Aodh Ruadh so impressive in victory away to Glenfin 

A powerful second half display, in which they outscored the home side by 1-11 to 0-4, pushed Aodh Ruadh to an impressive win over Glenfin in Pairc Taobhóige. 

Glenfin 2-5 Aodh Ruadh 1-16 

The winners were sharper, fitter and very well drilled and showed their strength in depth despite being short six regulars. Glenfin were shorn of some notables as well but could not cope with the Ballyshannon side’s second half surge. 

It was a different story at half-time as Glenfin led by 2-1 to 0-5 thanks to two very well taken breakaway goals after Aodh Ruadh had possession of the ball for long periods. 

But Odhran O’Connor and Gerard Ward found the target and a gap in the Aodh Ruadh defence to give the home side the advantage. 

In fact, they went three points up immediately after half time but a blitz of some fine Aodh Ruadh scores, especially from Philip Patton, paved the way for victory. 

Aodh Ruadh had the ball for about eight out of the opening ten minutes and their patience yielded three early points from Diarmaid McInereney, Eoin Kelly and the impressive Shane McGrath . 

They seemed to be in almost total control but were rocked when, in a rare breakaway, Glenfin’s Gary Herron played a great diagonal ball to O’Connor who first-timed the leather to the net to level matters on ten minutes. 

McInerney and McGrath restored a two-point lead for Aodh Ruadh but they were hit with another sucker punch in the 20th minute. 

This time it was O’Connor who turned provider for full forward Gerard Ward who was on loads of space and his half hit shot trickled into the net. 

Aodh Ruadh then lost Cian Rooney to injury as Sean Ward landed a free for Glenfin to put them into a 2-1 to 0-5 lead at the break. 

Ballyshannon had the slight breeze but it was Glenfin who got the first point of the half when county star Luke McGlynn finished for a fine point. But that was as good as it got for Glenfin for the rest of the half. 

The rangy Gary Carty hit a point for Aodh Ruadh as the elegant Philip Patton began to find his range with Carty also on target to put the visitors into a 2-2 to 0-10 lead. 

Patton hit a few more lovely scores as Aodh Ruadh powered ahead and the crucial score came in the 40th minute when Eoin Kelly had a simple tap in goal after a lightning eight-man move unlocked the Glenfin defence. The lively visitors were now leading by 1-11 to 2-2. 

Daniel Marley then landed a free for the home side but this was quickly countered by a free from McInerney. Aodh Ruadh were in complete command by this stage and held on to possession comfortably. 

McGlynn landed another point for a pretty outgunned Glenfin side but Aodh Ruadh eased home with points from Patton, Matthew Gillespie and McInerney to seal an impressive win for John McNulty’s men. 

Glenfin mounted a late rally but were not able to penetrate a well organised Aodh Ruadh defence. 

Aodh Ruadh scorers: Diarmuid McInerney 0-5,5f; Philip Patton 0-5; Eoin Kelly 1-1; Gary Carty 0-2; Matthew Gillespie 0-2; Callum O’Halloran 0-1. 

Glenfin scorers: Odhran O’Connor 1-0; Gerard Ward 1-0; Luke McGlynn 0-2; Sean Ward 0-2f; Daniel Marley 0-1,1f. 

Glenfin: Andrew Walsh; Gary Herron, John Harkin, Jack Long; Odhran McGlynn, Frank McGlynn, Mark McGinty (Jnr); Jason Morrow, Stephen Ward; Daniel Marley, Luke McGlynn, Sean Ward; Odhran O’Connor, Gerard Ward, Daniel McGlynn. 

Subs; David Carr for Jason Morrow (49). 

Aodh Ruadh: Karl O’Brien; Mark McGlynn, Kyle Murray, Colm Kelly; Gary Carty, Eddie Lynch, Eoin Kelly; Cian Dolan, Shane McGrath; Matthew Gillespie, Cian Rooney, Phillip Patton; Callum O’Halloran, Donagh McIntyre, Diaramaid McInerney. 

Subs; Shane Delahunty for Cian Rooney (26), Jack Gallagher for Shane Delahunty (44), Shane Delahunty for Callum O’Halloran (54), Robbie Murphy for Dongah McIntyre (59). 

Referee: James Connors (St Eunan’s).