Aodh Ruadh lose out in table top battle
Senior Division 3
28 June 2015
Aodh Ruadh 1-7
Milford 0-14
John Hughes reports from Father Tierney Park
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Aodh Ruadh's winning run in division three was brought to an end in Father Tierney Park, after a powerful Milford side took the honours winning by four points.
Ballyshannon were first on the board, Diarmaid McInerney slipping over the first point from a free in the first minute. The next spell of play was very defensive from both sides, but great work from Johnny Gallagher created some space and he slipped a great fist pass across the face of goal to the unmarked Shane McGrath who palmed home.
Milford got off the mark after nine minutes, with Cathal McGettigan landing a placed ball from 30 metres, but Diarmaid McInerney answered with an excellent free from the right wing.
The visitor's first score from play came from the boot of Padraig Curley after 12 minutes and was followed four minutes later by a spectacular free from McGettigan.
A routine Kane Barrett free after 22 minutes closed the gap to just a point. Barrett then added his second a minute later to tie the game up.
Aodh Ruadh struck from the kick out with the ball being raked up the pitch and David Dolan powering over a point.
Then after 27 minutes Kyle Black and Ronan Drummond had a clash of heads and Cathal McGettigan capitalised on the confusion in the Aodh Ruadh defence to drop a shot just over the crossbar to level the game again.
The hosts sneaked back into the lead with the last kick of the half, Michael 'Sticky' Ward firing over an elegant shot from the left wing to make the half time scores Aodh Ruadh 1-4 Milford 0-6.
Cathal McGettigan opened the scoring in the second half with a long range free. Aodh Ruadh hit back immediately though with David Dolan lofting over. Milford won the kick out and found Joey Cullen who swung over to make it a draw game at 1-5 to 0-8. Then at 38 minutes Caolan McGettigan took the visitors into the lead for the first time.
Aodh Ruadh needed a score and Sticky Ward kept his composure to hit another leveller on the next attack.
Padraig Curley then capitalised on a refereeing blunder which saw Milford awarded a free after an Aodh Ruadh player was clearly pulled to the ground. The visitors worked the ball quickly up the pitch and Curley pointed. Thomas Evesson then pushed the visitors two points into the lead with 12 minutes left.
Aodh Ruadh passed up a couple of decent placed ball scoring chance before Chris Barrett pointed from play and Caolan McGettigan added a free to put four points between the sides.
Diarmaid McInerney popped over a free, but Milford won the kick out and strolled the ball up to Padraig Curley for the insurance point a minute into added time.
A disappointing defeat for the hosts, but there were good performances from Johnny Gallagher at centre back where he got good defensive cover from Michael Ward and Callum O'Halloran. Meanwhile Diarmaid McInerney and Sticky Ward both worked hard front.
Cathal McGettigan was star of the show for Milford with his six points.
| Vital Statistics |
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| Teams |
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Aodh Ruadh Peter Boyle; Ronan Drummond, Eamonn McGrath, Michael Ward; Callum O'Halloran, Johnny Gallagher, Nathan Boyle; Niall Harley, Damian Cleary; David Dolan (0-2), Diarmaid McInerney (0-3f), Shane McGrath; Niall Murray, Michael 'Sticky' Ward (0-2) David McGurrin. Substitutes: Barry Mulligan for Damian Cleary 28m; Philip Patton for Nathan Boyle 28m; Seamus Kane for Niall Murray 51m; Pauric Patton for Ronan Drummond 56m. |
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Milford Caolan McGettigan; Gavin Brier, Gearoid Merritt, Brandon Toye; Ciaran McLaughlin, Enda McHugh, Tomas Evesson (0-1); Johnny Logue, Joey Cullen (0-1), Pauric Curley (0-3), Christoper Barrett (0-1), Kyle Black; Patrick Peoples, Kane Barrett (0-2, 1f), Cathal McGettigan (0-6, 4f). Substitutes: Sean Black for Kyle Black 28m blood sub; Adam Serrinha for Kyle Black 49m |
| Referee: Kevin McGinley (Naomh Columba). |
Last modified: Friday, 29 May 2020 at 6:24pm