AODH RUADH ARE certainly a side with championship pedigree and they showed that in abundance tonight at Milford’s expense.
Milford 1-10 Aodh Ruadh 2-15
The Ballyshannon side were last senior champions in 1999 and although they’ve still a little bit to go in terms of dreaming of the Dr Maguire coming back to the banks of the Erne, they’re certainly on the right track on the evidence of their victory at Boyle View this evening
With a 100 percent record in Division 2 the side managed by James O’Donnell would’ve been considered slight outsiders against a Milford team in the intermediate championship, a team who pipped them in last year’s semi-final in this competition.
Milford, their their part, have been competitive in every one of their fixtures in the top flight and have learned a few lessons along the way, but tonight they were well-beaten.
The manner of the Aodh Ruadh victory on the scoreboard was decent enough, although when you factor in they were 1-10 to 0-2 up at half-time with no evident wind assistance, missed a first half penalty when Philip Patton rattled the crossbar and had to finish out the last 25 minutes with 14 men following the dismissal of Calum O’Halloran, then the gap is even more obvious.
Milford opened the scoring with a point from Darragh Black in the first minute. However, from then on they were second fiddle. Aodh Ruadh rattled off 1-9 without reply, with only one of those coming from a place ball.
David McGurrin was pivotal to that sequence, with five points from play, while David Dolan, Eamonn McGrath and Philip Patton were also on the mark and Nathan Boyle scored a beauty with the outside of the boot.
The first of two penalties for the visitors came on the seventh minute when McGurrin was taken down. And after Philip Patton’s kick from the spot hit the woodwork with plenty of force, McGurrin at least managed to pop over a score.
The first half goal arrived on 14 minutes when a ball in from Seamus Kane had a little bit of the sting taken out of it by the fingertips of a Milford defender, only for it to be gathered by Shane McGrath to slot low into the net.
Caolan McGettigan, the Milford goalkeeper, made a fine stop from McGurrin late in the half when he stood up to deny McGurrin, who was on fire.
Milford were stunned at the interval and despite the hosts making three changes it was the away team who started the second half where they had left off the first with McGrath scoring.
O’Halloran was red-carded soon afterwards for what was said to be a strike. Aodh Ruadh were, though, comfortable 1-11 to 0-2 ahead at that stage.
Milford rallied a little but whatever chances they had of the most unlikely of comebacks dissipated when, on 44 minutes, netminder McGettigan was black-carded for hauling down Daniel Warnock.
Referee Shaun Paul Doherty again awarded a penalty and this time, Philip Patton cooly slotted past stand-in goalkeeper Caolan Bolton.
Milford finally gave their home support something to cheer when Darragh Black drove past Peter Boyle after Tony McNamee’s long ball in for what was always anticipated to be a consolation goal at best. That made the score 2-13 to 1-7 with 10 minutes to go.
Danny O’Donnell’s team were using a lot of long ball but barring the one concession and a good double save from Boyle to get the better of Kyle Black and McNamee just beforehand, Aodh Ruadh were not overly stretched.
McNamee and David Curley further reduced the Milford arrears, only for four successive wides to hamper further efforts taking the score down a little.
Points from Philip Patton and Johnny Gallagher confirmed the excellent start made by Aodh Ruadh to Group B, which also includes Carndonagh and Naomh Ultan.
Milford: Caolan McGettigan; Gavin Grier, Barry McNulty, TJ Evesson; Gary Merritt (0-1, 45), Paddy Peoples, Sean Black; Joey Cullen, Luke Barrett (0-1, 1f); Cathal McGettigan (0-2, 2f), Pauric Curley, Tony McNamee (0-2, 1f); Darragh Black (1-1), Christopher Barrett, David Curley (0-2). Subs: Ciaran Sheridan, Kane Barrett and Kyle Black for P Curley, S Black and Grier (half-time), Caolan Bolton for Caolan McGettigan (44, black card), Pauric Curley for D Black (59, black card).
Aodh Ruadh: Peter Boyle; Calum O’Halloran, Colm Kelly, Michael Ward; Jason Granaghan (0-1), Eamonn McGrath (0-2), Daniel Warnock; Damien Cleary, David Dolan (0-4, 3f); Philip Patton (1-2, 1-0 pen), Shane McGrath (1-0), David McGurrin (0-5); Nathan Boyle (0-1), Seamus Kane, Conor Patton. Subs: Darren Drummond for Ward (44, black card), Paddy Gillespie for McGurrin (56, black card), Johnny Gallagher for Kane (56).
Referee: Shaun Paul Doherty (Urris).
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