The senior hurlers progressed to the final of the Ulster Hurling League with a hard earned victory over Ballymena at Hightown on Wednesday night. The teams couldn’t be separated during normal time and we had to go to extra time to claim the victory. The teams were level after ten minutes 0-2 a piece with our points from  Anton McCaffrey and Canice Mooney but Ballymena then went on a scoring spree making use of the strong wind and some excellent free taking to open up a five point advantage 0-7 to 0-2. However we clawed our way back into the the game when Canice Mooney pulled on the sliotar and drove it through a crowded Ballymena defence to the back of the net. Ballymena repsonded with a point before another Canice Mooney point, from a free, left two points between the sides at half time.Â
We started the second half at a higher tempo and were quickly rewarded when Rory McEvoy fired to the back of the Ballymena net to put us into the lead. We continued to press and four unanswered Canice Mooney points opened up a five point advantage. Two pointed Ballymena frees reduced the deficit to a goal but further points from Canice Mooney and Stephen McGivern restored our five point advantage. At this stage Ballymena dug deep and a point quickly followed by a goal left one between the sides. In the dying minutes of the game Ballymena pressed for the equaliser and it finally came to send the game to extra time.
The extra time was just as tight as both teams battled hard to gain the upperhand. Two Ballymena points put them in the driving seat but to our credit we gave it one final push. A Canice Mooney pointed free left one between the sides and in a frantic finish Rory McEvoy struck the ball on the ground to the back of the Ballymena net to give us a two point cushion which we held to the final whistle.
This was by no means one of our best displays of the season but all over the park we battled hard. When the chips were down we regrouped and worked for each other and in the end this hard work and endeavour was rewarded. We now meet Glencar Manorhamilton from Leitrim in the final.
