Clinical, efficient St Michael's crush struggling Aodh Ruadh

Aodh Ruadh ………. 0-4

St Michael’s ………..3-13

Visitors St Michael’s were clinical and efficient in the first half, and led 2-12 to 0-1 at the break against a toothless Aodh Ruadh in this one-sided affair at Fr Tierney Park in Ballyshannon.

The Ernesiders were well beaten by a St Michael’s side who moved the ball quickly and took their scores neatly in the first half.

Some of their long range point-taking, albeit with a strong wind in their favour, was a rare highlight from a game that was so one-sided it offered little by way of entertainment.

Aodh Ruadh, short players that might make an input, tried to vary things yet again with their regular keeper Peter Boyle on the edge of the square, but there was no dividend from that move and after half-time Boyle reverted back to goalkeeping.

The visitors, themselves fielding without a clutch of notable names, among them Colm Anthony McFadden, Christy Toye and Martin McElhinney,  had it all their own way in the first half.

The simplicity of what they did was the magic here - it was catch, kick, score, and there was no response from the hosts as five of St Michael’s six forwards hit a feast of first half scores from 30 metres and more.

Aodh Ruadh rarely threatened, failing to register a score until the 23rd minute of the half, as it turned it was their only first half score, coming from the youngster, Dylan Gallagher.

By then St Michael’s led 0-9 to 0-1, points from Oisin Langan, Hugh O’Donnell, Michael McGinley, Daniel McLaughlin (0-3), Andrew Kelly and Oran McFadden (0-2), underlining their superiority.

But better was to come from the Creeslough/Dunfanaghy combo - two goals inside 60 seconds, the first from a flowing McFadden, O’Donnell, Kelly and Michael Langan inter-play with Langan’s drive brilliantly saved by Taylor, but the half clearance fell again to Michael Langan. He buried it.

From an over-cooked kick out the visitors were in immediately for a second goal, the looping ball to McFadden perfectly weighted and he made the rain sodden net dance. They added three snappy points from Kelly, McFadden and McLaughlin to kill the game dead by half time, 2-12 to 0-1.

In a second half, which by my watch, referee Jimmy White closed out early by two minutes, there was little to enthuse about as I found myself distracted more and more by the Papal Mass from the Phoenix Park on the tv screen to my left in Aras Aodh Ruaidh.

St Michael’s had the job done, and they kept their grip on that commanding first half lead. In a second half that won’t linger long in the memory, we had  just five scores, Andrew Kelly adding a third goal for the visitors, while Aodh Ruadh carrying lots of ball into the tackle, managed just three more points in total, Drummond, McInerney (free) and Dolan scoring.

Andrew Kelly at full forward, half backs Liam Kelly and Michael McGinley, the Langans, Oisin and Michael and clever corner back Michael Gallagher all did well. For Aodh Ruadh another tough day at the office, there were brief glimmers of better days ahead with spirited play from the ever-willing Taylor in an outfield role while Jason Granaghan and Eamon McGrath were brave and busy in a team full of potential that finds itself in a tough place right now after a gruelling league campaign.

Aodh Ruadh: Sean Taylor; Cian McGloin, Eamonn McGrath, Callum O’Halloran; Johnny Gettins, Jason Granaghan, Eddie Lynch; Darren Gettins, Oisin Rooney; David Dolan 0-1, Diarmaid McInerney 0-1, f, Niall Murray; Dylan Gallagher 0-1, Peter Boyle, Conor Patton. Subs: Darren Drummond 0-1 (half time) for Taylor; Michael Ward 35 mins for rooney (injd.), Paddy Gillespie 41 mins for Murray; Sean Taylor 47 mins for McInerney.

St Michaels: Mark Anthony McGinley; Jamie Hunter, Stephen Doak, Michael Gallagher; Liam Kelly Michael McGinley 0-1, Oisin Langan 0-1; Michael Cannon, Michael Langan 1-0; Daniel McLaughlin 0-5, 1 f, Colin McFadden 1-1, Hugh O’Donnell 0-1; Ruari Friel, Andrew Kelly 1-2, Oran McFadden 0-2.

Referee: Jimmy White (Killybegs).