AODH Ruadh began life back in the Donegal SFC in style with a 14-point away win over south Donegal rivals Four Masters.
Four Masters 0-10 Aodh Ruadh 1-21
By Charlie Collins at Tir Chonaill Park
Philip Patton opened the scoring for the visitors in the first minute with a fine score from play and Nathan Boyle followed it up with a ’45 a minute later. Two minutes later the home team should have opened their account with a goal but Killian Faulkner blasted wide after Jamie Crawford had set him up.
Aodh Ruadh responded with three excellent points in quick succession, Philip Patton and Nathan Boyle from frees and corner-back Conor Patton from play, 0-5 to 0-0 to the visitors.
Richard O’Rourke’s free finally got the home team on the scoresheet in the 11th minute but Shane McGrath and Mark McGlynn both scored from play to widen the gap to six points and another O’Rourke free left it 0-2 to 0-7 to Aodh Ruadh at the water break.
Darren Drummond extended the visitors lead from play but Cian Hegarty replied with Masters third free.
Aodh Ruadh were dangerous every time they attacked and added four more points before half-time – Oisín Rooney , Mark McGlynn and Nathan Boyle from play and another free from Philip Patton to Richard O’Rourke’s third free for Masters.
The home side failed to score from play in the opening half. At half-time Aodh Ruadh led by 0-12 to 0-4 and were well in control.
Nathan Boyle kicked his fourth point in the first minute of the second-half but O’Rourke replied with yet another free.
Philip Patton immediately converted his fourth point from a free just after Masters ‘keeper Martin Cassidy had denied Mark McGlynn goal chance with a Brillant save, 0-14 to 0-5 to Aodh Ruadh.
David Dolan pointed for the visitors and then Nathan Boyle continued his impressive performance with the game’s opening goal. Jimmy Gethins and Darren Drummond combined to create the opening and Boyle blasted the ball past keeper Cassidy.
Philip Patton pointed a free, Boyle scored from play and Oisín Rooney converted a mark as the scores kept coming.
Cian Hegarty converted Masters’ sixth score , another free and O’Rourke finally got Masters first point from play, following it quickly with another.
Two late scores from Cian Hegarty and Shay Travers to double figures but Aodh Ruadh ran out impressive winners.
Four Masters: Martin Cassidy; Cathal Canavan, Dylan Kennedy, Brian Fegan; Aidan McHugh, Barry Dunnion, Darragh Geary; Leo McHugh, Patrick Reid; Richard O’Rourke (0-6,4f); Jason Duignan, Sean O’Kennedy, Jamie Crawford; Cian Hegarty (0-3f), Killian Faulkner. Subs: Darren Doherty for McHugh (38), Sean Meehan and Shay Travers (0-1) for Kennedy and Crawford (49).
Aodh Ruadh: Karl O’Brien; Jason Granaghan, Colm Kelly, Conor Patton (0-1); Johnny Gethins, Eddie Lynch, Kyle Murray; Eamonn McGrath, Nathan Boyle (1-6, 2 ’45, 1f); Philip Patton (0-6, 4f), Darren Drummond (0-1), Mark McGlynn (0-2); Oisín Rooney (0-2), David Dolan (0-2), Shane McGrath (0-1). Subs: Michael McKenna for Drummond (40), Ryan Granaghan and Johnny Gallagher for Rooney and Gethins (48), Niall Murray for K.Murray (50), Senan Rooney for McGlynn (57).
Referee: Jimmy White (Killybegs).
