Reserves open campaign with 12 point victory
Senior Reserve Football Division 3
23 March 2014
Aodh Ruadh 2-18
Buncrana 2-6
Páirc Aoidh Ruaidh
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The Aodh Ruadh reserves opened their 2014 campaign with a comfortable win over Buncrana on a fine spring afternoon. Despite what the score line might suggest, it was Buncrana who started the brighter, opening with the first two points of the game. It took the home team a while to get going, but a good running game proved too much for the visitors, which led to a number of early free kicks. Dermot Slevin duly converted three out of three to put the home team ahead. Aodh Ruadh's first point from play game came from Ryan Granaghan, before further frees from Anthony Coughlin and another from Slevin put the home team into a four point lead.
Buncrana responded with two of their own, before Mickey McNeely found the net for Aodh Ruadh. Buncrana then scored a goal of their own to bring them back into the game. A Johnny Gethins point from play on 27 minutes left the home team leading 1-7 to 1-4 at the break.
That was to be as good as it got for the visitors, as Aodh Ruadh opened them up early in the second half, starting with a penalty converted by Slevin, followed by two points from captain Christopher Goan either side of another Slevin free kick. The home team started to empty the bench with great effect, with points coming from subs Nicky Sheerin, Sylvie Maguire and Val Murray (yes – that Val!) amongst other scores from Granaghan, Alan Finan and Coughlin, to put the game beyond any doubt at 2-17 to 1-5. A late flurry from the visitor yielded a goal and a point, but in the end it was a comprehensive win for the Erneside men at 2-18 to 2-6.
Best for the home team were Daniel Kelly, who had a string of fine saves to keep the visitors at bay. At the back Jason McMenamin was solid, whilst the energy of Finan, Matthews and Finnerty over ran the opposition through the centre. The Buncrana keeper was also kept busy, doing well to keep the home team to a score of just two goals.
The only sour note for Ballyshannon was a recurrence of a shoulder injury to Aiden Murray, who had started putting his mark on the midfield before having to go off early in the second half. We wish Aiden a speedy recovery and look forward to having him back in the team soon.
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| Teams |
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Aodh Ruadh Daniel Kelly; Jason McMenamin, Ryan Patton; Ronan Matthews; Alan Finan (0-1), David Finnerty; Aiden Murray; Johnny Gethins (0-1); Ryan Granaghan (0-2), Dermot Slevin (1-5, 5f), Anthony Coughlin (0-3, 1f); Christopher Goan (0-2), Michael McNeely (1-0). Substitutes: Ciaran Slevin for Aiden Murray, Nicky Sheerin (0-2), for Johnny Gethins, Sylvester Maguire (0-1) for Jason McMenamin, Val Murray (0-1) for Ryan Granaghan, Raymie Granaghan for Dermot Slevin, David McLoone for Ryan Patton. |
Last modified: Monday, 1 June 2020 at 12:13pm