GAA: Eoghan Rua reach semis

WHEN Colm McGoldrick palmed the ball into an empty Glen net just over a minute into added time at the end of the first half Eoghan Rua had pulled seven points clear, 2-6 to 0-5, and were well on their way to the semi-finals of the Derry senior football championship.
By The Newsroom
Published 30th Aug 2010, 08:45 BST
Updated 1st Sep 2010, 10:11 BST

The Coleraine side went on to win comfortably, 3-14 to 0-10. This quarter-final victory in Forglen last Saturday evening was as comfortable as the scoreline suggests.

The only time that Eoghan Rua came under threat was at the start of the second quarter. By that stage the Coleraine men had raced into a 0-4 to nil lead with double strikes from Gregory Bradley, two frees and Declan Mullan.

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Glen hit a purple patch of scoring in a five minute period from the 17th minute. Just prior to their first point arriving Glen had a couple of goal chances, twice Eoghan Rua goalkeeper Ryan McGeough came to his sides rescue with good close in blocks.

From the second save the ball went out for a '45' which was steered over the bar by Odhrann Bradley for Glen's first score in the 17th minute.

Within four minutes Glen had drawn level with points from Conlann Bradley (2) and Mark O'Donnell. At that stage it seemed Glen were going to put Eoghan Rua to the pin of their collar but within a minute of O'Donnell's leveling score the ball was in the Glen net for the first time.

A sweeping move down the left side saw Colm and Ciaran McGoldrick combine to set up Gregory Bradley for his goal. Glen came back with a point in the 25th minute but two pointed frees from Barry McGoldrick extended Eoghan Rua's lead.

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Then, in added time, came the crucial score that set Eoghan Rua on their way to the semi-final. The left side proved productive again as Sean Leo McGoldrick and Declan Mullan carved out an opening, the ball was fed in to Gregory Bradley who passed across the edge of the small square to the unmarked Colm McGoldrick who palmed into the net.

Seven points ahead, 2-6 to 0-5, at the break Eoghan Rua quickly added to their lead in the second half through a Declan Mullan point. Glen then had a good spell that produced two points from the boot of Conlann Bradley but they would not score again for a further ten minutes.

Meanwhile Eoghan Rua struck over five points in a row, Barry McGoldrick, Mark McTaggart, Colm McGoldrick (2) and Sean Paul Henry their scorers.That scoring burst effectively put the tie beyond Glen going into the final quarter which was played out in a very low key manner.

The sides did exchange a couple of points each but Gregory Bradley's goal three minutes from time embellished a solid Eoghan Rua performance that sees them through to their first ever Derry senior semi-final.

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Eoghan Rua: Ryan McGeough; Cormac Trolan, Ciaran Mullan, Barry McTaggart; Ciaran Lenehan, Barry McGoldrick, Mark Mearns; Sean Paul Henry, Niall Holley; Declan Mullan, Sean Leo McGoldrick, Mark McTaggart; Ciaran McGoldrick, Colm McGoldrick, Gregory Bradley. Subs used: Richard Carey for M McTaggart (45mins), Leo Sweeney for Colm McGoldrick (53), Hugh Casey for Ciaran McGoldrick (53), Ciaran lagan for C Lenehan (56), Keith Farran for N Holly (58)

Eoghan Rua scorers: Gregory Bradley (2-2, 0-2 frees), Colm McGoldrick (1-2), Barry McGoldrick (0-3 frees), Declan Mullan (0-3), Ciaran McGoldrick (0-2), Mark McTaggart (0-1), Sean Paul Henry (0-1).

Glen: Andrew Warnock; Sean Convery, Phillip O’Connell, Declan Brolly; Ben McGuckin, Kevin Bryson, Odhran Bradley; John McCamley, Johnny Bradley; Sean Gribbin, Stephen Convery, Conlann Bradley; Emmett Bradley, Mickey McCullagh, Mark O’Donnell.

Subs: Joe Bradley for B McGuckin (11)Aodhan McGrath for S Gribbin (37), Gavin O’Kane for J Bradley (45), Ryan Winton for Ryan Bradley (49).

Glen scorers: Conlann Bradley (0-6, 0-4 frees), Mark O’Donnell (0-2, 0-1 free), Odhran Bradley (0-1), Emmett Bradley (0-1).

Related topics:GAA