Plenty of effort and excitement but poor hurling at Corrigan Park in Belfast yesterday as Ballygalget snatched victory over Ballycastle in the Ulster final replay after extra time.

Martin Coulter junior scored the winning points from long distance in injury time to take the honours in a closely fought game which Ballycastle controlled for long periods but failed to put their opponents away.

The first half was a low scoring affair after which Ballygalget led 1-4 to 0-3, the goal coming in the 10th minute from Barry Coulter after a centre from half-back Michael Pucci who had a super game for the winners.

Eleven minutes into the second half the teams were level for the first of six times when a 70 metres puck by Ballycastle corner-back Ciaran Kelly spun of goalkeeper Graham Clarke's hands into the net to leave the argument poised at 1-5 each.

Points scoring was not a feature of this clash as players seemed to find great difficulty in controlling the sliothar in the bitterly cold and slippery conditions.

Coulter will take a lot of the credit for this victory but without the freetaking of McGrattan the Down champions would not have been winners.

Ballygalget: G Clarke; L Clarke; K Coulter, E Dorrian, M Coulter sen (0-1), P Coulter, M Pucci; P Monan, B Gallagher; B McGrattan, B Coulter (1-1), B Smyth (0-1); M Coulter, jun. (0- 4), J McGrattan (0-7), Philbin Savage. Subs: Paddy Savage for B McGrattan (41 mins), B Savage for Philbin Savage (55 mins), Philbin Savage back on for extra time to bring the team back to 15.

Ballycastle: D Donnelly; M Dallas (0-2), O Colgan, C Kelly (1-1); P Jennings (0-1), T Kinney (0-1), R Donnelly; P McKillen (0-1), B Hill (0-2); G Maybin, A Campbell (0-2), K Kelly; M McShane (0-2), B Donnelly, M McConnon. Subs: N Jennings for McConnon (69 mins), C Browne for Maybin inj. (73 mins), C McAuley for B Donnelly (85 mins).

Referee: G Devlin (Armagh).