GAA: Eoghan Rua pass Screen test

A solid season in 2008 was followed by winning Division 2 in 2009 to gain promotion to Division 1 for this year.

That remarkable journey took yet another stunning step forward last Saturday evening when they defeated Ballinascreen 1-9 to 1-7 to reach the final of the Derry senior football championship.

It was a hard fought but fully deserved victory for the Eoghan Rua outfit as they held off a late challenge from the 'Screen men. Indeed it could have ended in absolute agony for Coleraine as they took a two point lead into the two minutes of added time.

The two minutes had elapsed when Barry McGoldrick's long range free went just wide of the post and the final whistle was anticipated on the kick out. Not so as the referee allowed the game to continue and when Ballinascreen were awarded a free just twenty meters out, a point was no good for them, a goal however would snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

The ball was drilled in low and hard and in a heart stopping sequence it bounced off two Eoghan Rua defenders before being cleared off the line and away to safety by a combination of Sean Leo McGoldrick and Ciaran Mullan.

The whistle then sounded and it was time for the Eoghan Rua men to celebrate victory and a place in the county final for the first time ever.

Despite taking an early lead with a superb Niall Holly point Eoghan Rua struggled to get to grips with a packed midfield area where Ballinascreen were picking up most of the break ball.

In the fourth minute Gavin Bradley had a goal chance for Ballinascreen but his low shot whistled past the far post and wide. The sides were level a minute later when Phillip Bradley pointed a close in free. Eoghan Rua were dealt a double blow a couple of minutes later.

Following a foul on the hard working Declan Mullan the normally deadly accurate Barry McGoldrick pulled a thirty meter free wide of the post. Just two minutes later Ballinascreen were awarded what seemed to be a harsh penalty when goalkeeper Ryan McGeough was adjudged to have made a foot block following a close range shot by Eamon Murray.

The penalty was calmly stroked to the corner of the Eoghan Rua net by Gavin Bradley and two minutes later Ciaran McElroy added to Ballinascreen's lead with a fine point. At this stage it was not looking too good for the Coleraine side but they came back strong in the second quarter.

Two points from Barry McGoldrick, the first a '45', the second from a close in free, gave Eoghan Rua a lift as they had been under the cosh for most of the opening quarter. In the 20th minute Ciaran Lenehan and Ciaran McGoldrick combined to set up Niall Holly for a fine point that reduced the gap to a single point.

Ballinascreen wasted a good chance to increase their lead before Eoghan Rua struck for a crucial goal five minutes from the end of the half. Barry McGoldrick pushed forward down the right side before releasing Declan Mullan who cut in close to the end line, his fist pass across the small square was palmed to the net by the inrushing Gregory Bradley. Moments later Richard Carey struck over a fine point to put Coleraine three clear but that was soon reduced to two again when Phillip Bradley landed an easy free.

Despite that score Eoghan Rua continued to dominate around the middle where Niall Holly was particularly prominent, he was getting great support from Sean Leo McGoldrick who covered virtually every blade of grass on the Banagher pitch, Sean Paul Henry and Anton Rafferty who was pushing forward from half-back.

The hard working Gregory Bradley pointed before Ciaran McGoldrick finished off a sweeping move involving Anton Rafferty, Niall Holly and Ciaran Lenehan. After a nervous start Eoghan Rua had turned around their fortunes with a storming second quarter to take a four point lead, 1-7 to 1-3 into the break.

The opening ten minutes of the second half was scoreless, Colm McGoldrick slipping just when it seemed he was in for a goal chance. That barren spell was ended with a spectacular Niall Holly point as he charged forward from midfield to drill over the bar putting Eoghan Rua five clear going into the last fifteen minutes.

The final quarter proved to be a real backs against the wall effort for the Eoghan Rua men as they battled to stave off a wave of Ballinascreen attacks. Eoghan Rua became even more defensive as they pulled all but a couple of players back beyond their own 65m line.

Twice Ballinascreen threatened goals, Ciaran Mullan making a tremendous block before Gavin Bradley blazed wide of the far post. Second half substitute Benny Heron who made a real impact when coming in reduced the gap to four twelve minutes from the end. Ballinascreen were now getting on top and points from Ciaran McElroy and Benny Heron reduced the gap to just two.

The next score would surely be crucial as Ballinascreen were on top while Eoghan Rua seemed to have gone too deep and were not threatening as an attacking force.

Wing forward Ciaran McGoldrick who was operating in a deep role picked up the ball well inside his own half before embarking on a searing solo run forward which took him past a number of flailing Ballinascreen defenders.

With virtually no outlet pass in front of him McGoldrick just continued on and after a lung bursting run he coolly stroked the ball over the bar, it really was a turning point and just what Eoghan Rua needed at that stage.

As the game moved into the two minutes of added time called for by the referee Benny Heron pointed a free to leave just two between the sides, a goal now would win it for Ballinascreen.

As the seconds ticked on beyond the two minutes Ballinascreen almost got the goal they needed but the Eoghan Rua defence stood firm, accepted the one bit of luck they seemed to get in the entire game as the ball pinged about close to their goal line and got it clear to the sound of the final whistle.

A goal at that stage really would have been a travesty as Eoghan Rua were the better side on the night and despite giving up what seemed an inordinate amount of frees, particularly in the second half they held on grimly for an historic place in the senior county final in three weeks time.

Eoghan Rua: Ryan McGeough; Cormac Trolan, Ciaran Mullan, Mark Mearns; Ciaran Lenehan, Barry McGoldrick, Anton Rafferty; Sean Paul Henry, Niall Holley; Declan Mullan, Sean Leo McGoldrick, Richard Carey; Ciaran McGoldrick, Colm McGoldrick, Gregory Bradley. Subs used: Hugh Casey for Colm McGoldrick (48 mins), Barry McTaggart for C Lenehan (57)

Eoghan Rua scorers: Gregory Bradley (1-1), Barry McGoldrick (0-2, 0-1 free, 0-1 '45'), Niall Holly (0-2), Ciaran McGoldrick (0-2), Richard Carey (0-1)

Ballinascreen: Alastair Clerkin; Darren McKillion, Dermot McBride, Dermot Scullion; John Scullion, Michael McBride, John Francis Bradley; Anton Kelly, Sean Woods; Carlus McWilliams, Eamon Murray, Phillip Bradley; Gavin Bradley, Ciaran McElroy, Eamon Murray.

Subs used: Benny Heron for P Bradley (36 mins), Michael McShane for A Kelly (38), Gavin Kelly for Eamon Murray (44), Emmett McKillion for Eunan Murray (48), Phillip McGlade for S Woods.

Ballinascreen scorers: Gavin Bradley (1-0), Phillip Bradley (0-2, 0-1 free), Ciaran McElroy (0-2, 0-1 free), Benny Heron (0-2, 0-1 free), Gavin Kelly (0-1).