Carndonagh lay down significant marker at Aodh Ruadh in Donegal SHC

Carndonagh made the mammoth journey to Aodh Ruadh a profitable one after this easy victory in horrendous conditions at Pairc Aoidh Ruaidh over a 14-man home side. 

Aodh Ruadh 0-7
Carndonagh 5-14 

For, this game was played in monsoon like conditions with constant showers making good hurling difficult. But there was never any doubting the Inishowen men’s supremacy against a decimated Aodh Ruadh side who had just 16 men and badly missed the services of Oisin and Senan Rooney, Caelan Drummond and Kyle McNulty to name their main absentees. 

Carn held all the aces with wing forward and team manager Cathal Doherty finishing with a tally of 2-1. Midfielder Luke White was also in fine scoring form as he notched a total of 0-9 eight from frees 

Aodh Ruadh were dealt a heavy blow after ten minutes when lively veteran Peter Horan was sent off for apparent use of the foot in an incident where Carn player Michael Nelson got a yellow card for apparent use of the hurl on the Aodh Ruadh player’s elbow. 

By that stage, Carn were leading by 1-2 to 0-0 playing with the slope and looking much sharper. White and Doherty had them 1-3 to 0-0 within eight minutes, Doherty finishing a fine cross from Conor Monagle to the Ballyshannon net. 

It was all Carn in this half as they rifled in another goal from Paddy Monagle who tore through and buried the sliotar in the home side’s net just after Aodh Ruadh’s impressive Rory Cullen opened the home side’s scoring. 

White, Doherty, Cathal McCormack and Danny Monagle were all on target for the winners while the hard- working Brendan Gillespie pointed from play for Ballyshannon as Carn led by 2-9 to 0-2 at the break. 

The home side’s scoring rate improved after the break with Danny Breen landing a number of points and full-back Adam Rami was most impressive. But Carn struck another killer goal Doherty he first timed the sliotar to the net to put his side into a 3-10 to 0-3 lead by the 37th minute. Breen replied with some pointed frees as the rain got even heavier and visibility became hazardous. 

And wing back Ryan Davenport got his side’s final goal to seal an easy victory. Aodh Ruadh kept battling and finished with a tally of 0-7 on a night when they were overpowered by a much stronger outfit. 

Carn now meet Buncrana at home in a crunch match next week while Aodh Ruadh can only hope to have a much stronger side out for the Intermediate championship. 

Carndonagh scorers: Cathal Doherty 3-2; Luke White 0-9,8f; Paddy Monagle and Ryan Davenport 1-0; Danny Monagle, Christy McCormack and Cian Doherty 0-1 

Aodh Ruadh scorers: Danny Breen 0-4f; Aaron Cullen, Rory Cullen and Brendan Gillespie 0-1 

Aodh Ruadh: Ciaran Daly; Peter Horan, Adam Rami, Danny Downey; Adam Clarke, Ryan Keenaghan, Stephen Connolly; Brendan Gillespie, Ryan Ayres; Danny Breen, Martin Larkin, Jason Patterson; Michael Reddan, Aaron Cullen, Rory Cullen. Subs; Ciaran Kilgannon for Michael Reddan (45)

Carndonagh: Stephen Burns; Conor Lafferty, Padraig Doherty,Daniel Doherty; Conor Monagle, James Monagle, Ryan Davenport, Danny Monagle, Luke White; Cian Doherty, Conor Fagan, Cathal Doherty; Michael Nelson, Christy McCormack, Paddy Monagle. Subs; Ronan Stamp for Michael Nelson (38), Rory Browne for Conor Monagle (42), Darren McCormack for Christy McCormack (50), Sean McCreamer for Paddy Monagle (56) 

Referee: Marc Brown (Four Masters)