Dungloe take Aodh Ruadh to a play-off

RTE Raidio na Gaeltachta senior football championship first round
4th July 2008
Dungloe 1-17
Aodh Ruadh 1-12
Martina Reilly reports from Rosses Park.

This Championship clash was brought to a third game as Cory Gallagher scored a goal and a point late on with three minutes of stoppage time added at the end to give Dungloe a win over Aodh Ruadh in a tense tussle at Rosses on Friday night.

It was the home side who raised the white flag first with half back Mark Sweeney scoring a fine point that was added to by Tommy Brennan a minute later before Brian Roper registered the first score for the visitors with a point in the fifth minute.

Adrian Hanlon took the game up a gear scoring three points in a row in quick succession before the tenth minute while Roper doubled his, and Aodh Ruadh's tally in the 14th minute, finishing off a fine run up the field by Niall McCready from corner back.

Aodh Ruadh were level by the 20th minute. Barry Ward on 16 minutes and Conor Gurn two minutes later raised the flags before Roper levelled soon after with his third of the game to put the game on a knife-edge again.

Tommy Brennan had Dungloe back in front again, but it was a short-lived one as Pauric Buggy fisted over the equaliser. In the final eight minutes of the first half, both sides had chances to assert their dominance on the scoreboard - the hosts had two shots that dropped into the goal keeper's hands while corner back Doalty Boyle came to Dungloe's rescue when he plucked an Aodh Ruadh effort off his goal line.

It was in the 28th minute that Aodh Ruadh took the lead for the first time with a point from a free off the boot of Pauric Buggy. Adrian Sweeney equalised form a free as the game entered the final minute. With one minute injury time being called by referee Jimmy White, Barry Ward and Anthony Boyle got two fine scores to put the visitors ahead by two at the break. Half time Dungloe 0-7, Aodh Ruadh 0-9

Adrian Sweeney opened the scoring in the second half with a point, but Aodh Ruadh were dealth a heavy blow in the first minute this half when county man Brian Roper limped off with and injured hamstring and was replaced by Donagh McIntyre.

Sean Sharkey levelled matters with three minutes gone before scores by Tommy Brennan and Adrian Sweeney stretched the home side's lead. James Boyle and Doalty Boyle had to watch their efforts fall either side of the posts before Raymond Sweeney, Adrian Hanlon and Adrian Sweeney pointed for the home side and swing the pendulum in favour of the Rosses park outfit.

Aodh Ruadh's never say die attitude kept them battling on and trying to break through the Dungloe defence. They were rewarded for their efforts when corner back Darren Drummond made a great run up the field to fire past Ciaran Sharkey in the Dungloe goals as we entered the final quarter of the game.

Pauric Buggy and Adrian Sweeney traded points at each end of the field while Fiachra McIntyre pointed in the 53rd minute to keep his side in touch.

Mark Clerkin pointed for the home side with four minutes to go, but Aodh Ruadh hit back with Johnny Gallagher - recently called in to train with the Donegal senior team - firing over to bring the Ernesiders to within a point.

Referee Jimmy White added on three minutes of added time and that spell the visiting fans' hopes of getting a draw that would have seen them through were dashed as young sub Gallagher notched up a deadly goal and a point to keep alive the championship hopes of Tony Boyle and semi-finalists of 2007.

Vital Statistics
Teams
Dungloe Ciaran Sharkey; Doalty Boyle, Jamie Sweeney, Colin McCarron; Mark Sweeney (0-1), Mark McPual, Gavin Ward; Sean Sharkey (0-1), Raymond Sweeney (0-1); Martin McGlynn, Mark Clerkin (0-1), James Boyle; Adrian Sweeney (0-5, 2f), Tommy Brennan (0-3), Adrian Hanlon (0-4) Subsitutes Brian Bonner for McGlynn, Cory Gallagher (1-1) for Brennan, Cathal Brennan for Boyle.
Aodh Ruadh David Greene; Darren Drummond (1-0), Eamon O'Donnell, Philip O'Reilly; Brian McCafferty (0-1), Johnny Gallagher (0-1), Conor Gurn; Stephen Ward, Barry Ward (0-2, 1f); Shane Ward, Brian Roper (0-3), Niall McCready; Michael Lawless, Pauric Buggy (0-3, 1f), Anthony Boyle (0-1) Subsitutes Donagh McIntyre for Roper, Fiachra McIntyre for Lawless, Diarmuid McInerney for Shane Ward.
Referee:
Jimmy White (Killybegs)

Report courtesy of Donegal News. Filed: 8 July 2008