Lady luck deserts Castlerahan

Eoghan Rua 2-11

Castlerahan 0-11

Almost everything that could have gone wrong for Castlerahan did but they still came out of yesterday’s Ulster Club SFC clash with their reputation enhanced.

The Cavan side lost Cormac Daly (black card), Enda Flanagan (injured) and David Wright (red card) in the first half and Fergal Reilly (injured) in the second but managed to keep their opponents scoreless for the first 23 minutes of the second half.

In the end, though, Derry champions Coleraine just had the legs to close it out.

Early points from Cian Mackey (two, one free), Sean Brady and Shane McSweeney helped Castlerahan into a 0-4 to 0-2 lead but two palmed goals from Colm McGoldrick saw Eoghan Rua go in leading by 2-6 to 0-6.

Castlerahan pressed high in the second half and gave it everything, with Oisin O’Connell, Brady and McSweeney kicking some quality points as they cut the gap to one.

However, Coleraine weathered the storm and tacked on some late points to close it out.

See Wednesday’s print issue for full report.

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: 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)

Ref: Ciaran Branagan (Down)