Hi °C | Lo °C Swatragh clinched their first ever senior hurling title by not allowing Banagher to get into the game in what was a clinical display from the winners.
Amidst euphoric scenes at Celtic Park, what seemed like the entire village, draped in green and white, erupted from the stands at the final whistle to embrace their on-field heroes and savour the moment as captain Michael Kirkpatrick handed the Father Collins Cup to club stalwart Mickey Conway to hoist high for the first time in the club’s history.
As a spectacle, the game was scrappy, dull and lifeless but entertainment was immaterial for Swatragh as they went about executing another stifling game plan.
From as early as Ruairi Convery’s second minute goal when he got his hurl to Mickey Conway’s scaling ball under the posts, the Swatragh men took a lead they would never relinquish.
Banagher were miscuing and, although Shane Farren had opened their account with two frees, the same player saw four efforts from the dead ball drift wide of the target.
Meanwhile, Swatragh had Michael Warnock in fine form running riot as a free man, exposing the Banagher decision to deploy a sweeper.
Warnock scored before Chrissy Convery then found the net.
Swatragh took a five point lead into the break and reappeared in the second period ready to shut up shop and close the game out.
They did so through several notable displays though Kirkpatrick and Seamus McFerran shone at centre and full back.
Banagher did briefly threaten 10 minutes from the end as Oisin McCloskey had another trademark surge ended illegally by both McFerran and Conor Quinn.
Shane Farren blasted the penalty to the top left corner but it would be their last score and the cup was Swatragh’s.
