Banagher hold off Eoghan Rua in extra time to make Intermediate Championship semi-finals

Banagher 1-17

Eoghan Rua 2-08

Banagher withstood an almighty challenge from Eoghan Rua to become the first side into the Intermediate Championship semi-finals.

The Coleraine men played the majority of the men with fourteen men after the early sending off of Pearce McGonigle, and indeed were reduced to thirteen during Lorcan McMullan’s black card sin binning. The contest finished level at 0-14 to 2-8 at full-time, with three late Banagher scores taking us to extra-time.

That man advantage finally took its toll, however, with Banagher finishing the game with a real flourish as Coleraine’s resistance finally wilted.

Ciaran Lynch top scored with 1-3, with Lynch finding stout support from Gavin O’Neill and Eamon Óg Feeny, with four points each, and Tiarnan Moore with three.

Free-taker Aidan McGonigle – outstanding for his side – top scored for the beaten Eoghan Ruas. Young gun Dara Mooney hit 1-1.

Pearce McGonigle’s 9th minute red card was, perhaps, the key incident of an otherwise quiet and listless first half. Despite the personnel shortage Eoghan Rua dug in and ran in at half-time level with Banagher at 0-5 apiece.

Aidan McGonigle – full of running and points – opened the scoring at Celtic Park when he converted a mighty score from long range. Gavin O’Neill jinked in and out of the Coleraine defence to loop over Banagher’s first of the day. Dara Mooney then injected a little pace before handing Eoghan Rua the lead at 0-2 to 0-1. The Port men had gone very offensive early on. Dara Mooney, Lorcan McMullan and Ciaran McGoldrick formed a tasty inside forward line, policed by Banagher’s full-back line of Jack Lynch, Cathair McGilligan and the excellent Keelan O’Kane.

Pearce McGonigle’s dismissal altered that offensive strategy immediately as Coleraine hauled all 14 men back behind the ball just to take the sting out of the contest for a few moments.

Despite the man down, Eoghan Rua scored next to level matters, before Aidan McGonigle and Tiarnan Moore swapped scores to leave us at 0-3 each.

Eamon Óg Feeney’s point handed St Mary’s the lead for the first time in the 22nd minute. That lead appeared to have been greatly exaggerated when Shane Farren palmed the ball into the back of the Coleraine net, only for referee Richie Donoghue ruling the goal out for a push in the box.

Eoghan Rua rallied and when Aidan McGonigle fisted over on the cusp of the break the Celtic Park scoreboard reading 0-5 each.

Dara Mooney’s 36th minute goal put the cat among the pigeons. It handed Coleraine an unlikely three point lead but had the dual effect of stinging Banagher into action. Four in a row from the St Mary’s men recaptured their lead.

But once again 14 man Coleraine rallied and took the lead again when impact sub Niall Holly fisted home. Indeed, Aidan McGonigle’s fine ’45 stretched Coleraine’s lead to three points, leading 2-8 to 1-8.

However, with the barrel of the gun pressed hard against their temples, three in a row in injury-time saved Banagher’s neck with long range classy finishes from Mark Lynch and Peter Hagan among their late game heroes. It was a serious show of belief and character from Paul Bradley’s men, and it all added up to extra-time, with the scoreboard now showing 0-14 to 2-8.

Extra-time

Points from Eamon Óg Feeney, his fourth of the afternoon, and Shane Farren handed Banagher a 0-16 to 2-8 lead at half-time in extra-time, with Eoghan Rua restored to fourteen men, but all but out on the ropes having hung in the contest for so long.

Gavin O’Neill – a classy presence in Banagher colours all afternoon – launched a huge effort upon the restart which handed his side a three point lead.

Better was to come, however, for the Feeny men when Ciaran Lynch fisted home his side’s only goal of the game in the 7th minute of extra-time. With bodies cramping all over the pitch, it would be the final score of the game, with Banagher running out six point winners.

Scorers and Teams 

Banagher scorers: Ciaran Lynch (1-3), Gavin O'Neill (0-4), Tiarnan Moore (0-3, 1f), Eamon Óg Feeney (0-4), Peter Hagan (0-1), Shane Farren (0-1), Mark Lynch (0-1).

Eoghan Rua scorers: Niall Holly (1-0), Aidan McGonigle (0-5, 2f, 1 '45'), Dara Mooney (1-1), Ruairi Mooney (0-1), Darren Quigley (0-1).

Banagher: Callum Armstrong, Jack Lynch, Cathair McGilligan, Keelan O’Kane, Eoin Devine, Gavin O’Neill, Darragh McCloskey, Brian Óg McGilligan, Callum O’Kane, Ciaran Lynch, Eamon Óg Feeney, Ruairi Quirk, Shane Farren, Peter Hagan, Tiarnan Moore

Subs: Mark Lynch for R Quirke (46), Paul Murphy for C O’Kane (60), Jack O’Neill for S Farren (65), Liam Eoin Campbell for E Devine (65), Bryan O’Kane for E Feeney (76)

Eoghan Rua: Barry McGoldrick, Darren Quigley, Ruairi Mooney, Ciaran Lagan, Sean Leo McGoldrick, Barry Daly, Eoghan Daly, Adam Kerr, Finn McEwan, Aidan McGonigle, Pearce McGonigle, Gavin McWilliams, Dara Mooney, Lorcan McMullan, Ciaran McGoldrick

Subs: Niall Holly for B Daly (46), Emmett Morrison for G McWilliams (54), Ciaran Lenehan for D Quigley (75)

Referee: Richie Donoghue