Aodh Ruadh and Buncrana play out lively draw in Senior Hurling League

A late point after a fine move from Aodh Ruadh’s Ryan Ayres gave the home a draw in a thrilling and most entertaining encounter in slippery conditions in Pairc Aoidh Ruadh.

Aodh Ruadh 1-19
Buncrana 3-13

On reflection, a draw was probably a fair result between two battling teams in a game studded with some superb scores and flashes of individual brilliance. It was effectively a game of two halves as the livelier home side dominated much of the first half and were well worth their 1-12 to 1-5 half time.

But they will not be happy with the Buncrana first half goal or the two second half goals which could be considered of the soft variety. In the end, those goals were crucial for a gamely Buncrana side who once trailed by 1-9 to 0-4 seven minutes from the break.

But a speculative lob from Buncrana somehow ended up in the Aodh Ruadh net to bring the Inishowen men back into contention.

And two more goals in the second half from Dylan Duffy and Kevin Vaughan actually pushed them to a 3-13 to 1-17 with full time beckoning, but two late points from the excellent Senan Rooney and Ayres late leveller tied matters.

Aodh Ruadh had the perfect start when a lightning move ended with Ayres first timing the sliotar to the net after great work by Aaron Cullen after just 90 seconds.

That set the pattern for a considerable period of dominance as Cullen, and Rooney from frees, Stephen Connolly - a great solo effort - and Brendan Gillespie pushed them to a 1-7 to 0-3 lead by the 22nd minute. But a hopeful lob ended up in the Aodh Ruadh net which gave the visitors some hope as they turned over with the benefit of the slight slope in the second half.

Paul Nelson, marksman Caolan O’Neill kept them in touch with some fine points in that opening half. And they tacked on two quick points from O’Neill to start narrowing the gap as the supply of ball into Aaron Cullen and Michael Reddin slowed.

It got even better for Buncrana when they had a scrambled goal from Kevin Vaughan in the 40th minute to leave Aodh Ruadh ahead by 1-14 to 2-9. But another speculative shot from the wing by Dylan Duffy which was deflected off the stick of Aodh Ruadh keeper Conor Kennedy had Buncrana in front for the first time.

Suddenly Ballyshannon were chasing the game and the accuracy of Rooney and Cullen kept them in touch as the game came to a lively conclusion with referee Marc Brown getting loads of vocal advice from both camps.

Aodh Ruadh got a few softish frees in the first half but they had claims for a square ball for at least one of the Buncrana goals, but referee Brown generally had a good handle on a most entertaining encounter played at 14-a-side.

Aodh Ruadh: Conor Kennedy; Peter Horan, Adam Rami, Pat Cassidy; Stephen Sheerin, Stephen Connolly (0-1), Caolan Drummond (0-1); Ryan Keenaghan (0-2); Brendan Gillespie (0-1), Senan Rooney (0-7f); Ryan Ayres (1-2), Martin Larkin, Rory Cullen; Michael Reddin, Aaron Cullen ( 0-6f) Subs; Kyle McNulty for Pat Cassidy (26), Daithi Breen for Michael Reddin (47), Par Cassidy for Martin Larkin.

Buncrana: Declan McCarron; Oisin Duffy, James Doherty, Gary McLaughlin, Peter Grant, Ben Doherty, Paul Nelson (0-1), Darren Doherty, Fiachra Gill, Dylan Duffy (1-2), David Carey (0-2), Caolan O’Neill (1-6f) Kevin Vaughan (1-2)

Referee: Marc Brown (Four Masters)