Relentless Aodh Ruadh overwhelm Downings

Aodh Ruadh had it easy in this one sided mismatch at Fr Tierney Park against a Downings side who never got into this  contest. Scoring 3-21 from play, Aodh Ruadh’s ability to nail first half points from distance and to work intricate well finished passing moves in the second, had Downings at sixes and sevens.

AODH RUADH ……….3-24

DOWNINGS …………. 0-2

For the victors there were many fine performances - at full forward David Dolan picked up where he left off last week against Fanad Gaels with another magnificent display of old-fashioned full forward craft.

Scoring 1-6 in total, one of those a rare right-footed score that had many in the crowd smiling quietly. His movement and power to break the tackle was impressive, while David ‘Chuckles’ McGurrin was a scoring star, finishing with eight points from all angles and distances, seven from play.

Johnny Gettins, demonstrated a relentless work ethic at wing-back kept turning up to take ball off the shoulder and drive Aodh Ruadh forward combining that with fantastic defensive work in a man-of-the-match display.

Nathan Boyle and Shane McGrath, who impressed earlier this year for the Donegal under 20s side, both shone brightly, Boyle with 1-2, and McGrath with four deftly taken points.

Aodh Ruadh finished the game with their third goal, an intricate passage of crisp passing ending with a classy finish from the forever young Michael 'Sticky' Ward, who at 41, danced his way around two defenders to cushion the ball to the net. 

For the losers Lorcan Connor was busy and looked a threat, but today he left his shooting boots at home, while Oisin Boyce and Shay Coyle worked their socks off.

Leading 13 points to no score at half time, Aodh Ruadh were on top more or less everywhere, but particularly around midfield where the visitors never got into the contest and won little or no clean or breaking ball.

Outplayed in the first half, Downings needed to turn things around quickly as the second half began.

They had a strong wind at their backs, but never made any impact, with Aodh Ruadh adding a further 1-4 to their 0-13 half-time tally to stem any notion of a Downings fightback.

The visitors, who kicked ten wides over the hour, didn’t register a score until the 49th minute, a Lorcan Connor free, and their only other score, also a Connor free, came on 45 minutes.

By contrast Aodh Ruadh were efficient if not ruthless from chances created, scoring 3-21 from play and kicking five wides over the hour. A one-sided contest, which on my watch ended slightly more than a minute before the end of normal time, saw  Aodh Ruadh finish their group with three wins from three.

Aodh Ruadh: Peter Boyle 0-1, f; Jason Granaghan, Damien Cleary, Johnny Gallagher; Johnny Gettins 0-1, Darren Drummond, Colm Kelly 0-1; Conor Patton, Eamonn McGrath; Oisin Rooney, Shane McGrath 0-4, David McGurrin 0-8, 1f; Nathan Boyle 1-2, David Dolan 1-6, Niall Murray. Subs:  Callum O’Halloran for J Granaghan (h/t); Eddie Lynch for D Drummond (h/t); Diarmaid McInerney for O Rooney (h/t); Michael Ward for J Gallagher (38); Michael ‘Sticky’ Ward 1-1 for N Boyle (41); Sean Taylor for N Murray (50).

Downings: Brendan McGee; Max Davis, Ben McNutt, Shane McTeague; Eamonn Kelly, Shay Coyle, Kevin Doherty; James Lee McBride, Gary McClafferty; Shane Boyce, Oisin Boyce, Keelan McGruddy; Alan Pasoma, Lorcan Connor 0-2, fs, Eric Roberts. Subs: Ben McBride 26 (blood) for O Boyce; Finian McClafferty for S Boyce (h/t); Hugo Davis for E Roberts (40); Aaron McClafferty for K McGruddy; Ken McBride for E Kelly (46); John McGruddy for B McGee (51).

Referee: Aiden McAleer (Muff).