GAA FOCUS: Kilrea victory comes at a cost

This was a tough, no holds barred encounter given that both teams will be in championship action in a weeks time.

The win for Eoghan Rua came at a cost however as corner back Sean McWilliams, who was having a tremendous game, and the influential Sean Leo McGoldrick both retired with injuries.

Kilrea also lost their full forward and county man James Kielt to injury. With the championship coming up next weekend all three players must be in the doubtful category to start in their respective ties. Kilrea made the better start on home soil as Charlie Kielt pointed from a free after just four minutes but following a foul on Declan Mullan, Gregory Bradley levelled matters.

The home side briefly took the lead again through a James Kielt point from a free but a superb individual goal from Colm McGoldrick who slalomed past a number of players before drilling low to the far corner of the net had Eoghan Rua back in front again by the end of the first quarter.

Barry McGoldrick extended the visitors' lead with a point before a period of stalemate seen the sides slug it out around the middle third without raising a flag.

The exchanges were feisty around the middle with James Donaghy and Charlie Kielt for Kilrea going head to head against Coleraine's Niall Holly and Paul Daly.

The scoring drought was ended five minutes before the break when Colm McGoldrick latched onto a quickly taken free from his brother Sean Leo before being hauled down for a penalty that was drilled to the net by Barry McGoldrick.

The sides then exchanged points in a frantic finish to the half with Kilrea coming back strongly. Points from Michael Quigg and Charlie Kielt left the home team four points adrift at the break, 2-3 to 0-5.

Early in the second half pressure on the Kilrea defence forced a turnover that resulted in Gregory Bradley adding to Coleraine's lead. Two points from frees by Charlie Kielt brought Kilrea to within just three points ten minutes into the second half.

Richard Carey edged Eoghan Rua four clear and in a period of pressure the visitors should have extended their lead but Declan Mullan and Niall Holly both sent wide from good positions.

Kilrea almost made Coleraine pay for their profligacy as Charlie Kielt finished off a superb move the length of the field and then James Donaghy pointed to leave just two between the sides going into the last ten minutes.

The temperature began to rise as the tackling became even more intensive with one or two players sailing close to the wind. Just after Barry McGoldrick edged Eoghan Rua three clear Benny Quigg seen his piledriver of a shot crash off the Coleraine bar and away to safety, a bit of a let off for the visitors.

Gregory Bradley had Eoghan Rua four clear with three minutes left with Kilrea spurning three chances for points going into added time. Liam Morrow's fine point deep into added time came too late to affect the outcome as Eoghan Rua held on for a fine away win that keeps them very much in top four play-off contention.

The visitors were solid at the back with corner men Sean McWilliams, before he went off injured and Barry McTaggart in good form while full back Ciaran Mullan had a good battle with James Kielt in the centre, Kielt too retired injured from the game at half-time.

Kilrea's half forwards Liam Morrow and Lee Kennedy were very busy throughout while Benny Quigg impressed when he came into the fray in the second half.

For Eoghan Rua Ciaran Lenehan worked hard throughout while Colm McGoldrick proved a real handful for Kilrea full back Aidan Rainey, McGoldrick capped a fine day's work with a stunning first half goal. Free takers Barry McGoldrick for Eoghan Rua and Charlie Kielt for Kilrea were very accurate throughout punishing the respective defenders indiscretions with aplomb.

Both clubs will, however, have an anxious wait to see if the players who sustained injuries, Sean Leo McGoldrick and Sean McWilliams for Eoghan Rua and James Kielt for Kilrea, can recover in time for next Sunday evening's championship encounters, Kilrea v Ballinderry and Eoghan Rua v Slaughtneil, both games in Lavey.

Eoghan Rua Ryan McGeough; Sean McWilliams, Ciaran Mullan, Barry McTaggart; Cormac Trolan, Barry McGoldrick, Ciaran Lenehan; Paul Daly, Niall Holley; Declan Mullan, Sean Leo McGoldrick, Ciaran McGoldrick; Richard Carey, Colm McGoldrick, Gregory Bradley.Ciaran McGoldrick. Subs used: Anton Rafferty for S L McGoldrick (inj), Bernard Mullan for S McWilliams (inj)

Eoghan Rua scorers: Barry McGoldrick (1-2, 1-0 pen, 0-2 frees), Colm McGoldrick (1-0), Gregory Bradley (0-3, 0-1 free), Richard Carey (0-2).

Kilrea: Paul Morgan; Michael McWilliams, Aidan Rainey, Nicky O'Neill; Eamon Darragh, Jonathon Nelson, Brian g McAlary; James Donaghy, Charlie Kielt; Liam Morrow, Michael Quigg, Eamon Morgan; Lee Kennedy, James Kielt, Eoghan Rogers.

Sub: Benny Quigg for E Rogers

Kilrea scorers: Charlie Kielt (0-6, 0-4 frees), James Donaghy (0-1), James Kielt (0-1, free), Liam Morrow (0-1), Michael Quigg (0-1).

Easy for Ballinderry

Leaders Ballinderry collected a couple of easy points at the weekend as their opponents for last Sunday, Lavey, failed to field, the Gulladuff side's interests obviously focused on the upcoming championship.

Meanwhile Slaughtneil, Eoghan Rua's championship opponents, continued their fine league form with a good win over Glenullin, 2-9 to 1-8 to stay clear in second place.

Eoghan Rua's win over Kilrea keeps them in third place while in a bottom of the table clash Loup did their hopes of avoiding one of the two relegation play-off places no harm with a 0-13 to 0-7 win over fellow strugglers Swatragh who are now a point adrift at the bottom.

Ballinascreen moved into fourth place ahead of Lavey with a big win over Newbridge, 3-18 to 0-9 the score. Glen remain in trouble at the wrong end of the table following their 1-11 to 0-9 loss to Banagher who are now all but clear of any relegation worries in mid-table.

Dungiven warmed up for their championship knock-out clash with Glenullin with a fine 3-10 to 3-7 victory over Bellaghy.

Focus on the championship in Derry

It's championship action all the way in Derry this weekend with a number of very interesting games down for decision, none more so than the meeting of Eoghan Rua, Coleraine and Slaughtneil on Sunday evening in Lavey at 7.00pm.

These sides met at the same stage of the championship last year when Eoghan Rua pulled off a shock win sending the Emmetts spinning out. There is no doubt that they will be seeking a small measure of revenge for that defeat and they are currently in the sort of form that will see them going into Sunday's challenge in confident mood.

Both clubs league form has been very good this season with Slaughtneil in second place and Eoghan rua just two points behind them in third, both teams having played 12 games.

Slaughtneil will go into Sunday's clash injury free, a position they were not in when the sides met last year, while Eoghan Rua have concerns over corner back Sean McWilliams and county player Sean Leo McGoldrick.