Dominant Eoghan Rua see off Lavey in league

A dominant first quarter in which they scored 1-5 without reply provided Eoghan Rua with the platform that seen them go on to beat Lavey 1-13 to2-4 in this Division1 game at the south Derry venue last Friday evening.

The home side’s first score did not arrive until the 21st minute, a point from an Anthony McGurk free, they then grabbed a goal with the last action of the first half to go in 1-7 to 1-2 adrift.

The second half was a tighter affair with Lavey clawing the deficit back to three points midway through at 1-10 to 2-4 but that was as good as it got for the Gulladuff men as Eoghan Rua steadied the ship and added three unanswered points to run out fairly comfortable six point winners.

Coming into this game on the back of a solid home win over Ballinasccreen Eoghan Rua were facing a Lavey side on home soil that had made an impressive start to their league campaign with five wins from their eight outings.

A good start was needed for the visitors and that is exactly what they got.

Three well worked points in the opening seven minutes set the tone for the first quarter. Conor Carey opened the scoring in the 3rd minute before Liam McGoldrick added a second a couple ofminutes late.

The third point was worth the admission money on its own , winning the ball deep in his own half full back Ciaran Mullan charged forward and just kept going before tapping over the bar from just outside the 20m line, a super effort.

In the ninth minute Eoghan Rua struck for a goal, Colm McGoldrick was hauled down for a penalty which he took himself tucking the ball low to the corner of the net. The visitors good start continued as Conor Carey picked up a blocked shot by Colm McGoldrick to tap over.

In the 16th minute it was Lliam McGoldrick’s turn to profit from a blocked shot as he was quickest to the break ball to point, 1-5 to nil now the score. It was all of 21 minutes before Lavey raised their first flag having shot four wides, Anthony McGurk scoring the first of his four points from frees.

Conor Carey quickly replied again for Eoghan Rua but he had to leave the field injured shortly after, Hugh Casey coming in.

Lavey got their second point in the 25th minute again it was from a free, Anthony McGurk on target.

The visitors were still very much in control however and were soon on the attack again coming away with another point, Colm McGoldrick scoring to put eight between the sides two minutes from the break.

In probably their best move of the game Lavey finished the half with a goal. A sweeping move from the left side of their defence seen Anthony McGurk, Liam Murphy and Kevin Rafferty combine to set up Damian Chivers to strike low to the corner of the Eoghan Rua net cutting the deficit to five points at the break.

Early in the second half Eoghan Rua were denied a second goal when Leo Sweeney’s shot was blocked, they did add to their lead sisx minutes in when Ciaran Mullan combined with Gavan McWilliams for the latter to point.

Just a minute after that score however the Eoghan Rua defence was undone when Kevin O’Neill’s high ball into the edge of the square wasn’t dealt with as Anthony McGurk side footed the loose ball to the net.

Lavey then had Damian Chives balck carded with Niall Toner coming in. Eoghan Rua responded well to the goal setback as quickly tacked on two points Ciaran McGoldrick and Colm McGoldrick from a free scoring.

Lavey were just beginning to enjoy a little bit of pressure on the visitors defence and forced a couple of frees which were converted by Anthony McGurk, again leaving just three points between the sides going into the last quarte.

At that stage the home side were threatening to stage a good comeback from the early scoring onslaught from Eoghan Rua. However it never really materialised, lavey having a second player, midfielder Kevin O’Neill black carded ten minutes from the end.

The Colerraine men dominated the last ten minutes as they hit three unanswered points Liam McGoldrick pointing twice fom dead balls, the first a ’45’ and the second a huge effort from over 50 meters out.

Sanwiched between thise was another pointed free, Gavan McWilliams scoring to complete a solid six point win for Eoghan Rua.

Eoghan Rua: Ryan McGeough; Mark McTaggart, Ciaran Mullan, Ciaran Lagan; Ciaran Lenehan, Sean Leo McGoldrick, Ruari Mooney; Niall Holly, Liam McGoldrick; Gavan McWilliams, Colm McGoldrick, Declan Mullan; Leo Sweeney, Ciaran McGoldrick, Conor Carey.

Substitutes: Hugh Casey fo C Carey, Kieran Lagan for L Sweeney.

Eoghan Rua scorers: Colm McGoldrick (1-2, 1-0 pen, 0-1 free), Liam McGoldrick (0-4, 0-1 free, 0-1 ‘45’), Conor Carey (0-3), Gavan McWilliams (0-2). Ciaran Mullan (0-1), Ciaran McGoldrick (0-1)

Lavey: Ciaran O’Boyle; Shane Lagan, Kevin McCloy, Patrick Dillon; Michael Drumm, Colm Murphy, Eamon McGill; Ben Dodds, Kevin O’Neill; Damian Chivers, Anthony McGurk, Shane McGill; Christopher Henry, Kevin Rafferty, Liam Murphy.

Lavey scorers: Anthony McGurk (1-4, 0-4 frees), Damian Chivers (1-0).

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