Eoghan Rua see off Glenullin at home

The home side got off to a flier as they stormed into a 1-4 to 0-1 lead by the end of the first quarter. Glenullin began to make some headway around the middle third mainly through the efforts of Brian Mullan winning an ocean of breaking ball and by half-time were just three adrift at 1-6 to 0-6.

Just ten minutes into the second half Glenullin were level, Eoin Bradley gaoling from a penalty and then Ruari Boylan levelling matters. The sides then traded point for point over the next fifteen minutes and were still locked together 1-10 each three minutes from the end of normal time. However Coleraine finished strongly with three unanswered points to run out narrow winners in this entertaining neighbourly clash.

Eoghan Rua dominated the first quarter and crucially turned their dominance of possession into scores starting with Ciaran McGoldrick’s opening point inside 30 seconds. Just a couple of minutes later a sweeping move ended with Niall Holly placing Conor Carey in space in front of goals to calmly slide the ball to the Glenullin net.

After Paddy Bradley missed a chance to get Glenullin off the mark from a long range free Coleraine added two points inside a minute Liam and Ciaran McGoldrick scoring, just seven minutes gone. Coleraine then had a couple of wides before Glenullin eventually found their scoring range, Brian Mullan bursting forward to point in the 11th minute.

Two minutes after that score Eoghan Rua were on the attack again as Liam Frizelle combined with Sean Leo McGoldrick for the latter to extend the home side’s lead again. Glenullin were beginning to make some headway in the possession stakes in the middle third as Brian Mullan picked up his fair share of break ball. Ryan McGeough came to Eoghan Rua’s rescue when he made a super save from an Eoin Bradley effort, the ball eventually going out for a ‘45’.

Despite getting the ball back when Ruari Bouylan’s effort dropped short Eoghan Rua coughed up possession allowing Paddy Bradley to break clear and steer over Glenullin’s second point.

The visitors then went on to dominate proceedings and in a ten minute spell added three points from Eoin Bradley, Karl McNicholl and Dermot O’Kane.

The first of those scores drew a second superb close range save from Ryan McGeough as he tipped Eoin Bradley’s pile driver over the bar. Going into the last five minutes of the half the sides exchanged points before Ciaran McGoldrick completed the first half scoring with a point to leave Coleraine 1-6 to 0-6 ahead at the break.

Glenullin started the second half brightly but twice they were wide of the posts leaving Niall Holly to burst through the middle to increase the home side’s lead to four 1-7 to 0-6 four minutes into the half.

Two minutes after that score Glenullin were right back in it when Eoin Bradley was brought down for a penalty which he duly dispatched to the Coleraine net leaving just a point between the sides. That was soon wiped out as Ruari Boylan went through from midfield to level matters and then Eoin Bradley had Glenullin in front for the first time in the game ten minutes into the second half.

Two points from frees through Ciaran McGoldrick had the home side back in front but Dermot O’Kane had the sides back on level terms ten minutes from the end. Indeed Glenullin squandered a couple of good chances to move ahead earlier as Ruari Boylan was short from a forty meter free and Paddy Bradley sent wide from a good position.

As the game moved into the last five minutes the league points were very much up for grabs. Richard Carey had Eoghan Rua briefly ahead again but Eoin Bradley levelled matters for the fourth time in the second half. At this stage a draw would probably have satisfied both sides but Eoghan Rua finished strongly.

Three unanswered points in the closing three minutes from Ciaran McGoldrick (2) and Kieran Lagan gave the home side victory and two more league points that will ensure the Coleraine club’s stay in the top Division for next season at least.

Next up for Eoghan Rua will be Steelstown away on Sunday 15 July at 3.30pm. The newly promoted city side are battling for survival in Division 1, currently they have just four points and are sitting in the relegation play-off zone.

They had a fantastic win last week against Bellaghy and will be looking to follow that up with two more home points against the Coleraine side.

It is a few years since these sides met so it should prove to be an interesting clash. While Eoghan Rua are all but safe they will still be aiming for a big performance.

The two league points will be the aim but with the first round of the senior championship looming sharpening up ahead of their clash with Slaughtneil will be just as important.

Eoghan Rua team; Ryan McGeough; Sean McWilliams, Ciaran Mullan, Kieran Lagan; Ciaran Lagan, Sean Leo McGoldrick, Kieran Lagan; Barry McGoldrick, Niall Holly; Liam Frizelle, Ciaran McGoldrick, Liam McGoldrick; Conor Carey, Richard Carey, Barry McTaggart.

Substitutes: Stephen Coyles for C Carey.

Eoghan Rua scorers: Ciaran McGoldrick (0-8, 0-4 frees), Conor Carey (1-0), Liam McGoldrick (0-1), Richard Carey (0-1), Kieran Lagan (0-1), Sean Leo McGoldrick (0-1), Niall Holly (0-1)

Glenullin:Eoin McNicholl; James McNicholl, John O’Kane, Barry Mullan; Donal McNicholl, Stephen Mullan, Terry Mullan; Ruari Boylan, Dane Higgins; Brian Mullan, Karl McNicholl, Ruari Bradley; Eoin Bradley, Paddy Bradley, Dermot O’Kane.

Glenullin scorers: Eoin Bradley (1-4, 1-0 pen), Dermot O’Kane (0-2), Ruari Boylan (0-1), Brian Mullan (0-1), Karl McNicholl (0-1), Paddy Bradley (0-1).

EOGHAN RUA CUL CAMP AROUND THE CORNER

In less than a couple of week’s time Eoghan Rua Coleraine will host the ever popular Kellogg’s GAA Cúl Camp at their club’s ground Pairc Eoghain Rua.

The camp will be run from Monday 23 July right through to Friday 27 July from 10am to 2pm each day.

The Kellogg’s Cul Camp will provide boys and girls – between the ages of 6 and 13 – with an action-packed and fun-filled week of activity which revolves around maximising enjoyment and sustaining participant involvement in Gaelic Games.

All activities are game based with a strong emphasis placed on skill acquisition.

The Cul Camp is organised in an age appropriate manner with a view to optimising learning, enhancing friendships, improving physical and psychological well being and promoting school and club links. Some of the key features include a different aspect of the game being worked on each day; the programme involves coaching specific skills of the game and the opportunity for children to put into practice what they have learned through small sided games.

On the last day of the camp a “blitz” will be organised to provide each child with an introduction to competitive games. There are still spaces available for the Eoghan Rua camp and anyone interested should contact the club or go onto the web site www.gaa.ie for details.