Second half surge sees reserves emerge triumphant
Senior Reserve Football Division 3
25 May 2013
Aodh Ruadh 2-8
Naomh Bríd 0-7
John Hughes reports from Father Tierney Park
Aodh Ruadh reserves delivered an accomplished second half performance to secure an impressive 2-8 to 0-7 win over their northern neighbours. The first half was played in a steady downpour, with the lighter Aodh Ruadh side struggling to get any traction and going in at the break trailing 0-4 to 0-5. Indeed, the Ernesiders had an excellent rearguard action led by the gutsy Niall Murray, ably assisted by Bréanainn Drummond, to thank for not being further behind.
The rain eased off over the break and the slightly less horrible weather seemed to play in Ballyshannon's favour. Anthony Coughlan, who got the last point of the first half, leveled the game with the first point of the second.
Aodh Ruadh definitively seized the initiative with the kind of goal that defenders wake up having nightmares about at 3 o'clock in the morning. James Barron's miscued hand pass across the area was missed by defenders and keeper alike and a grateful Gerard McIntyre was able to apply the finishing touch to take it across the line and make it 1-6 to 0-6. Another Anthony Coughlan point put a four point margin in it which the homesters were to hold until the end.
Naomh Bríd weren't well served by their forward line and they sprayed a number of bad wides from both play and placed ball, making life a lot easier than it might otherwise have been in the second half.
If the Ernesider's first goal had an element of Keystone Cops about it, their second was an altogether classier affair.
Niall Harley won a throw in ball in his own half and one twoed with Niall Murray before setting Paddy Gillespie running. Gillespie showed great hands to slip the ball off to Anthony Coughlan who finished convincingly to the goal keeper's left making it 2-7 to 0-7. The last score of the game came from Ronan Matthews. Matthews was through one on one and was unlucky to see his pile-driver flash over the bar.
A well-deserved result for a gutsy display from Ballyshannon. Defensively Aodh Ruadh were very sound from one to seven, with Niall Murray deserving of special mention for his appetite for the hard challenge.
Anthony Coughlan got the score the game, finishing an excellent team move for the homester's second goal. He said not to say anything about all the wides, so we'll not mention them here. Jamie McDonald was excellent throughout and should have benefited from greater protection from the referee on occasion than he received.
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| Teams |
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Aodh Ruadh Daniel Kelly; David McLoone, Bréanainn Drummond, Jason McMenamin; Paddy Gillespie, Niall Murray, Ciaran Slevin; Niall Harley (0-1), Darren Gethins; Michael NcNeeley (0-1), Anthony Coughlan (1-3), Peter Horan; Jamie McDonald (0-2), James Barron, Gerard McIntyre (1-0). Substitutes: Ronan Matthews (0-1) for Ciaran Slevin; Dermot Slevin for Peter Horan; David Hoey for James Barron; Sylvester Maguire for Gerard McIntyre; Fiachra McIntyre for Niall Harley. |
Last modified: Monday, 1 June 2020 at 1:33pm