Despite playing 50 minutes Aodh Ruadh had ten points to spare as they booked a spot in the semi-finals of the Donegal Intermediate Football Championship.
Aodh Ruadh 2-14 Buncrana 1-7
Seamus Kane netted a goal in each half for Aodh Ruadh as they made light of 13-man Buncrana.
Aodh Ruadh, spurred by Kane’s opening goal after only five minutes, led 1-8 to 0-3 and just 15 seconds into the second half, Kane pounced again.
Shane McGrath provided the assist and Kane steered home to put them game firmly out of Buncrana’s reach as Aodh Ruadh made the semi-finals for the third year in a row – having fallen at the penultimate hurdle in each of the last two years.
Kane should have had his hat-trick in the 43rd minute. After a superb move involving David McGurrin and Philip Patton, Kane could have palmed to the net. Kane, though, elected to go around the ‘keeper and got stopped in his tracks.
John Campbell netted from a 48th minute penalty after Damien Cleay pulled down Caolan McGonagle, but Buncrana had too stiff a mountain to climb.
Buncrana themselves were reduced to 14 men when Kevin Campbell was sent off six minutes from the end. Campbell was fortunate to receive a second yellow rather than a straight red when he struck out at Colm Kelly.
Buncrana finished with 13 men as Conor Grant was booked for the second time in the dying moments.
Aodh Ruadh, beaten semi-finalists last year, are on their way back to Division 1 in the League and the Ernesiders harbour big ambitions of making a return to the Senior Championship.
For the best part of the last decade, the Ernesiders have been in the Intermediate grade, but the Ballyshannon men are beginning to think big again.
They were in charge here from the off and with the game’s first score, Kane’s goal, they assumed control.
Shane McGrath fed Kane, who was the picture of cool as he tucked past the reach of Sean Parker, the Buncrana goalkeeper.
McGurrin posted two lovely scores to stretch the lead and Darren Drummond drilled just over, after taking a pass from Conor Patton. Drummond might’ve been eyeing up a goal, but was left to settle for a point.
By then, James O’Donnell’s team were down to 14 men after Gethins was given his marching orders for an apparent strike on Oisin O’Flaherty.
But they made light of their numerical disadvantage and when Patton stroked over a pair of frees, Aodh Ruadh moved seven in front.
Buncrana’s Kevin Campbell was fortunate to escape sanction in the 18th minute and William McLaughlin was left to walk a tightrope after collecting a yellow card.
Patton sweetly sailed over a 45-metre free and a marauding run by McGrath teed up a fine move that saw Kane offload to McGurrin, whose effort seemed effortless.
In added time at the end of the half, Parker did well to save from McGurrin, who raced in to get on the end of McGrath’s pass.
There was still time for McGrath to see a shot deflect inches wide.
A goal then and the game would have been completely beyond Buncrana, who were 1-8 to 0-3 behind at the short whistler after Peter Boyle came up to convert the ’45 from McGrath’s chance.
The sparks could be heard flying from the Buncrana dressing room at the break, but when Kane hit his second goal mere seconds into the new half, the curtains could be drawn and Aodh Ruadh were already semi-final bound.
Aodh Ruadh: Peter Boyle (0-2, 1f, 1 ’45); Colm Kelly, Damian Cleary, Michael Ward; Eamon McGrath, Johnny Gallagher, Johnny Gethins; David Dolan, Darren Drummond (0-1); Philip Patton (0-5, 5f), Michael ‘Sticky’ Ward, David McGurrin (0-5); Shane McGrath, Seamus Kane (2-0), Conor Patton. Subs: Nathan Boyle (0-1) for Ward (41), Jason Granaghan for McGurrin (58).
Buncrana: Sean Parker, Shane McLaughlin, Aidan Stokes, Stephen Doherty; Kevin Campbell, William McLaughlin, Conor Grant; Peter McLaughlin Caolan McGonagle (0-1, 1f); Oisin O’Flaherty (0-1), Oran Doherty, Noel McLaughlin; Oisin Doherty (0-1, 1f), John Campbell (1-4, 1pen, 3f), Kevin Treacy. Subs: Darach O’Connor for N.McLaughlin (23), Ryan McElhinney for O’Connor (49), Noel McLaughlin for S.McLaughlin (52).
Referee: Mark Dorrian (Gaeil Fhánada).
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