McMahon bags 1-11 as Aodh Ruadh beat Downings to win LGFA Division 2 title

Aodh Ruadh are on the up and are doing so as LGFA Division 2 League winners following their win over Downings, with Eimear McMahon the star of the show.

Aodh Ruadh 2-14
Downings 1-9

McMahon scored 1-11 for Aodh Ruadh in a five-star performance at Pairc MacDiarmada in Lifford in Lifford as Cait Gillespie hit 1-2 and Erin McLaughlin chipped in with a point for the Ernesiders, who pulled away in the second half after being just a point up at half-time.

McMahon bagged the goal from the penalty spot and six of the points were from frees as literally everything she touched turned into a score. The goal on 19 minutes opened up a 1-5 to 0-3 lead with McMahon posting all but one of the winners' points by then.

But a strong finish to the half saw Downings claw their way back into the game with points from Shannon McGroddy and Lauren McBride, who then struck a goal on the stroke of half-time. Aodh Ruadh led 1-6 to 1-5 at the interval.

The early exchanges of the second period were pretty even with Aodh Ruadh two ahead before McMahon and Gillespie, with a brace, extended their lead out to four points with the clock ticking.

And while the impressive Lauren McBride pulled a point back for Downings, Aodh Ruadh were on their way when Gillespie struck for goal number two.

The centre forward who had a fine game hit the back of the Downings’ after the initial strike came back off the crossbar. That was on the stroke of 60 minutes and in time McMahon polished off a player of the match performance with a pointed free in time added on.

Aodh Ruadh scorers: Eimear McMahon 1-11,6f; Cait Gillespie 1-2; Erin O'Laughlin 0-1,1f.
Downings scorers: Lauren McBride 1-2, Shannon McGroddy 0-2, Aoibheann O’Connell 0-2, Amy McLaughlin 0-1, Aobha Pasoma 0-1.

Aodh Ruadh: Bridin Maguire; Ciara Caldwell, Sarah Gallagher; Hannah Doherty, Siofra Hughes, Caitlin McGarrigle, Anna Rafferty; Caoimhe Keon, Erin O'Laughlin; Aoibhain McGarrigle, Cait Gillespie, Orla Keon; Eimear McMahon, Donna Martin, Tara Khan. Subs: Cara O'Laughlin for S Hughes, Terri Gallagher for D Martin, Kate Cunningham for A Rafferty, Mary Flora Scott for A McGarrigle, Roisin McGloin for H Doherty.
Downings: Charlie Slevin; Aine O’Connell, Chloe Hay, Maggie Doherty; Emer Trearty, Aoibheann O’Connell, Michelle Wilkins; Julie Trearty, Lauren McBride; Aobha Pasoma, Amy McLaughlin, Aobha Gallagher; Nadine Gallagher, Shannon McGroddy, Denise Doherty. Subs: Annie McGroddy and Eve Kelly.
Referee: Declan Callaghan (Kilcar).