Revenge for Carn in Father Tierney Park
Junior Hurling Championship First Round
19 July 2020
Aodh Ruadh 0-9
Carndonagh 4-14
John Hughes reports from Father Tierney Park.
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Carndonagh gained revenge for defeat in last year's junior final by Aodh Ruadh with a comprehensive victory in Father Tierney Park on a summery Sunday afternoon.
The Inishowen men were on top in practically every position, and with John O'Donnell and Cathal Doherty in fine scoring form they just had too much fire power for the Ernesiders. Senan Rooney was Ballyshannon's only real threat and Carndonagh targeted him with some heavy challenges.
Carndonagh had the ball in the net with less than 30 seconds on the clock and John O'Donnell struck twice more to leave the visitors three goals to the good at the interval. Aodh Ruadh were slightly better in the second half, but with O'Donnell netting once again with 44 minutes played the result was decided long before the final whistle.
Carndonagh got the perfect start after 29 seconds when Dermot McGonagle hit a speculative ball in which wasn't dealt with and was gathered by John O'Donnell who sent a rasping shot to the net. Two minutes later Cathal Doherty added a free.
Aodh Ruadh got off the mark shortly after when Senan Rooney stroked over a 30 metre dead ball.
Padraig Doherty answered that on six minutes with the game's first point from play, an effort helped inside the upright by the breeze. Carndonagh quickly added another minor courtesy of Donal Doherty to make it 0-1 to 1-3.
Cathal Doherty clipped over a free before Aodh Ruadh finally managed to find their range again, Senan Rooney doing the honours after Rory Cullen had been fouled. Another Cathal Doherty free made it 0-2 to 1-4 as the game moved into the second quarter.
Senan Rooney slipped over his third free as Ballyshannon hung on to Carndonagh's coat tails. The Inishowen men continued to dictate play though and turned over a promising Aodh Ruadh move to feed Cathal Doherty for his first point from play.
After a delayed water break on 20 minutes another Doherty free kept the visitors in the ascendant.
Aodh Ruadh hit back in spectacular fashion with Seanan Rooney landing a free from his own 65. It looked like the hosts' cause was going to get a further boost when a savage hack on Rooney left Pat Walsh with no option except to award the penalty two minutes from the break. Unfortunately the Carn shot stopper Stephen Burns was able to step smartly to his left to parry Rooney's shot.
Instead it was Carndonagh who raised the green flag, John O'Donnell latching on to a good pass from Padraig Doherty before lashing to the net.
Aodh Ruadh needed a score and it came when a long ball in from Paul Sheridan was batted down by the keeper and Conall Sweeny was on hand to flick it over the bar.
Alas, just before the half-time break Aodh Ruadh's cause took another body blow when Cathal Doherty's long delivery dropped into the area and once again John O'Donnell was first to react, first-timing to the net to make it Aodh Ruadh 0-6 Carndonagh 3-6 at the turnaround.
A Pauric Keenaghan point gave Aodh Ruadh a good start to the new half, but John O'Donnell instantly cancelled that out up the other end, with a Cathal Doherty point extending Carn's lead further. Three minutes into the half Doherty made it three from play and three from frees with a monster of a shot from the far 65.
A Pauric Keenaghan free answered that effort, but Carndonagh were soon back into their stride, Cathal Doherty stroking over from the 65.
Dermot McGonagle got his first score of the game on 42 minutes to make it 3-11 to 0-8
That man Cathal Doherty landed another wind assisted effort to take his tally to eight for the game before Carndonagh's other talisman, John O'Donnell drew on a ground ball to whip home his fourth goal of the game.
Joe McKinney got the first point following the water break as the urgency went out of the contest. Senan Rooney fired over a point in answer as Aodh Ruadh took their tally to nine points with three minutes left to play. However the final say was to go to Carndonagh, and fittingly to Cathal Doherty who eased over a 65 to put the seal on a 17 point win for the Inishowen men.
Cathal Doherty and John O'Donnell put on an exhibition for the visitors with Padraig and Anthony Doherty ruling the roost in the middle third.
Senan Rooney was the one shining light for Aodh Ruadh, with Pauric Keenaghan also offering some resistance to the Carndonagh onslaught.
| Vital Statistics |
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| Teams |
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Aodh Ruadh Ryan O'Brien; Peter Horan, Jack Matthews, Ciaran Rami; Conall Sweeny (0-1), Paul Sheridan, Stephen Connolly; Stephen Anderson, Brendan Gillespie; Pauric Keenaghan (0-2, 1f), Ciaran Kilgannon, Ryan Ayres; Senan Rooney (0-6, 5f), Gary Loughlin, Rory Cullen. Adam Rami for Peter Horan 13 minutes; Martin Larkin for Pauric Keenaghan 43 minutes; Liam Fox for Conall Sweeny 45 minutes. |
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Carndonagh Stephen Burns, Michael Doherty, Mark Diver, Ryan Davenport; Conor McCormick, James McMonagle, Donal Doherty (0-1); Anthony Doherty, Padraig Doherty (0-1f); Cormac Monagle, Cathal Doherty (0-9, 4f, 1 65), Eoghan Kelly; Darragh McCormick, Dermot McGonigle (0-1), John O'Donnell (4-1). Patrick Monagle for Cormac Monagle 36 minutes; Joseph McKinney (0-1) for John O'Donnell 49 minutes. |
| Referee: Pat Walsh (Bundoran) |
Last modified: Monday, 20 July 2020 at 6:48pm