Aodh Ruadh win the local battle in the Intermediate Championship against St Nauls

Aodh Ruadh edged a good contest with St Nauls with a solid second half performance in Fr Tierney Park, Ballyshannon

Aodh Ruadh 1-12
St Nauls 1-11

It took a good second half display from the winners, who needed that improvement after the opening half.

These sides met a few weeks ago in Mountcharles in the league and it ended all level, and it could easily have been the same this time around.

The big score came from the boot of Niall Murray, an Aodh Ruadh goal in the second half. His father Val would have been proud of the chip, but there will be question marks over whether he was going for a goal or a point. If it was a goal then it was a candidate for goal of the season.
Aodh Ruadh had the advantage of the stiff breeze but were unable to make full use of it, trailing by 0-4 to 1-5 at the break.
The goal which separated them came from an Aodh Ruadh mistake, giving the ball away while on the attack around midfield and Barry Griffin looked up and saw Peadar Mogan free inside the 21m line. Mogan still had work to do but beat one man and fired past Peter Boyle to the top corner.
The goal, on 18 minutes, put St Nauls 1-2 to 0-2 ahead, and was the defining score of the opening half.
The first four points were shared with Michael McKenna and Diarmaid McInerney points for the home side while Mogan (free) and Stephen Griffin hit the visitors' points.
Griffin was the central figure of the half, winning throw-ups and generally controlling the play against the wind. Philip Patton and Peadar Mogan traded frees. Stuart Johnston did well to set up Martin Breslin to come forward and fist a point but Johnny Gallagher did the same at the other end, winning a free for Philip Patton to point.
In the only minute of added time Barry Griffin squeezed over a point to give St Nauls a four point interval advantage.
Aodh Ruadh were a different side on the restart and were back on terms by the 39th minute after hitting five points to St Nauls one. Nathan Boyle accounted for two of them with Philip Patton (free) and play and Michael McKenna getting the others. Peadar Mogan had the St Nauls reply, his effort going just overafter a break from Stuart Johnston.
Stephen Griffin edged St Nauls back in front from a 45m free but Nathan Boyle, the driving force bethind the Aodh Ruadh revival, levelled again on 49 minutes.
And the game took another twist on 22 minutes when Johnny Gallagher made a great break and released Niall Murray. Murray chipped the advancing Gavin Mulreaney for a goal and a three point lead.
Nathan Boyle then won a free for Philip Patton to stretch the lead with three minutes left.
Barry Griffin cut the margin but Philip Patton responded. Stephen Griffin cut the lead again to two with 32 minutes played and then missed another free on 65 minutes. It was to prove costly as his brother cut the deficit to the minimum with the last attack.

Scorers - Aodh Ruadh: Philip Patton 0-6,5f; Nathan Boyle 0-3; Niall Murray 1-0; Michael McKenna 0-2; Diarmuid McInerney 0-1.

St Nauls: Peadar Mogan 1-3,2f; Stephen Griffin 0-3,2f; Barry Griffin 0-3; Conor McBrearty, Martin Breslin 0-1 each

AODH RUADH: Peter Boyle; Niall Murray, Colm Kelly, Johnny Gallagher; Johnny Gethins, Conor Patton, Shane Gillespie; Oisin Rooney, Eamonn McGrath; Diarmaid McInerney, Michael McKenna, Nathan Boyle; Shane McGrath, Philip Patton, Ryan McKenna.
Subs: Callum O'Halloran for R McKenna ht; Paddy Gillespie for M McKenna 44

ST NAULS: Gavin Mulreaney; Dermot Gallagher, Brendan McCole, Martin Breslin; Caolan Gaffney, John Relihan, Conor McBrearty; Ian Campbell, Lee McBrearty; John Rose, Stuart Johnston, Peader Mogan; Stephen Griffin, Barry Griffin, Shane Conneely.
Subs: Michael Coughlin for I Campbell 37; Daniel Brennan and Cathal Lowther for John Rose and J Relihan

REFEREE: James Connors (St Eunans)