Bragging rights shared ahead of championship clash between Bundoran and Aodh Ruadh

A late free from Gary Clancy gave Bundoran a deserved share of the spoils in a very entertaining league game in Gaelic Park, Bundoran.

Bundoran 3-8
Aodh Ruadh 0-17

Both sides were short regulars with the Brennans and Shane McGowan absent for Bundoran while Darren Drummond and Colm Kelly were missing for Aodh Ruadh.

Throughout the second half no more than two points separated the sides in a ding-dong affair with the Bundoran goals proving vital to them getting a share. They also had to survive two black cards in the final 10 minutes of the game.

Prior to the game both sides provided a guard of honour for the five members of the clubs who won an All-Ireland title with the 28th Bn based at Finner during the previous week.

The local members of the Finner team are given a guard of honour on to the pitch in Bundoran

There was an explosive start with Nathan Boyle fouled at the throw-in and when the free was moved on he pointed from the 45m line.

But the Bundoran response was impressive with Ciaran McCaughey getting on the end of a high delivery from Kyle McNulty to find the net on four minutes. By the 7th minute the home side were four clear with points from Matthew Duffy and a Gary Clancy free after Oisin Walsh was fouled.

David Dolan pointed after taking a short free but Matthew Duffy added another to leave it 1-3 to 0-2 at the end of the first quarter.

Then Aodh Ruadh got their patch with five unanswered points to take a point lead - the scores coming from Shane McGrath, Diarmaid McInerney with two (one free) and two more from David Dolan.

But again Bundoran came back with the impressive Oisin Walsh winning a free for Gary Carty to point and Timmy Govorov found the range in added time to leave Bundoran ahead by 1-5 to 0-7 at the break.

Gary Clancy doubled the lead on 34 minutes but another spurt from Aodh Ruadh saw Nathan Boyle point a free, Shane McGrath from distance and a fisted point from Kyle Murray to edge ahead for the first time in the second half.

The second Bundoran came on 41 minutes with Matthew Duffy doing the hard work and just when the chance seemed to be gone, he fired along the ground and Ciaran McCaughey got the touch.

Within three minutes two Diarmaid McInerney frees had Aodh Ruadh back level. It was score for score with Cian McEniff first timing Bundoran back into the lead before McInerney and Niall Murray put the Ballyshannon men a point ahead.

A third Bundoran goal on 50 minutes came at a vital time with corner-back Ciaran Doherty getting on the end of the move to slide the ball past Peter Boyle.

Two  minutes later they lost Timmy Govorov to a black card and when David Dolan pointed a free and Philip Patton stepping up to hit two points in succession, it looked as if Aodh Ruadh would prevail.

But in the third minute of added time Conor Jack McManus did really well to break forward and he drew the foul which Gary Clancy pointed to get a share.

It was the perfect appetiser for their championship encounter in August and it will be easy for Peter MacIntyre and John McNulty to prepare their teams in the next five weeks.

The members of the 28 Bn team who won the All-Ireland on Wednesday of last week - Johnny Boyle (Bundoran); Eddie Lynch, Niall Murray and David Dolan (Aodh Ruadh), Ryan Walsh (Bundoran) and Kerry Ryan (Aodh Ruadh)

Bundoran scorers: Ciaran McCaughey 2-0; Gary Clancy 0-4,4f; Ciaran Doherty 1-0; Matthew Duffy 0-2; Timmy Govorov, Cian McEniff 0-1 each

Aodh Ruadh scorers: Diarmaid McInerney 0-5,4f; David Dolan 0-4,1f; Nathan Boyle (2f), Shane McGrath,  Philip Patton 0-2 each; Kyle Murray, Niall Murray 0-1 each. 

BUNDORAN: Conor Carty; Brian McHenry, Johnny Boyle, Ciaran Doherty; Adam Gallagher, Oisin Walsh, Niall Carr; Matthew Duffy, Gary Clancy; Jakub Machunik, Cian McEniff, Conor J McManus; Timmy Govorov, Ciaran McCaughey, Kyle McNulty.

AODH RUADH:  Peter Boyle; Callum O’Halloran, Conor Patton, Kyle Murray; Michael McKenna, Eddie Lynch, Mark McGlynn; Eamonn McGrath, Nathan Boyle; Diarmaid McInerney, Philip Patton, Gary Carty; Shane McGrath, David Dolan, Niall Murray. Sub: Donah McIntyre for G Carty (44)

REFEREE: Michael McShane (Kilcar)