Ardara minors off to a losing start in Bundoran

Bundoran 0-9
Ardara 1-2

The Minor Football League threw in on St. Patrick’s Day but Noah, ark in tow, would have been a more apt religious figure given the deluge that fell on Friday last.

With a number of contests succumbing to the torrential rain that fell for most of the day referee Owen Doherty, after an inspection of the playing surface at Gaelic Park by both he and Pat Walsh, deemed the venue good to go.

With the breeze sailing cross-field, it was the visitors that shaded proceedings in the first period as they exited 1-1 to 0-3 to the good. Ardara were off the mark first from an Oisin Brennan free.

The hosts replied through Cody Granaghan, also from a placed ball, as both sides tried their best to navigate through the atrocious conditions. Ardara, going direct early on, sailed one into the area that Bundoran netminder Jack Delaney didn’t deal with.

The ball appeared to cross the line and, initially at least, a three-pointer was given. After some remonstrating from the black and amber and further discussion with those at the foots of the posts, the score was ruled out.

Granaghan and Oran Gallagher added overs for Tommy Hourihane and Shane McGowan’s youngsters. But with Ardara again looking to launch from deep, Ultan Brennan’s searching delivery from the middle third eluded everyone including stopper Delaney before hopping up and into the roof of the net.

That score sent the Pearse Park men in at the midpoint with the slenderest of advantages.

Half-time: Ardara 1-1:0-3 Bundoran.

Credit to Bundoran after the restart, they dug deep and they forced the momentum of the contest,  which had been a really tight tussle up until then, firmly back their direction. Gallagher, from a free, and McEniff between them leveled and eventually fired Bundoran ahead six minutes into the new period.

With Ardara being pegged back inside their own half, and with the breeze shifting slightly more that direction, Bundoran took complete ownership of that crucial middle third.

Gallagher and McEniff moved their side to seven before Ardara finally got off the mark in the new half courtesy of Robbie Adair. Ardara just couldn’t gain the possessions needed in what was a subdued second-half effort, to regain a foothold. Chasing the contest heading down the home stretch, Bundoran countered and added closing points through Oisin Oates and McEniff to deservingly cross the line with five to spare.

Bundoran: Jack Delaney; Jack McManus, Jakub Machunik, Adam Gallagher; Brian McHenry, Oisin Walsh (0-1), Cian McEniff (0-3), Paul Murphy; Niall Sheerin, James Stewart, Cody Granaghan (0-2,1f); Adam McGloin, Oran Gallagher (0-3,3f), Gerard Oates.

Subs used: Shane McMonagle and Michael McCaughey.

Ardara: Eoin Shovlin; Gerard McHugh, Joe Gallagher, Adam McShane; Patrick Gallagher, Eoghan Harkin, Matthew Sweeney; Ultan Brennan (1-0). Oisin Brennan (0-1,1f), Darragh O’Donnell, Robbie Adair (0-1), Emmett Byrne; Niall McCrossan,  Colin Breslin, Reece Brogan.

Subs: used: Matthew McGlynn and Johnny Sweeney.

Referee: Owen Doherty.