Naul's snatch a draw but Ballyshannon still top group
Intermediate Football Championship - Group 1
29 August 2015
Aodh Ruadh 1-14
Saint Naul's 1-14
Páirc Aoidh Ruaidh
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Aodh Ruadh progressed to the intermediate championship quarter-finals with an assertive performance over a dogged Saint Naul's outfit in Father Tierney Park on Saturday. The hosts were bolstered by the return of Conor Patton, but it was up front where they were really setting the agenda.
An early point from David McGurrin was followed by another fine goal by David Dolan. David McGurrin added another two points before Conor Patton raided up to get on the score board. When McGurrin added a free shortly after, Aodh Ruadh were 1-5 to 0-3 up.
Saint Naul's started to come into things running up to half time. When Stephen Griffin fired over shortly before the interval the visitor's had clawed the game back to 0-7 to 1-6, Michael 'Sticky' Ward the only Aodh Ruadh man on the mark in that period.
The Mountcharles men opened the half in threatening fashion, Griffin taking them to within a point of the Ernesiders, but from there on Aodh Ruadh hit a run of five unanswered points to ease out into the lead. Barry Mulligan, Niall Murray and Sticky Ward (2) pointed in that period, as did Damian Cleary after a slashing run through the Naul's cover.
Stephen Griffin did a Trojan job of keeping his side in the game though. He hit a free which was answered by a point from Barry Mulligan.
Then the Mountcharles number five pointed only to see that wiped out by a Sticky Ward score. Then, just as in the first half, Naul's started to get a bit more attacking joy as the time wore down. A string of points from Griffin took them within touching distance.
A point from Sticky Ward looked like it had sealed the result at 1-14 to 0-13, but there was a sting in the tail. A free from Griffin put a goal in it and then a late penalty was drilled home by Griffin to give them a draw in a game where they had been second best for huge stretches.
The result secures Aodh Ruadh's place in the last eight of the intermediate championship.
Last modified: Monday, 1 June 2020 at 12:13pm