No one could pretend Sunday’s fare in Ballyshannon was particularly appetising, but it was capped with a moment of magic when Philip Patton nailed a last minute free to grab Aodh Ruadh the win.
Aodh Ruadh 0-13 Naomh Ultan 2-6
John Hughes reports for aodhruadh.org
Long swaths of the game were turgid stuff, with Naomh Ultan deploying defensive formation which at times saw the front 65 metres entirely devoid of amber and black jerseys.
It mightn’t have been pretty, but it almost proved effective as an Alan Lyons point with seconds of normal time left put the sides level. However, those highlights were few and far between with scores a rare commodity in Father Tierney Park.
It took a full 12 minutes for the first score to arrive, a foul on Philip Patton affording Michael ‘Sticky’ Ward the opportunity to point from the right.
The visitors opened their account two minutes later, and did so in sensational fashion. Alan Lyons did well to gather the long ball in before swivelling and bursting the net.
Ballyshannon responded with another dead ball, David McGurrin converting after Shane McGrath was fouled.
Naomh Ultan were lively though and made it a double scores game with a booming long range point from Daniel Gallagher.
Damien Cleary and Philip Patton registered to level it up and Seamus Kane christened his spanking new luminous orange boots with a glorious score from the right.
Sticky Ward helped extend the lead then, picking out David McGurrin with a delicious pass which he arced over from a central position.
Last say of the half though went to Naomh Ultan, and it was another superb distance effort, this one being powered over off the boot of Aidan Duddy.
A minute into the new half it was level again. Alan Lyons opened the scoring, pointing over the shoulder after collecting from a free which dropped short. Parity didn’t last long though with Philip Patton popping over a free from out on the left.
Eight minutes into the half the gap was opened out two when Shane McGrath fed David McGurrin who measured over a lovely shot. Not long after Nathan Boyle put a goal in it with a powerful dropping shot
Cian Kennedy kept the score board ticking over for Naomh Ultan with a free after 42 minutes. Then Dermot Gallier brought it back to the minimum with another dead ball.
Aodh Ruadh needed a score at this stage and Seamus Kane was the man to oblige. He was picked out with a clever switch pass by Philip Patton before working himself some space and guiding over a lovely left foot shot. That made it 0-10 to 1-5 with 47 on the clock.
With six left to play Naomh Ultan were handed a lifeline in controversial circumstances. Aidan McAleer spotted an offence in the penalty area and pointed to the spot to the disbelief of the Aodh Ruadh defence and Lyons slotted home the penalty.
Lyons, though, was sent off for a second yellow card, after having levelled the game with a towering shot on the right.
It looked like it might be honours even, but McAleer allowed time for one more play, Philip Patton stood up to a massive pressure kick, but his temperament was cool, his execution immaculate and the result a superbly pointed free which gave the Ernesiders victory.
Aodh Ruadh: Peter Boyle; Nathan Boyle (0-1), Damian Cleary (0-1), Michael Ward; Jason Granaghan, Eamonn McGrath, Daniel Warnock; Darren Drummond, David Dolan (0-1); David McGurrin (0-3, 1f), Michael ‘Sticky’ Ward (0-1f), Philip Patton (0-4f); Shane McGrath, Seamus Kane (0-2), Johnny Gethins. Sub: Conor Patton for Daniel Warnock 35m.
Naomh Ultan: Donal Murrin; Jordan Watters, Jonathan Cassidy, Dara Byrne; Aidan Duddy (0-1), Daniel Gallagher (0-1), Dermot Gallier (0-1f); Alan Lyons (2-2, 1 pen), Cian Kennedy (0-1), Shane McWhinnie, Danny Shovlin, Peter Alvey; John Knightly, Michael Breslin, James Byrne.
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