Portaferry ... 2-19 Keady ... 3-6 The scoreline in this AIB Ulster club hurling semi-final at Casement Park yesterday does scant justice to a Keady team that fought like tigers to pull off a surprise win but ran out of steam in the closing stages.

At half-time the Down champions held a shaky 1-11 to 2-4 lead, with Keady's right half-forward, Michael King, cracking in two goals in the opening eight minutes.

PORTAFERRY: G Smyth; E Adair, S Murray, J Trainor; M Adair, B Coleman, B Milligan; E Trainor, G Adair (0-4); J Conway (0-1), G McGrattan (0-2), P Braniff (0-11, 6fs); A Savage, P Mallon (1-1), N Sands (1-1). Subs: P Rodgers for Savage (43 mins), B Murray for E Trainor (50 mins), TJ Fitzsimmons for Milligan (58 mins).

KEADY: B Donnelly; KP Mone, C McGreevy, P Burke; S Hughes, C Breen; B McCormick (0-1), P Kirk; M King (2-0), P Hughes, F Fullerton (0-1); P McCormick (0-1), M Fox, G Enright (1-2, 1f). Subs: C Hatzer (0-1) for P Hughes (36 mins); P Breen for Fox (41 mins).

Referee: T McIntyre (Antrim).