Comfortable victory for Eoghan Rua

Last season Eoghan Rua, Coleraine traveled to Glen and came away with the spoils, they did it again last Sunday afternoon with a comfortable 3-10 to 0-9 victory.

The old clich that 'goals win games' proved apt again as two 'three pointers' just before the break and a third eight minutes into the second half effectively killed off the Glen challenge and sent Eoghan Rua on the way to their first league win from two outings.

The first quarter was close enough as the midfield duel between Glen's Johnny Bradley and John McCamley against Eoghan Rua's Sean Paul Henry and Niall Holley ended with honours even. Only two points were scored in that period, Colm McGoldrick opening Eoghan Rua's account with Conleth Moran leveling matters for Glen.

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Gradually the Coleraine midfield pair of Henry and Holley began to get on top and with Colm McGoldrick causing problems at full forward the visitors moved into a two point lead by the 20th minute, both points from Barry McGoldrick frees. Sean Paul Henry then extended Eoghan Rua's lead before Connlan Bradley replied for Glen from a free.

The game turned in Eoghan Rua's favour over the closing five minutes as they struck two goals in quick succession. Battling work from Paul Daly inside the Glen penalty area seen the ball break to Colm McGoldrick who was onto it in a flash and he steered it low into the far corner of the net. Both sides wasted chances after that score but two minutes into added time Eoghan Rua had their second goal.

Again it was Colm McGoldrick causing problems as he won the ball before laying off to his brother Ciaran to hit a deft shot high to the roof of the Glen net. The home side responded with a point from Ryan Bradley but still went in seven adrift, 2-4 to 0-3, at the break.

The sides then traded points in the first minute of the second half with Conleth Moran reducing the gap to six just three minutes in. However two minutes later the game turned inexorably in Eoghan Rua's favour as they grabbed their third goal.

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Wing back Anton Rafferty broke up a Glen attack down the left side, he released Sean Paul Henry who found Ciaran McGoldrick, he slipped a hand pass inside to Sean Leo McGoldrick who drilled low to the Glen net. Moments after that score Ciaran Lenehan set up Ciaran McGoldrick for a tap over point and the game was all but over as a contest with Eoghan Rua leading by ten points, 3-6 to 0-5.

The tempo of exchanges lowered considerably over the final quarter as the sides exchanged a couple of points each. Both sides missed chances but Glen never really threatened to get the goal they needed to give themselves any chance of a comeback, the Eoghan Rua defence dealing well with everything the home side threw at them.

The accuracy of Conleth Moran from frees was the main threat from the Glen side as he added a couple more in the dying minutes. In added time Sean Paul Henry, who was impressive in midfield and Colm McGoldrick, from a free with literally the last kick of the game, completed the scoring ,Eoghan Rua comfortable ten point winners.

Eoghan Rua team; Ryan McGeough; Cormac Trolan, Ciaran Mullan, Sean McWilliams; Mark Mearns, Barry McGoldrick, Anton Rafferty; Sean Paul Henry, Niall Holly; Ciaran Lenehan, Sean Leo McGoldrick, Paul Daly; Gregory Bradley, Colm McGoldrick, Ciaran McGoldrick.

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Substitutes used:Leo Sweeney for G Bradley, Mark McTaggart for C Lenehan, Hugh Casey for P Daly

Eoghan Rua scorers: Colm McGoldrick (1-2, 0-1 free), Ciaran McGoldrick (1-2), Sean Leo McGoldrick (1-0), Barry McGoldrick (0-2 frees), S P Henry (0-2), N Holly (0-1).

Glen: Mickey McCullough; Sean Convery, Kevin Bryson, Declan Brolly; Phillip O'Connell, Joe Bradley, Damiem McKernan; John McCamley, Johnny Bradley; Ryan Bradley, Gerard Bradley, Conleth Moran; Damien Maguire, Donal Leaghy, Connlan Bradley.

Glen scorers: Conleth Moran (0-4 0-2 frees), Ryan Bradley (0-2), Connlan Bradley (0-1), Ryan Bradley (0-2), Donal Leaghy (0-1).

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Meanwhile prior to the senior game Glen had a 1-16 to 1-7 win over Eoghan Rua's reserves.

Loup to visit Coleraine

Next up for Eoghan Rua will be county champions Loup who will visit Pairc Eoghain Rua this Sunday afternoon for the first time. The county champions did not get their Division 1 league campaign off to a good start, going down to a big defeat to Lavey, 4-16 to 0-5.

The Loup side has lost two of its most experienced players, Johnny McBride and Paul McFlynn, to retirement and of course their talismanic manager John Brennan who led them to the John McLaughlin Cup last year. Their second outing of the season was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch so they will be smarting to get that Lavey hammering out of their system when they travel to the Coleraine venue. Meanwhile Eoghan Rua have lost one and won one from their two outings to date.

Unfortunately for the Eoghan Rua men they look certain to be short at least two of their key players, Barry and Sean Leo McGoldrick, who are likely to be on county duty with Derry in Galway on Sunday. Two other players, Declan and Ciaran Mullan, may also be doubtful starters for Eoghan Rua if they are not released by the county management to their club. Loup would be a formidable opposition for a full strength Eoghan Rua side but if the Coleraine men go into their third league outing short handed, as seems inevitable, then the south Derry men will be clear favourites to get their first win of the season.

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The senior game has a 4.30pm start while the reserves get under way at 3.00pm.

Glenullin's late show

For the second game in successive weekends 2009 league champions Glenullin had to score late points to earn victory as they edged out Newbridge 2-9 to 1-10.

Derry stars Gerard O'Kane and second half substitute Eoin Bradley scored the brace of late points against a Newbridge side that fell 1-04 to 0-00 behind before staging a fine comeback to cut the half time score to 1-05 to 0-05.

The Newbridge outfit showed great determination to close the gap in a rousing second half display and were all-square with time running out. However, as they did against Magherafelt in their first game, Glenullin finished strongly to win their second game.

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Glenullin raced into a 1-4 to nil lead, Niall O'Kane scoring 1-2, with Paddy Bradley 0-2 and Dermot O'Kane the other first half scorers. Newbridge recovered well from the poor start and closed the gap to three, with points from Danny Mulholland, Peter McGrogan, Niall Mulholland, Thomas Walls and Michael Bateson.

Twelve minutes into the second half Danny Mulholland was fouled in the goalmouth and Thomas Walls goaled from the penalty to narrow the gap to just two points, 2-6 to 1-7.

Glenullin opened the second half with a Paddy Bradley pointed free and a 38th minute goal from Niall O'Kane before Danny Mulholland and Thomas Walls scored the Newbridge points. Gerard O'Kane and Conrad Bradley had further points for Glenullin but Michael Bateson, Thomas Walls from a free and Sean Paul McCann tied the scores. In a frantic finish Gerard O'Kane and Eoin Bradley scored the late points that took the visitors to victory.

Newbridge scorers: Thomas Walls (1-3, 1-0 pen, 0-1 free), Danny Mulholland (0-2), Michael Bateson (0-2), Peter McGrogan, Sean Paul McCann and Niall Mulholland (0-1) each

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Glenullin scorers: Niall O'Kane (1-2), Leigh Mullan (1-0), Paddy Bradley (0-3, 0-1 free), Conrad Bradley, Dermot O'Kane, Gerard O'Kane and Eoin Bradley (0-1) each,

Ballinascreen had a facile 4-11 to 2-2 win over a Swatragh side struggling to find any early season form. Ballinascreen started the match with two early points from Gavin Kelly and Dean Groogan.

They then created a goal chance that was well stopped by Swatragh who then went up the pitch and scored a goal of their own through Robert McWilliams. This was in effect the last competitive passage of play in the game.

After conceding the goal Screen went on a procession of scores. Gavin Kelly got another point with Benny Heron then rounding his defender and finishing the ball well to the top corner.

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Eamon Murray then scored a great point from out on the wing. Swatragh finished their scoring for the half with a well taken point from a free kick from Eugene O'Kane.

Ballinascreen then hit back from this with a Gavin Bradley goal and a Phillip Bradley free kick. A sweeping Ballinascreen move up the field ended when Gavin Kelly was upended and won a penalty, Eamon Murray neatly slotted the ball to the net.

A fourth goal soon followed as Benny Heron won a kick out and finished smartly over the keeper to leave the score 4-6 to 1-1 at half time, the game effectively over.

With a strong breeze to contend with Screen sought to close the game out in the second half and that they did. Points from Eamon Murray, Carlus McWilliams, Gavin Kelly and Phillip Bradley left the score 4-11 to 1-1 going into the last ten minutes.

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The Screen defence fell asleep slightly and conceded a goal to Seamus Kearney in a goalmouth scramble and a point to Eugene O'Kane from a free in the last few minutes. This was a disappointing contest but Ballinascreen produced a strong performance to win easing up.

Ballinascreen scorers: Carlus McWilliams (0-1), Sean Woods (0-1), Dean Groogan (0-2), Benny Heron (2-0), Phillip Bradley (0-2), Gavin Kelly (0-3), Eamon Murray(1-2), Gavin Bradley (1-1), Marty Grant (0-1)

Swatragh scorers: Robert McWilliams (1-0), Seamus Kearney (1-0), Eugene O'Kane (0-2, frees)

Bellaghy had a double scores win over Kilrea, 1-15 to 0-9 having led 1-5 to 0-5 at half time. The only goal of the game was scored by Joe Diver as he raced through the Kilrea defence before blasting to the net after just twelve minutes.

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Kilrea's cause was not helped by injuries to midfielders James Donaghy, who retired a hamstring injury, after five minutes, and James Kielt who was also forced out with a calf injury.

Bellaghy scorers: Joe Diver (1-2), Ciaran Glackin (0-4, 0-2 frees), Conor Doherty (0-3 frees), Eoghan Brown (0-2), Gavan Diamond, Oisin Milne, Gareth Doherty and Fergal Doherty (0-1) each

Kilrea scorers: James Kielt (0-3 frees), Patrick Drain (0-2, 0-1free), Eamon Morgan, Michael Quigg, Paul Quigg and Lee Kennedy (0-1) each

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