Rooney gets Aodh Ruadh deserved share of the spoils
Senior Division 1
2 June 2018
Aodh Ruadh 0-11
Glenswilly 0-11
John Hughes reports from Father Tierney Park
There was no separating Aodh Ruadh and Glenswilly in Ballyshannon after a hard fought Division 1 encounter. Level at the break and level at the end, with plenty of thrills and spills in between, a share of the spoils was probably the right result come Michael McShane's long whistle.
The second half of the reserve curtain raiser in Father Tierney Park was subject to an intense downpour and this left conditions extremely difficult for the senior clash.
Glenswilly had the better of it, holding the lion's share of possession over the first 30 minutes. They made it count early on winning some scoreable dead balls. Gary McDaid pased up the first opportunity, but obliged four minutes in after Caolan McFadden was brave to win the free.
The conditions meant scores were slow coming. The next arrived after 12 minutes when Caolan McFadden returned to the fray after going off as a blood sub to kick the game's first score from play.
Aodh Ruadh opened their account seconds later, working the ball up the pitch quickly from the kick out and freeing David McGurrin to measure over a nice shot from 30 metres.
A couple of minutes later Glenswilly eased away again when Cathal Gallagher lobbed over a shot from the right.
Shortly after the Aodh Ruadh defence was marked absent as Caolan McFadden was picked out all alone on the end line. He took his leisure as he tapped over from close range to put a goal between the sides.
While Glenswilly were dominating possession, their shooting wasn't always top quality.
Aodh Ruadh came back with a spurt of two scores five minutes from the half-time break.
First Diarmaid McInerney picked out David McGurrin unmarked from a free and McGurrin hooked over a fine shot.
The next score was all the work of Oisin Rooney. He turned over the kick out and then turned up on the end of the move to pump over a handsome shot off the left boot.
As the half came to a close there was an extended break following a clash between Shane McDaid and Diarmaid McInerney. The incident saw McDaid having to exit with a head injury. On the resumption Aodh Ruadh moved quickly up the pitch where David McGurrin belted over a mighty shot to level the game.
That left it all square at the break with everything to play for in the new half
It was first blood to the visitors seconds in when Joe Gibbons, in a half-time change of jersey, hoisted over a magnificent shot from the right flank.
Three minutes later Glenswilly needed a brilliant save from a David McGurrin shot on goal to keep their goals intact. However Aodh Ruadh were able to level matters with Peter Boyle thumping over the resultant 45.
Glenswilly came right back though, speeding the ball up the pitch from the kick out to Cathal Gallagher who split the posts with a quality effort.
A minute later David McGurrin again found himself blocked down, but this time David Dolan was on hand to gather and clip over for parity.
Then Aodh Ruadh won the kick out and David Dolan pointed from close range to put Ballyshannon in the lead for the first time in the game.
As the game moved into the final quarter the reliable Eddie Lynch teed up David Dolan who sent over a fine shot as Aodh Ruadh started to find a bit of momentum.
Glenswilly weren't to be shaken off though, and the margin was back down to the minimum when Gary McFadden sent over a close range free after Michael McShane noticed some off the ball stuff.
The most welcome sight of the game for Erneside supporters came 48 minutes in when Philip Patton, back on the playing field after an extended break with injury, landed a superb free out of hands from 40 metres.
A close range shot from play by Gary McFadden was Glenswilly's answer. Then a McFadden shot from the left just sneaked inside the left post to level up game with ten minutes to go.
Three minutes from time a soft call from the referee allowed Gary McFadden the chance to send Glenswilly back into the lead. It was a chance he took with both hands.
However that lead was rapidly cancelled out as Philip Patton kept his nerve to send over a tricky free from the right.
On 59 minutes Gary McFadden was again the man on the mark, kicking his side back into the lead with a magnificent shot from out on the left.
It would have been a worthy winner, but Aodh Ruadh had a bit left in the tank.
Two minutes into time added on Oisin Rooney was there to win the Glenswilly kickout and Aodh Ruadh showed composure to work a shooting chance. Rooney again popped up at the end of the move and, under heavy pressure, leathered over the game's final score from 25 metres.
A better game of football than the conditions deserved and fair play to the players for dealing with it as well as they did.
Oisin Rooney, Philip Patton and David Dolan were the men who kept their cool for Aodh Ruadh when the game was in the melting pot. Colm Kelly and Eddie Lynch also had good outings.
Gary McFadden had a few miscues, but when the going got tough Copper wasn't found wanting. Cathal Gallagher was dominant around the middle of the field and was good value for his two points too. Further back, Eamon Ward marshaled a resolute Glenswilly defence with real authority.
| Vital Statistics |
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| Teams |
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Aodh Ruadh Peter Boyle (0-1 45); Jason Granaghan, Johnny Gallagher, Michael Ward; Colm Kelly, Darren Drummond, Eddie Lynch; Conor Patton, Oisin Rooney (0-2); David McGurrin (0-3), Diarmaid McInerney, Johnny Gethins; Niall Murray, Cian Dolan, David Dolan (0-3). Subs: Philip Patton (0-2f) for C Dolan 46m; Dylan Gallagher for D McInerney 52m; Paddy Gillespie for N Murray 58m. Frees conceded: 10. Wides: 7. Kick outs won - Total: 14; Own: 9; Opposition: 5. Marks: 4. Short: 3. |
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Glenswilly Philip O'Donnell; Ruairí Crawford, Eamon Ward, Oisin Crawford; Shane McDaid, Ryan Diver, Joe Gibbons (0-1); Neil Gallagher, Cathal Gallagher (0-2); Ciaran Bonner, Gary McFadden (0-5, 2f), Sean Wogan; Caolan McFadden (0-2), Brian Farrelly (0-1), Caolan Kelly. Subs: Caoimhín Marley for Shane McDaid 31m; Ciaran Gibbons for Neil Gallagher 38m. Blood sub: Caoimhín Marley for Caolan McFadden 4-8m. Frees conceded: 8. Wides: 7. Kick outs won - Total: 10; Own: 6; Opposition: 4. Marks: 2. Short: 2. |
| Referee: Michael McShane (Kilcar). |
Last modified: Monday, 1 June 2020 at 1:11pm