St Eunan’s turn on the style in the second half to see off Aodh Ruadh

Niall O’Donnell missed and scored a penalty as St Eunan’s produced a much-improved second half to overcome an Aodh Ruadh side who pushed them all the way in the first.

St Eunan’s 2-14
Aodh Ruadh 0-7

With the hosts having led by just a point at the break, it looked as though there was a scent of an upset. However, Rory Kavanagh’s team cranked it up a gear in the second half and ran out winners by a comfortable 13 points.

Substitute David Boyle scored a late second goal and Conor O’Donnell jnr and Eoin McGeehin enjoyed their runouts with three points apiece.

Barry Ward’s team made the journey to the Cathedral town knowing a win would cement a place in the last eight, whereas anything else would leave things precarious with the draw drum rolling.

Their newness to this competition was evident in the fact that their only play to play in it previously was Johnny Gallagher, a late replacement, who lined out against the same opponents back in 2010.

But they’re on the move again in Ballyshannon. Today, with showers coming and going, when the chance came up, so too did the ball with David Dolan providing an outlet worth exploring on the edge of Shaun Patton’s square.

Having come from nine down to draw with Naomh Conaill last weekend, one of the things Aodh Ruadh learned was seeing they’re here now, there’s no point in standing back giving too much respect to whoever looks them in the eye.

From the off, there was little between them today, certainly in the first half. The second, though, was a different matter entirely as St Eunan's showed what can happen when they get towards a gallop.

Aodh Ruadh took the lead through David Dolan and Darren Drummond only for Sean McVeigh and McGeehin to level. On 11 minutes St Eunan’s edged ahead when Padraig McGettigan punched over a dropping ball from Conor O’Donnell for 0-3 to 0-2.

Undaunted, Aodh Ruadh worked a patient move and Philip Patton, their go-to man, scored with the chalk of the 45-metre line on his boots. At the first of the water-breaks, it was 0-3 apiece. The same player was the first scorer of the second quarter,

Eighteen minutes in, St Eunan’s spurned a huge opportunity when Niall O’Donnell rolled a penalty wide having been fouled himself by Mark McGlynn. Conor O’Donnell made it 0-4 to 0-4 and then played a fine ball in which McGeehin put back across the square and Kieran Tobin, coming in like a train, got a touch on the ball to steer it inches over.

Philip Patton’s third point and McGeehin’s second maintained the status quo, so with never more than a point between the teams it was St Eunan’s who had the slenderest of leads, 0-6 to 0-5, at half-time.

St Eunan’s had opened with a 1-14 to 1-12 loss against Kilcar having led by six points at a stage and then late goals from Eoin McGeehin and Darragh Mulgrew to seal a 2-11 to 0-8 victory at Termon.

With the wind at their back, and a rainbow in front of them, Niall O’Donnell marked and scored to ensure the first two-point lead of the day. It might’ve been more after a lightning St Eunan’s break from Conor O’Donnell saw Eoin McGeehin’s shot saved by Carl O’Brien in the Aodh Ruadh goal.

Padraig McGettigan slapped Conor O’Donnell’s 45 into the net only to see referee Jimmy White disallow it for square ball. However, St Eunan’s would get their goal when Niall O’Donnell stood up and popped home a penalty on 38 minutes after Kyle Murray fouled McGettigan.

Patton scored two points early in the second half for the Ernesiders, although St Eunan’s were now looking more leggy, with the cobwebs blown off. McGettigan, Conor O’Donnell and McGeehin made it 1-10 to 0-7 by water-break two.

Ten minutes from time the ease of which Eoin Dowling scored showed to puff had gone from Aodh Ruadh. Niall O’Donnell popped over before starting a move that saw Conor O’Donnell tee up substitute Boyle to steer home his side’s second goal four minutes from time.

St Eunan’s: Shaun Patton; Peter Devine, Caolan Ward, Conor Parke; Kieran Tobin (0-1), Peter McEniff, Aaron Deeney; Sean McGettigan, Kevin Kealy; Eoin Dowling (0-1), Niall O’Donnell (1-3, 1-0 pen, 1m), Sean McVeigh (0-1); Conor O’Donnell jnr (0-4), Padraig McGettigan (0-2, 1f), Eoin McGeehin (0-3). Subs: Darragh Mulgrew for S McGettigan (half-time), David Boyle (1-0) for P McGettigan (52), James Kelly for McVeigh (57)

Aodh Ruadh: Carl O’Brien; Mark McGlynn, Colm Kelly, Conor Patton; Jason Granaghan, Eddie Lynch, Kyle Murray; Eamonn McGrath, Nathan Boyle; Philip Patton (0-4, 2f), Darren Drummond (0-1), Michael McKenna (0-1); Oisin Rooney, David Dolan (0-1, 1m), Shane McGrath. Subs: Ryan Granaghan for Drummond (38), Cian Rooney for Murray (41), Sean Rooney for O Rooney (47), Johnny Gallagher for McKenna (57)

Referee: Jimmy White (Killybegs).