - M.Flynn, C.Daly, P.McDonagh, R.Kelly, R.Mannion, S.Thomas(0-05 frees), S.Zwiercyzk, D.O'Brien(0-01), H.Daly(0-01), D.Crehan, O.McConn, A.Gavin, P.Quinn, S.O'Sullivan, M.Quinn. Sub.: Conor Downey.See more

UNDER 14 - BALLYGAR 0-09 : 1-04 Meelick-Eyrecourt.
Ballygar came out on top in this very enjoyable game played this eve. in Clonfert. - Hopefully this game will be of benefit to both sides as they enter the final stages of their championship.
We would like to thank all the parents & supporters who once again came along in great numbers. Thanks to the Meelick-Eyrecourt side for the game & we wish them the best of luck in the remainder of the championship.
TEAM : M.Flynn(0-01), C.Daly, P.McDonagh, S.O'Sullivan, J.Mulrooney, S.Thomas(0-01), A.Gavin, K.Mannion (0-02), S.Zwiercyzk(0-01), D.Crehan, O.McConn(0-02), P.Quinn, M.Quinn (0-01), D.O'Brien (0-01), C.Downey.

Junior A Championship.
Ballygar 0-13 Turloughmore 2-14.
Played last sunday in Mountbellew we came up short against Turloughmore in the first round of the Junior A cship. The lads put in a spirited performance and were unlucky not to be closer in the end were it not for the concession of early goals.Missing a number of regular players all the lads put in a huge effort. Eric Walsh was flawless from frees. Conal O Brien made a big impact when introduced to the fray in the second half. Next game is in two weeks time. See facebook for details. Tweet

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