GAA: Eoghan Rua go down to Bellaghy

The Coleraine men did not spoil the celebrations for the hosts as they went down to a crushing 1-13 to 0-6 defeat in this Division One league game. Both teams were short a number of first team starters, mainly due to county commitments for next Sunday's Ulster championship preliminary round game, but it was the Bellaghy men who showed their strength in depth with a convincing win.

It was looking ominous for the visitors at half-time when they went in level with Bellaghy 0-6 apiece despite having the aid of a strong down field wind in their favour for the opening 30 minutes. Eoghan Rua had spurned three good goal chances, two in the first half and wasted a couple of relatively close-in frees. Both first half goal chances fell to Gregory Bradley, one in the first minute and then a minute from the end of the half, but twice Bellaghy goalkeeper Ronan Rocks blocked the path to what would have been crucial three-pointers. Then within seconds of the restart Hugh Casey found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper and again Rocks smothered out a weak effort before the rebound was hacked wide. Eoghan Rua could ill afford to spurn such glaring opportunities and at this level you pay a heavy price for profligacy in front of goals.

Coleraine started well and after Rocks blocked out Bradley's goal attempt Colm McGoldrick swept the rebound over the bar. A good run by midfielder Sean Paul Henry set up Colm McGoldrick to punch over his second point and barely a minute gone. Coleraine then missed a couple of chances before Bellaghy broke out of defence, following a weak free kick into the goalkeeper's arms, to get their opening score from Declan Graffin. Eoghan Rua briefly went further ahead with a Ciaran McGoldrick point from a free before Bellaghy began to get to grips with matters around the middle and put the squeeze on the visitors. By the 11th minute and just six minutes later three further points had them 0-6 to 0-3 ahead. Coleraine did get back level but they were making heavy weather of matters despite having a very strong wind favouring them in the opening half. Bellaghy were getting on top around the middle third through Francis Glackin, Dermot O'Kane and Conan Brown while Coleraine failed to deal properly with the home sides raiding defenders, three of whom, Glackin, Colin Murray and Kevin Doherty, got onto the score sheet in the half. Doherty would go on to cause all sorts of trouble for Coleraine in the second half including banging in Bellaghy's one real goal chance in the last minute to embellish their win.

Seconds after the restart Hugh Casey had a great chance for Coleraine goal but his effort was blocked out by Rocks and the ball then sent harmlessly wide. Two quick points in the 37th and 38th minutes had Bellaghy back in front and two more by the end of the third quarter from Aaron Cassidy and Conor Doherty, both frees, had the home side well on the way to victory at four ahead. In probably their poorest display to date this season the Eoghan Rua side failed to raise a flag throughout the entire second half as Bellaghy hit 1-1 in the last couple of minutes for a commanding ten point victory.

Following the senior game Bellaghy’s reserve side completed the double over Eoghan Rua with a 2-12 to 0-7 wind. Again the Eoghan Rua men did not make the most of the strong downfield wind in the first half as they led by just two points 0-7 to 0-5 at the break. Bellaghy were too strong in the second half and their more direct style of getting the ball quickly into the full forward line paid dividends.

The result of the weekend in Division One was not too hard to find as Slaughtmanus, who plied their trade in Division 3 last year, beat Glenullin by a full seven points, 2-9 to 0-7, certainly an eye-opener that one!

Magherafelt grabbed their first win of the season beating Loup by a single point 1-8 to 1-7 while Lavey returned to winning form beating Ballinascreen by the minimum margin, 0-10 to 0-9. Slaughtneil, who meet Eoghan Rua in the next round of the championship, maintained the only 100% winning record in the league with a narrow 0-9 to 0-8 win over Dungiven.

Ballinderry stay top of the table with their 1-9 to 0-9 win over Banagher while Kilrea had nine points to spare over Swatragh 2-11 to 0-8.

The Eoghan Rua scorers were: Kieran Lagan (0-4, 0-2 frees), Pdraig Mianain, Paddy Doherty and Kevin McCarry (0-1) each.

Bellaghy: R Rocks; D O’Neill, K Doherty, C Murray; D Graffin, C Brown, O Milne; F Glackin, D O’Kane; Dermot Larkin, G Diamond, S Scullion; G Doherty, C Doherty, A Cassidy.

Bellaghy scorers; K Doherty (1-2), A Cassidy (0-3, 0-2 frees), G Diamond (0-2), C Doherty (0-2 frees), D Grafin (0-1), C Murray (0-1), S Scullion (0-1), D Larkin (0-1)

Eoghan Rua: R McGeough; S McWilliams, M McTaggart, C Trolan; C Lenehan, M Mearns, A Rafferty; N Holly, S P Henry; P Daly, Ciaran McGoldrick, H Casey; G Bradley, Colm McGoldrick, R Carey.

Sunstitutes: L Frizelle for C Trolan (inj).

Eoghan Rua scorers: Ciaran McGoldrick (0-3, 0-2 frees), Colm McGoldrick (0-2), H Casey (0-1).