Emphatic home victory for Aodh Ruadh as Downings struggle

Aodh Ruadh ………… 3-21

Downings …………… 0-7

Aodh Ruadh cantered to an easy win against a Downings team who had no answer to the host team’s pace and scoring power.

Aodh Ruadh had nine different scorers, Philip Patton from play and frees with nine points, was in clinical form while Shane McGrath finished with 2-4 but could have had more if he had wanted to, opting several times to fist over when a goal was on.

Aodh Ruadh, with two wins now and a draw from the group stages, fielded one of their strongest sides to date and were never in bother.

Recent meetings between these sides haven’t made good reading for Downings and today the visitors looked in trouble from the 12th second when Aodh Ruadh shoud have had a goal.

One minute later Aodh Ruadh’s Philip Patton got the scoring underway with a free and by half time Patton had helped himself to six points, four of them from frees.

The gulf between the sides became apparent early in the first half, by the fifth minute the writing was on the wall, Johnny Gethins, who fluffed his lines after ten seconds making amends when he intercepted a poor pass out of defence from the visitors to finish to the net, Aodh Ruadh racing 1-3 to 0-0 ahead.

The home team continued to press, Shane McGrath went through for a goal on ten minutes, but his shot hit the post. One minute later a great 40 metre ball from Philip Patton put McGrath in for another goal chance, this time the Downings keeper John McGruddy made a fine body save.

Midfielder Cian Dolan hit the point of the half either side of a brace from ever accurate Patton from frees. Eric Roberts from play and Caolan McGruddy (free) hit Downings’ only other first half points as Aodh Ruadh’s forwards started to fist points when goals were on, to lead 1-12 to 0-3 at half-time.

Second half

In the second half Shane McGrath on 42 and 59 minutes banged home his brace of goals with Aodh Ruadh scoring freely, 2-6 of their second half tally coming from play.

Nathan Boyle, the only forward not to score for them in the first half, added two top drawer points in the second half and his often outrageous yet pin point 40 metre passed to Shane McGrath caused havoc.

The platform for this emphatic win was built around midfiders Eamon McGrath and Cian Dolan who were exceptional, Shane Taylor again was impressive and typical of him CP Patton mopped up without any fuss.

For Downings a difficult day, Eric Roberts at corner forward clipped over two fine points and James Lee McBride and Oisin Boyce, who shipped a few heavy knocks, gave everything they had.

Aodh Ruadh: Peter Boyle; Caolan O’Halloran, Colm Kelly, Johnny Gallagher;  Shane Gillespie, Conor Patton, Sean Taylor 0-1; Cian Dolan 0-1, Eamon McGrath; Nathan Boyle 0-2, Philip Patton 0-9, 4 fs, Diarmuid McInerney 0-1; Johnny Gethins 1-1, Niall Murray 0-1, Shane McGrath 2-4. Subs: Paddy Gillespie 0-1 for Taylor (½ time); Michael Ward for J Gallagher (h/t); Ryan McKenna for E McGrath (38); E McGrath for Dolan (59).

Downings: John McGruddy; Anthony Boyce, Ben McNutt, Ross Cullen 0-1; Patrick McGinty, Oisin Boyce, Chris Carr; James Lee McBride 0-1, f, Shane Boyce; Mark McBride, Caolan McGruddy 0-2, fs, Gerard McGee; Eoin Byrne, shane McClafferty 0-1, Eric Roberts 0-2.

Referee: Mark Brown (Four Masters).