Naomh Conaill surge to victory against Aodh Ruadh to reach quarter-final spot

Naomh Conaill strode into the last eight of the Michael Murphy Sport & Leisure Championship with an 18-point win over Aodh Ruadh in Davy Brennan Memorial Park on Sunday afternoon. 

Charlie McGuinness, Finnbarr Roarty, and Kevin McGettigan scored the goals for the locals who had the look of winners from very early on in the game. 

County panelist McGuinness scored two of the goals both in the early minutes of the first half and they led 2-1 to 0-0 after the first quarter.  

County U-20-man Roarty rattled home goal number three to send Naomh Conaill 3-4 to 0-2 up at half-time while McGuinness top scored on the day with 2-3.  

Nathan Boyle with a fisted point on 19 minutes, and Jack Gallagher from a free on 23 minutes were the Aodh Ruadh point scorers in the first half but they knew they had a long way to go if they were to match the county champions. 

It only got harder for Aodh Ruadh as Naomh Conaill kicked on in the second half with McGuinness, John O’Malley, Dermot ‘Brick’ Molloy, Ciarán Thompson, and Brendan McDyer landing points, and Kevin McGettigan finding the net for goal number four for what was a comfortable victory for the men in blue and white.  

Darren Drummond fired one over 10 minutes into the second half while Gallagher scored two late points but they were the only Aodh Ruadh scores of the second half as Naomh Conaill ran out worthy winners on a 4-11 to 0-5 point scoreline.   

Naomh Conaill finished in third place in the championship league table with three wins from their four group games and ahead of Kilcar on scorer difference with the top four automatically qualifying for the last eight.    

Naomh Conaill scorers: Charlie McGunness 2-3; Finnbarr Roarty and Kevin McGettigan 1-0 each; Dermot Molloy 0-3; John O’Malley 0-2; Anthony Thompson, Ciaran Thompson, and Brendan McDyer 0-1 each.

Aodh Ruadh scorers: Jack Gallagher 0-3, 3fs; Nathan Boyle and Darren Drummond 0-1 each.  

Naomh Conaill: Stephen McGrath; Jason Campbell, A J Gallagher, Logan Quinn; Kevin McGettigan, Anthony Thompson, Finnbarr Roarty; Charlie McGuinness, Ciaran Thompson; Brendan McDyer, Odhran Doherty, Ethan O’Donnell; Mark McDevitt, Dermot Molloy, Leo McLoone. Subs used: John O’Malley, Keelan McGill, Eoin Waide, Leo Dunphy, Neil Francis Boyle.  

Aodh Ruadh: Aaron Cullen; Aidan Sweeny, Conor Patton, Niall Murray; Johnny Gethins, Eamonn McGrath, Michael McKenna; Darren Drummond, Matt Gillespie; Cian Rooney, David Dolan, Mark McGlynn; Eddie Lynch, Nathan Boyle, Jack Gallagher. Subs: Oisin Rooney for C Rooney (43); Diarmaid McInerney for D Dolan (50); Ryan Keenaghan for A Sweeny (56).  

Referee: Cathal Boland (Ardara).