Aodh Ruadh bounce back with two crucial league points
Division 3 Football League
11 November 2012
Aodh Ruadh 1-15
Carndonagh 1-12
John Hughes reports from Father Tierney Park.
Aodh Ruadh came into this match on the back of a demoralising midweek intermediate championship final defeat, but they showed no sign of any ill-effects as they defeated a high flying Carndonagh outfit in Father Tierney Park. It was an important win for the homesters with a defeat set to make them all-but relegation play-off certainties.
Aodh Ruadh had the better of the opening quarter running into a 0-6 to 0-3 point lead, but good work by the dangerous Kevin Doherty was finished well to the net by Aaron Jenkins, raising a big cheer from the sizeable travelling support.
Brian Roper was in glittering form on a dull day. When he found himself one-on-one with the impressive Dermot Doherty in the Carn net, the Corker man soloed around him and blasted home to restore the Ernesiders three point cushion.
The Inishowen men aren't table toppers for nothing though and they hit back with and effort from Dermot McGonigle, followed by an exceptional score from Ryan Kelly.
Ballyshannon full back Conor Patton isn't noted for his scoring, but he got forward with 20 minutes gone to soar over a fine distance point. David Dolan pushed the margin out to three points with a free won by Michael 'Sticky' Ward with eight minutes left in the half.
Aodh Ruadh were well on top in the middle of the field and there were unaccountable gaps in the Carn defence, so there was definitely a feeling there were more goals in the game. Donagh McIntyre duly found himself on the end of an opportunity to raise a green flag, but he was denied by a superb Dermot Doherty stop.
Anthony Boyle got off the mark with a free on 28 minutes and a minute later he turned provider as Donagh McIntyre finished an excellent 30 minute shift with a point which pushed the scores to 1-10 to 1-5.
Just ahead of the half time whistle Kevin Doherty stroked over a close range point to hand the Inishowen outfit a lifeline in a game that seemed to be slipping out of reach for the visitors.
The second half saw Carndonagh getting greater traction around the centre of the field, thanks in the main to the efforts of Cathal O'Kane. O'Kane cut the deficit to the one score with a long range point just a minute into the second half.
Aodh Ruadh responded with a Sticky Ward free and point created and executed by Donagh McIntyre after a strong surging run.
Although leading by four points, the homesters did seem to be wilting a little at this stage, a symptom perhaps of their midweek exertions. Carndonagh enjoyed a spell of sustained pressure which they eventually made count with a close range point from Kevin Doherty. Patrick Nelson brought the gap back down to a goal with a fine score on the run.
Sticky Ward got his first score from play on 20 minutes. Once again Donagh McIntyre was causing trouble for the Carn defence, he fed Ward and his shot bounced in off the upright, a valuable pressure-relieving score.
Carndonagh's answer came in the shape of a stylish free from Padraig Doherty who used great technique to land the score. Six minutes later and Carn were back to within two points of the homesters. Cathal O'Kane was allowed way too much time on the ball as he ambled through the Aodh Ruadh defence, picked his moment and floated over a handy point, taking the scores to 1-13 to 1-11.
The threat of goals remained though and Sticky Ward was very unlucky to see his goal shot flash back off the bottom of the upright after some great build-up work by the Aodh Ruadh attack as the game ticked into the final quarter.
David Dolan eased the nerves of the home support with a free with ten minutes to go. The news wasn't much better for Carndonagh two minutes later when influential midfielder Oliver McConalogue walked after a second yellow card.
With that the tide had definitively turned in Aodh Ruadh favour. Brian Roper finished a fine game with a characteristic score, working like dog to engineer a score which seemed to have gone a couple of times in the build-up. A Padraig Doherty free was the last score of the game, but a composed Aodh Ruadh defence didn't look like giving up the goal Carn so badly needed and the two points stayed Erneside.
A fine display by Aodh Ruadh, particularly in the context of Wednesday night's championship defeat. The full back line were extremely assured, with Johnny Gallagher standing out once again. Barry Ward and James O'Donnell dominated proceedings in the first half and broke even in the second. Probably the winning of the game was in the Aodh Ruadh full forward line were every ball that went in was won by Ward, Roper or McIntyre. With all three on their game the scores flowed for Ballyshannon and with Carndonagh being made to work much hard for their scores Aodh Ruadh were well in control of the game and full value for their win.
| Vital Statistics |
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| Teams |
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Aodh Ruadh Peter Boyle; Johnny Gallgher, Conor Patton (0-1), Ciron Whoriskey; Michael Dolan, Anthony Boyle (0-1f), Eamonn McGrath; Barry Ward (0-1), James O'Donnell; Shane Ward, David Dolan (0-2), Martin Gallagher (0-1); Brian Roper (1-1), Michael 'Sticky' Ward (0-5, 4f), Donagh McIntyre (0-3) Substitutes: Diarmaid McInerney for Shane Ward: 38 minutes; Kerry Ryan for Barry Ward: 53 minutes; Niall McCready for Donagh McIntyre: 56 minutes Yellow cards: Donagh McIntyre: 33 minutes; James O'Donnell: 59 minutes. |
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Carndonagh Dermot Doherty; Michael Nelson, Liam Shields, Ryan Davenport; Dermot McGonigle, Patrick Nelson (0-1), Padraig Doherty (0-2f); Cathal O'Kane (0-3), Oliver McConalogue; Ryan Kelly (0-1), Richard Cunnigham, Gerard Doherty; Kevin Doherty (0-3), Eanna Newton (0-1), Aaron Jenkins (1-0). Substitutes: Michael McLoughlin for Liam Shields: 22 minutes; Conor Doherty for Michael Nelson: 42 minutes; Conor McCormack for Aaron Jenkins: 42 minutes; Yellow cards: Richard Cunningham: 25 minutes; Devin Doherty: 45 minutes; Oliver McConalogue: 48 minutes and 52 minutes. |
| Referee: Eugene McHale |
Last modified: Thursday, 29 November 2018 at 8:49pm