Ardagh attack run riot as Northerners feel Gael force

Mayo JFC – Group 2, Round 4 

Ardagh 3-8 

Northern Gaels 1-7 

Stuart Tynan in Ardagh 

Ardagh secured home advantage for their junior championship quarter-final in two weeks time with a commanding win over Northern Gaels.

The hosts were home and dry at half-time, with three first half goals putting them 3-5 to 0-2 up at the interval, as they bounced back in style from a surprise defeat the previous weekend to Ballycroy.

A strong wind blowing across the pitch made life initially difficult for Paul Moran’s side after two early wide before they went 0-3 to 0-0 score through frees by Brendan Carr and Kevin Moran, and a fine point by Stephen Rochford.

Gaels, who were already assured of their place in the quarter-finals after beating Tourmakeady last week, opened up their account through Ruairi McDonnell before Ardagh found the net in fortuitous circumstances as Kevin Moran’s free just inside the 45-metre line was caught in the wind and it sailed over the Gaels goalkeeper and into the net on 12 minutes.

Luck would have nothing to do with Ardagh’s second goal as they won possession from the Gaels restart and Enda O’Hora raced through to bury it. Kevin Moran added another free and Gaels goalkeeper Charlie Harrison was called into action to deny James Carr and then Enda O’Hora.

He could do little about Ardagh’s third goal on 28 minutes when the Mayo senior footballer mishit his point attempt from 20 metres out and it dropped into the net.

After Enda O’Hora and James Carr stretched their lead to 14-points four minutes into the second half, the game lost much of its intensity as both teams began to run their benches. To Gaels credit, they battled until the bitter end and outscored Ardagh 1-5 to 0-1 for the remainder of the half to put a degree of respectability on the scoreboard. The goal arrived at the start of the final quarter through a Niall McDonnell penalty while the other scores arrived through two Sean McKeown frees, a placed ball by Niall McDonnell and two points from play by substitute Tommy Clarke.

Scorers - Ardagh: Kevin Moran 1-3 (1-2f), James Carr 1-2, Enda O’Hora 1-1, Brendan Carr and Stephen Rochford 0-1 each.

Northern Gaels: Niall McDonnell 1-0 pen, Sean McKeown (2f), Ruairi McDonnell (1f) and Tommy Clarke 0-2 each, John McLoughlin 0-1.

Ardagh: Sean Finan; Fionn Barrett, Joe Carr, Liam Pritchett; Ruairi O’Boyle, John Cafferty, Owen Pritchett; Enda O’Hora, Brendan Carr; Diarmuid Barrett, Stephen Rochford, Paddy Walsh; James Carr, Luke Gilmartin, Kevin Moran. Subs: Kevin Gordan (for J Carr 38); Dean martin and Declan O’Boyle (for O Pritchett and L Prichett 54); Ronan McAndrew (for Moran 59); Donal O’Boyle (for Barrett 60+3).

Northern Gaels: Charlie Harrison; Ronan Murphy, Shane Loughney, Fergal McHale; Liam Ruddy, Daniel Coleman, Mark McDonnell; Tommy Clarke, Conor McHale; Craig McCormick, Niall McDonnell, Ruairi McDonnell; John McLoughlin, Sean McKeown, Cathal Boland. Subs: Adam Lavin (for Boland ht); Ciaran Loughney (for McCormick 38); Michael Lynott (for M McDonnell 49); Conor Barrett (for N McDonnell 52); Padraig Fogarty (for Ruddy 58); Daniel Walsh (for McLoughlin 60+1).

REF: Jon Finn (Aghamore)