Aodh Ruadh have to settle for draw in Malin

Division 1A
8 April 2006
Aodh Ruadh 2-6
Malin 1-9
Sean Perry reports.

Malin, playing their first game in the top flight of Donegal football on their newly developed pitch, were in no mood to have the party spoiled by Aodh Ruadh and indicated as much with a whirlwind start which saw them put an unanswered 1-1 on the board after only seven minutes.

The visitors, minus a number of first team regulars, slowly settled down however. A good move involving the Ward brothers and Jack Travers saw Shane Ward slip through the cover to drill home a goal on twelve minutes.

Some eight minutes later, a strong Anthony Boyle run yielded a penalty which Val Murray stepped up to convert putting the Ballyshannon boys on their way to a 2-3 to 1-4 half-time lead.

The second half was very much a nip and tuck affair, marksmen, Murray and Anthony Kelly traded a series of points before a converted "45" late on looked to have given Aodh Ruadh their first win of the season.

However, the Inishowen men refused to buckle and Anthony Kelly punished an Aodh Ruadh lapse in concentration late on with a pressure free. Indeed, Paul Kane was called upon to make a great stop in the dying minutes to keep PJ McGowan's side in the game.

All in all, a draw was a fair result.

Vital Statistics
Teams
Aodh Ruadh Paul Kane; Jonathan Gallagher, Martin Gallagher, Eamon O'Donnell; Brian McCafferty, Conor Gurn, Philip O'Reilly; Michael Gurn, Stephen Ward; Jack Travers (0-1), Barry Ward (0-1), Shane Ward (1-0); Garret Blake, Val Murray (1-4, 1 pen, 3 frees, 1 45), Anthony Boyle. Subs Barry Mulligan for Travers, Ciron Whoriskey for M. Gallagher
Malin Declan Lafferty; Paddy McGonigle, Paul Lafferty, John McLoughlin; Daniel Greene, Charles Byrne, Danny Lafferty; Sean Kelly (0-1), Liam O'Neill (0-1); Damien Ward, Anthony Kelly (0-5 3 frees), Brendan McGonigle; Martin Lafferty (1-2), Michael Byrne, Damien Harkin. Subs No subs used.
Referee
Hugo Wallace (Burt).

Report Filed: 11 April 2006