Narrow home win for Glenullin over Eoghan Rua in ‘top four’ league clash

Glenullin, on home soil, came out on top in this ‘top four’ league clash as their narrow 1-12 to 0-13 win over Eoghan Rua took them to joint second with the Coleraine men.

The home team held the upper hand throughout after Paddy Bradley’s goal in the 13th minute gave Glenullin a five point cushion as they raced into a 1-3 to 0-1 lead. Eoghan Rua had opened the scoring with a Barry McGoldrick point in the second minute but Glenullin went on to dominate the first quarter after Ruari Boylan equalised with a long range effort after five minutes.

Points from Domnic McIlvar and Ruari Bradley put Glenullin ahead before Paddy Bardley got on the end of a cross field punt to the edge of the square by McIlvar to palm to the Eoghan Rua net. Eoghan Rua came back with a Ciaran McGoldrick point in the 14th minute and should have had a goal themselves just a minute later.

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A neat pass from Leo Sweeney put Conor Carey in with only the goalkeeper to beat from close range but his shot thundered off the bar, Colm McGoldrcik gathered the rebound but he snapped his shot wide of the post a double goal opportunity missed, it would prove costly. Two points in a minute from Ciaran and Liam McGoldrick had reduced the gap but Glenullin soon had their four point lead again as Karl McNicholl and Ruari Boylan pointed.

The visitors then came back again with two points on the bounce, Anton Rafferty from near the ‘45’ meter line and Ciaran McGoldrick from a close range free. However once again the home side enjoyed a strong spell and in the closing minutes of the half hit three unanswered points to lead by five, 1-8 to 0-6 at the break. Glenullin extended their lead early in the second half with a neat Paddy Bradley point from a tight angle but Eoghan Rua went on to dominate the third quarter. They reeled off four points in a row to haul themselves right back into the game just two adrift going into the fourth quarter.

Three points from frees, Ciaran McGoldrick (2) and second half substitute Gregory Bradley, while Barry McGoldrick added a long range effort. The sides then exchanged points before Eoghan Rua got back level with strikes from Ciaran McGoldrick and Ciaran Lenehan. It looked as if it was going to be honours as the game moved into added time.

Not so, as Domnic McIlvar squeezed over a point from the tightest of angles before Ruari Boylan sealed the win with another well taken score two minutes into added time. That early scoring burst from Glenullin proved to be crucial stage of the game as Eoghan Rua’s third quarter comeback to draw level was not enough to hold off the home’ side’s double strike winning salvo.

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Eoghan Rua: Ryan McGeough; Eamon Conneely, Mark McTaggart, Sean McWilliams; Ciaran Lagan, Barry McGoldrick, Anton rafferty; Richard Carey, Liam McGooldrick; Ciaran Lenehan, Colm McGoldrick, Liam Frizelle; Leo Sweeney, Ciaran McGoldrick, Conor Carey.

Scorers: C McGoldrick (0-7, 0-4 frees), B McGoldrick (0-2, 0-1 free), A Rafferty (0-1), G Bradley (0-1 free), L McGoldrick (0-1), C Lenehan (0-1).

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