Aodh Ruadh win sixth game in Division 1 with victory in Fintra over Killybegs

Another forgettable half of Gaelic football was on view in Fintra as Killybegs hosted Aodh Ruadh.

Killybegs 0-6

Aodh Ruadh 0-10

Are we witnessing the slow death of Gaelic football as we know it with all-out defensive football beginning to be the norm and this game was another in that category.
We can't really blame coaches, who do what they can to win games, but for the spectators it is a hard watch and the dwindling numbers at club games shows that they are voting with their feet. Is it time for a rule change?

The sides managed 11 wides (Aodh Ruadh seven) in the first half with both sides putting as many players behind the ball as possible. The result was that scores were scarce.

Killybegs are struggling at the moment with players out injured and they don't have the firepower in the forward line despite winning plenty of possession.  Aodh Ruadh, on the other hand, have been scoring well but it was not one of the better performances this year.

Conor Cunningham had two points for Killybegs in the opening half, the first in the first minute and his second with a free in the 29th minute.

Christopher Murrin added a second for the home side on five minutes before Shane McGrath fisted Aodh Ruadh's first on nine minutes.

Jack McSharry put Killybegs two ahead on 10 minutes but Aodh Ruadh would get the next four scores. Diarmaid McInerney (free) and Cian Rooney had Aodh Ruadh level on 18 minutes and they almost had a goal a minute later with Killybegs taking the ball off the line and then Shane McGrath's effort was touched out for a '45' by Corey Byrne.

Diarmaid McInerney pushed Aodh Ruadh in front and Nathan Boyle landed a long range free before Cunningham's final score of a disappointing first half.

Half-time: Killybegs 0-4, Aodh Ruadh 0-5. 

Conor Cunningham, the main scoring threat for Killybegs, had his side back on terms three minutes into the second half when he converted a '45', but they would manage just one more point, a very good effort from substitute Shaun Gorrell in the 53rd minute.

Aodh Ruadh had played the opening nine minutes of the second half with 14 as Michael McKenna was black carded just before the break.

As the game gradually opened up a little with players slowing in the intense heat, Aodh Ruadh had the forwards to make the difference.

Diarmaid McInerney, in particular, stepped up hitting points in the 36th, 47th  (free) and 50th minutes to edge the visitors two ahead.

They also had two goal chances with both falling to Darren Drummond, who was very unlucky to see both efforts come back off the woodwork, the second one in particular deserved a green flag as he hit a rasper off the crossbar.

Nathan Boyle found the range from a free to open the gap to four before Gorrell's score. Aodh Ruadh closed out the game for their sixth win of the campaign with a David Dolan score.

Killybegs scorers: Conor Cunningham 0-3,f,'45'; Christopher Murrin, Jack McSharry and Shaun Gorrell 0-1 each.

Aodh Ruadh scorers: Diarmaid McInerney 0-5,2f; Nathan Boyle 0-2,2f; Cian Rooney, Shane McGrath, David Dolan 0-1 each.

KILLYBEGS: Corey Byrne; Owen Gallagher, Cillian Gildea, Darragh McClean; Jon Ban Gallagher, Shane Molloy, Christopher Cunningham; Rory Colyer, Jack McSharry; Liam Doherty, Donal McGuire, Odhran McGuinness; Christopher Murrin, Conor Cunningham, Charlie Breslin. Subs: Shaun Gorrell for Doherty (45); Alex McBrearty for McGuire (49); Eamonn Curran for McGuinness (59).

AODH RUADH: Peter Boyle; Callum O'Halloran, Conor Patton, Kyle Murray; Michael McKenna, Colm Kelly, Eddie Lynch; Nathan Boyle, Matt Gillespie; Diarmaid McInerney, Darren Drummond, Cian Rooney; Niall Murray, David Dolan, Shane McGrath. Sub: Donagh McIntyre for M Gillespie (57).

REFEREE: Michael McShane (Kilcar)