St Eunan’s U-21s hold on for narrow win over Aodh Ruadh 

St Eunan’s opened their U-21 A championship campaign with a narrow two points win over Aodh Ruadh in a low scoring first round clash in O’Donnell Park on Sunday afternoon.

Corner forward Thomas Roache capped a good performance for the locals with five points including one two-point score.

READ NEXT: Gaoth Dobhair U-21s take derby spoils with win away to Dungloe 

Aodh Ruadh’s Eoin Cassidy led the Ballyshannon challenge and ended the game with five points, also including a two-point score. 

St Eunan’s recovered from a slow start after Cassidy, Bobby Murphy and Damian Weber kicked three early points for Aodh Ruadh.

But thanks to scores from Roache, Philip Doherty, Evan Hickey and Luke McGuinness, St Eunan’s took a six-point lead to the dressing room at the halfway mark. 

Aodh Ruadh dominated the opening quarter after half time and courtesy of strikes from Cassidy, and Darragh Flood Dolan they had trimmed the St Eunan’s lead to two points with six minutes of normal time remaining. 

But two quick fire overs from Mark Galvin and Roache and Eunan’s were four too the good again with the clock ticking on the hour mark. Galvin’s fisted point on 54 minutes was St Eunan’s first point of the second half.

But Aodh Ruadh and Cassidy were not finished and when Cassidy landed an injury time two-pointer, it was now a two-point game.  In a frenetic finish St Eunan’s held on for the precious win. 

St Eunan’s scorers: Thomas Roache 0-5,1tp, Luke McGuinness, Eoghan Farren, Noah Barrett, Philip Doherty, Mark Galvin, Evan Hickey 0-1 each.

Aodh Ruadh scorers: Eoin Cassidy 0-5, 1tp, Darragh Flood Dolan 0-2, Damian Weber, Bobby Murphy 0-1 each. 

St Eunans: Fintan Doherty; Pauric McHugh, David Horgan, Mark Galvin; Sean Freeburn, John Kealy, Senan Martin; Luke McGuinness, Eoghan Farren; Noah Barrett, Philip Doherty, Evan Hickey; Thomas Roache, Sam Harvey, Odhran Ryan.

Subs: Gavin McCarron for S Harvey; Ruairi Kavanagh for O’Ryan; Lorcan Harvey for S Freeburn; Ryan Bradley for J Kealy.

Aodh Ruadh: Aaron Cullen; James Gallagher, Ryan Keenaghan, Gareth Brennan; Oran Gillespie, Eoghan Kelly, Shane McGloin; Shane Delahunty, Darragh Flood Dolan; damian Weber; Jack Gallagher, Garvey Meade; Barry Campbell, Bobby Murphy, Eoin Cassidy.

Subs: Ted O’Donnell for S McGloin; Shane McGloin for B Murphy. 

Referee: Martin McCormick (Glenfin)