Aodh Ruadh ease into county semi-final
Under 21 Football Championship quarter-final
3 September 2016
Aodh Ruadh 7-14
Termon 1-7
John Hughes reports from MacCumhaill Park
Image Gallery
A mightily impressive Aodh Ruadh booked their place in the county semi-final with a power packed 60 minutes of football in MacCumhaill Park on a lovely Saturday evening for football. They bossed proceedings from start to finish and a fancied Termon just couldn't compete with their athleticism and fluid football.
Both sides had early chances for goal. Caolan McDaid found Aidan Sweeney with a lovely lobbed ball from the throw in, but Sean Taylor was out quick to put it out for a 45.
Then Nathan Boyle raided through up the other end for Aodh Ruadh before drawing a great save from Conor Tinney.
The first score arrive four minutes in with Shane McGrath breaking through, but being forced to recycle back to David McGurrin who did well to steer over from the left.
The Ernesiders double their lead two minutes later when Oisin Rooney won a free which David McGurrin converted from 25 metres
Termon got off the mark after eight minutes, Daire McDaid sending over a nice left footed point.
However Aodh Ruadh were starting to take a real hold on the game and hit straight back, working through the phases with great effect before Pauric Patton popped the ball up for Philip Patton to drive over.
Patton was in the heart of the action shortly after again, shrewdly drawing keeper and defender before passing across the face of goal for Oisin Rooney to palm in from a metre out.
James McSharry hit back with a good score under pressure to leave Termon trailing by 1-3 to 0-2 at the end of the first quarter, but Ballyshannon soon cancelled that out, David McGurrin nonchalantly sends over a dead ball.
A minute later and the green flag was fluttering for Aodh Ruadh again. Philip Patton latched on to a ball in from the left and show lightening reactions to lob the ball over to Rooney who was again waiting near the right post to palm home.
The third goal came next and was incontestably score of the game Paddy Gillespie picked out David McGurrin with a glorious ball and he in turn sent a beauty into Shane McGrath who made a wondrous fetch before turning and flicking a shot off the outside of the right boot past Tinney. Sublime football.
Daire McDaid sent over an answering free and another nice left footed shot from play to put three goals between them, but things were to get worse again for Termon.
Four minutes from the break David McGurrin drove through the heart of the Termon defence before unselfishly laying off to Shane McGrath who picked his spot before driving to the net.
Then a minute later Oisin Rooney again showed huge strength to win a free straight in front of the posts which David McGurrin tapped over.
Then Shane McGrath was fouled as he went to pull the trigger, but Jimmy White let play develop and McGrath managed to split the posts.
The half finished with the impressive Daire McDaid and Philip Patton swapping points to send the sides in at 4-7 to 0-4 in favour of James O'Donnell's men.
Termon got the ideal start to the second half, raking forward directly from the throw-in before Caolan McDaid managed to work an effort into the net.
However, after that Aodh Ruadh turned the screw to squeeze any remaining life from the Termon challenge. Points from David McGurrin (3) and Niall Harley had Aodh Ruadh 4-10 to 1-4 ahead with seven minutes of the half gone,
Daire McDaid struck back with a free and a point from play, but that was cancelled out with interest when great supporting work from Colm Kelly saw him setting up Shane McGrath who slammed a rocket of a shot past Tinney for his hattrick
Philip Patton and James McSharry swapped scores before Aodh Ruadh won the kick out and worked the ball to Philip Patton who lobbed over to David McGurrin who rifled home Ballyshannon's sixth major of the match.
Shane McGrath, Jason Granaghan and David McGurrin landed points in succession before Daniel Warnock drew the curtain down on a convincing Aodh Ruadh victory with his side's seventh goal to secure a 25 point victory.
Credit Daire McDaid and James McSharry who gave it their all, but the best players were all in white and green. It was forward performance for the ages by the Ernesiders, but defensively Sean Taylor immense Colm Kelly and Callum O'Halloran were outstanding.
| Vital Statistics |
|---|
| Teams |
|
Aodh Ruadh Sean Taylor; Callum O'Halloran, Colm Kelly, Cian McGloin; Jason Granaghan (0-1), Eamonn McGrath, Paddy Gillespie; Niall Harley (0-1), Darren Gethins; Philip Patton (0-3), David McGurrin (1-7, 5f), Nathan Boyle; Shane McGrath (3-2), Oisin Rooney (2-0), Pauric Patton. Subs: Oisin Roper for O Rooney 52m; Ryan McKenna for N Boyle 52m; Conal Sweeny for D Gethins 56m; Daniel Warnock (1-0) for J Granaghan 56m. Wides: 10. Frees conceded: 13. Kickouts won: 16 Own: 5 Opposition: 11 |
|
Termon Conor Tinney; Shane Callaghan, Fiontainn O'Flynn, Lee Doherty; Barry Gallagher, Ricky Gallagher, James McSharry (0-2); Joseph Gallagher, Aiden Sweeney; Alan Dugara, Caolan McDaid (1-0), Enda McCormack; Shane Doherty, Daire McDaid (0-5, 3f), Brian Alcorn. Subs: Eoin Kelly for A Sweeney 24m; Cillian McConigley for A Dugara 36m; Eoin Doherty for B Alcorn 46m. Wides: 4. Frees conceded: 15. Kickouts won: 17 Own: 12 Opposition: 5 |
| Referee: Jimmy White(Killybegs) |
Last modified: Sunday, 31 May 2020 at 12:50pm