Eoghan Rua Coleraine 2-11 Castlerahan 0-11
Derry’s Eoghan Rua Coleraine survived a second-half scare to advance to an Ulster SFC last-four meeting with Scotstown after an excellent contest at Kingscourt.
At half-time, the Derry champions led by six, 2-6 to 0-6, against a Castlerahan side who were down to 14 men and lost a number of key players. However, the Breffni team went for broke and managed to cut the gap to one by the closing stages before Coleraine found their form again in the closing minutes.
Castlerahan, who won their first Cavan SFC title a fortnight ago, started very well. Eoghan Rua opened the scoring through captain Colm McGoldrick but Donal Keogan’s side reeled off the next three scores.
Cian Mackey slotted over the first before former county player Sean Brady landed an excellent point and when Mackey converted a close-range free, the underdogs – who were dominating the kick-out battle - looked comfortable.
Ciaran McGoldrick pulled one back for the Coleraine men but this was quickly cancelled out by another good score for Castlerahan by Kerry native Shane McSweeney.
However, Eoghan Rua upped the ante and a lovely left-footed strike from Declan Mullen and a 45-metre free from full-back Liam McGoldrick drew them level.
Castlerahan suffered a blow at this stage when they lost county player Enda Flanagan to injury and worse would follow before the break when centre-back Cormac Daly went off on a black card and midfielder David Wright also exited the fray having picked up a second yellow.
McSweeney fisted his second to make it 0-5 to 0-4 in the 23rd minute but the complexion of the contest was radically altered in the following 10 minutes.
A powerful run through the centre from Barry McGoldrick created a goal chance which Colm McGoldrick finished by palming to the net. Gavin McWilliams got on the end of a break to make it 1-5 to 0-5 moments later and although sub Gavin Daly pulled one back, the crucial score arrived just before the short whistle.
Eoghan Rua broke out of defence at pace and that man Colm McGldrick was on hand to palm home his second goal and when Ruairi Mooney added another, Castlerahan faced a massive uphill task going in at the interval.
Things got worse for the Ballyjamesduff side when Cavan senior defender Fergal Reilly went off injured but their response was exemplary.
The 14 Cavanmen pressed high – goalkeeper Jamie Leahy played effectively as a half-back at times – and were rewarded with 23 minutes of complete dominance during which they camped in Eoghan Rua’s half.
Points from Oisin O’Connell, McSweeney and a brilliant effort from Brady made it 2-6 to 0-9 on the three-quarter mark and when Pauric Smith squeezed one in from an acute angle and O’Connell added another, it was a one-point game again with eight minutes of normal times remaining.
The visitors, though, did not relinquish their lead and they landed their first score of the half through Ciaran McGoldrick to steady the ship.
After Mooney’s effort on goal struck the crossbar, they landed another crucial fisted point from sub Mark McTaggart and, in the dying seconds, put the seal on the win with another free from full-back Liam McGoldrick and a point from play by Ciaran Mullan.
Castlerahan: Jamie Leahy, Stephen Cooney, Fergal Reilly, Enda O’Connell, Paul Smith, Cormac Daly, Enda Flanagan, David Wright, Pauric Smith (0-1), Shane McSweeney (0-3), Oisin Kiernan, Cian Mackey (0-2, 1f), Oisin O’Connell (0-2), Ronan Flanagan, Sean Brady (0-2)
Subs: Brian Ennis for E Flanagan (14 mins), Gavin Daly (0-1) for Daly (BC, 23), Karl Cosgrove for Reilly (37), Fergal Flanagan for O O’Connell (58), Padraig McGahern for Brady (60)
Eoghan Rua Coleraine: Ryan McGeough, Ciaran Lagan, Liam McGoldrick (0-2f), Barry Daly, Ciaran Mullen (0-1), Barry McGoldrick, Ciaran Lenehan, Niall Holly, Paul Daly, Ruairi Mooney (0-1), Sean Leo McGoldrick, Gavin McWilliams (0-1), Declan Mullen (0-1), Colm McGoldrick (2-1), Ciaran McGoldrick (0-3)
Subs: Mark McTaggart (0-1) for Daly (38), Richard Carey for Lenehan (50)
Referee: Ciaran Branagan (Down)
