Eoghan Rua crash at home to Slaughtneil

This game really was only a contest in the opening quarter when Eoghan Rua had opened up a two points to nil lead before being reeled in by a four point salvo by the 10th minute. When Stephen Coyles reduced the gap to one in the 12th minute that was to be Eoghan Rua’s last point until three minutes into added time at the end of the first half. Meanwhile Slaughtneil went on a scoring spree in the second quarter. With Shane Kelly and particularly Paudie McGuigan dominating around midfield and Enda McKaigue pulling the strings further forward Slaughtneil were rampant hitting eight unanswered points by the 25th minute. When Fergal McEldowney finished off a sweeping move to the Coleraine net in the 27th minute to lead by thirteen points it was all but game over. The Emmetts went on to hit four more points to Eoghan Rua’s one to lead by sixteen points, 1-17 to 0-4, at the break.

There really was no way back for the home side in the second half, it was simply damage limitation as Slaughtneil almost inevitably took the foot off the pedal. Eoghan Rua did make some headway in the second half as Niall Holly and Sean Paul Henry gained a bit more possession around the middle. Indeed Eoghan Rua actually ‘won’ the second half 0-7 to 0-4 but the real damage had already been done in the first half when Slaughtneil had built up that commanding lead.

Eoghan Rua team: Ryan McGeough; Ciaran Lagan, Ciaran Mullan, Barry McTaggart; Ciaran Lenehan, Sean McWilliams, Colm Hanlon; Niall Holly, Sean Paul Henry; Liam Frizelle, Ciaran McGoldrick, Liam McGoldrick; Conor Carey, Richard Carey, Stephen Coyles.

Eoghan Rua scorers; Ciaran McGoldrick (0-3, 0-2 frees), Niall Holly (0-2), Richard Carey (0-2), Conor Carey (0-1), Stephen Coyles (0-1), Liam McGoldrick (0-1), Ciaran Mullan (0-1).

Slaughtneil: Anthony McMullan; Peadar Kearney, Michael McCrory, Conan Cassidy; Gerard Bradley, Padraig Kelly, Shea McGuigan; Shane Kelly, Paudie McGuigan; Fergal McEldowney, Paul Bradley, Christopher Brdaley; Enda McKaigue, Michael Kelly, Jim Kelly.

Slaughtneil scorers; Paul Bradley (0-7, 0-4 frees), Chnristopher Bradley (0-6), Fergal McEldowney (1-1), Jim Kelly (0-3), Paudie McGuigan (0-2), Enda McKaigue (0-1), Shane Kelly (0-1), Gerard Bradley (0-2).

CAREY HAT-TRICK SINKS CAREY

A first half three goal salvo from Eoin Carey sent Eoghan Rua’s senior hurlers on their way to a 4-6 to 1-9 win over Carey in this North Antrim junior league fixture at Pairc Eoghain Rua last week. All three goals came in the first ten minutes of the game when Eoin Carey was firing on all cylinders, he added a couple of fine points to put the Coleraine side3-2 to 0-1 up and well on their way to a second home win of the campaign. Further points from Anton Rafferty (2) and Conor Carey helped Eoghan Rua to a commanding 3-6 to 0-3 half-time lead. The North Antrim side dominated the third quarter adding six points without reply and threatened to reel in the home side’s big lead but for a couple of good saves from Eoghan Rua goalkeeper and some solid defending from Michael Kelly and Pat Cassidy it could have been closer still. The pressure was relieved when Niall McLernon stole in to fire to the net from close range five minutes from the end, Eoghan Rua’s only score of the entire second half. A late Carey goal did little to change the course of the game as Eoghan Rua ran out 4-6 to 1-9 winners.

The Eoghan Rua scorers were: Eoin Carey (3-3), Niall McLernon (1-0), Anton Rafferty (0-2), Conor Carey (0-1).

Carey scorers: Peter Murphy (1-0), Paddy Butler (0-4), Ciaran McCaughan (0-3), Liam McVey (0-2).