Eoghan Ruadh Through In Ulster Hurling Shield

Sunday 15.12.2024

Hurling

Leadon Timber Frames Ulster Minor club Hurling Shield semi-final

Eoghan Ruadh Dungannon 3-14 Keady Lámh Dhearg 2-4

Keady got their challenge off to the perfect start with a first minute goal from the very talented Jack Loughran as the Armagh side hit the ground running. However the Tyrone champions dusted themselves down and hit the net themselves courtesy of a goal from the stick of Corey Bell. Two goals inside the first two minutes set the tone for the remainder of the game.

Keady reached the break leading  2-4 to 1-5 with their second goal coming in the fifteenth minute from Daniel Donnelly

However the Dungannon lads were well up for the challenge and with Aodhán Molloy and Cormac McErlean to the fore things were looking good for Eoghan Ruadh.

The second half saw the Tyrone champions really get to the pace of the game. Their hard work and determinations soon had Dungannon on top and with that dominance came scoring opportunities while their defence bossed their opponents throughout the second period.

Corey Bell opened the scoring after the break with a point on the re-start and, when Seán óg O’Donnell hit his first goal in the 45^th minute to make it 2-9 to 2-4, the game appeared to be slipping from Keady’s grasp.

McErlean pointed from a 65 in the 50^th minute and three minutes later O’Donnell hit the net for the second time. Key to Eoghan Ruadh’s  win were McErlean’s accuracy from placed balls and the goals from O’Donnell and Corey Bell.

Others who made a significant contribution to the Keady cause were Jack Loughran, Daniel Donnelly and Darragh McKee.

Eoghan Ruadh: S óg O’Donnell 2-0, C Bell 1-2, C McErlean 0-9 (7fs), A Molloy 0-2, P Mullin 0-1.

Keady: J Loughran 1-2 (1-1fs), D Donnelly 1-0, D McKee and G Duffy 0-1 each.

The final between Eoghan Ruadh and Sean MacCumhaill’s Donegal will take place on Saturday at Ballinascreen with the winner progressing to take on Lavey in the Cup semi-final on Friday 27^th December at midday.

The second Cup semi-final on the same afternoon will be between Glenariffe-Glenravel, who took their first ever Antrim title a couple of months ago at the expense of Dunloy, and Bredagh, the winners of the George McKeown Cup in Down.