Burt 3-11 Red Hughs 1-7
BY RYAN FERRY
BURT ensured that they will avoid automatic relegation to Division 3 after they won a crunch game with Red Hughs at Hibernian Park on Sunday afternoon.
The men from the Cross were two ahead at the break but they really hadn’t done enough win the elements were supporting them.
An athletic Burt team came to the fore in the second half and Darragh Donaghy, Stephen O’Donnell, and Conor Gartland all scored goals.
Conor Gallagher netted a consolation goal for Red Hughs but they will now have a nervous wait to see if they will avoid the bottom two.
They have nine points – the same amount as Gaeil Fhánada who they have a head-to-head advantage over.
However crucially, the Fanad men have one more game against Carndonagh still to play while Red Hughs have played all 13 of their regulation matches.
There could still yet be a play-off for Burt if results don’t go their way on the final weekend but they now know they won’t be in the bottom two.
Red Hughs had the breeze in the first half but struggled to get their hands on the ball early on.
They did open the scoring through a Jack Gillespie free in the sixth minute but Burt were well up for the challenge in the opening quarter.
Mark McElhinney was unfortunate with a flicked effort that just went wide but Keith McColgan and Darragh Donaghy did land points.
Cathair Browne and Jack O’Brien swapped points but both sides were guilty of some poor misses.
Liam Carlin was energetic at wing-forward for Red Hughs and he lofted over a two-pointer in the 23rd minute.
Gillespie tagged on a free but couldn’t build on that late in the half.
Burt’s Conor Gartland saw a palmed effort at goal cleared off the line by Pauric McMenamin when he probably had time to catch the ball.
Red Hughs were 0-5 to 0-3 ahead at the break but they found themselves under real pressure at the start of the second half.
Burt got off to a good start as Jack O’Brien converted a tricky two-point free.
O’Brien quickly tagged on another score and Liam McKinney also dissected the posts.
Red Hughs dropped two efforts short with Kieran Brady solid under the high ball.
Sean McHugh curled over a two-pointer from play and that moved Burt four in front.
The home side did lose Mark McElhinney to a black card for a handy trip on Pauric McMenamin.
However that didn’t deter Coyle’s men and they got a goal in the 44th minute as Gartland set up Donaghy and he hammered into the top corner.
A Gillespie free got Red Hughs back to six points but they then shipped a second goal.
Once again Gartland was the creator and he found the onrushing Stephen O’ Donnell who raced through and drilled into the bottom corner.
O’Brien and Luke Kelly (free) swapped scores but the Red Hughs defence was much too open. They were caught out again in the 52nd minute with Tom Doherty setting up Gartland, who finished with aplomb.
Teenager Conor Gallagher kept battling and punched in a goal for Red Hughs.
However, it was Burt’s day and Jack O’Brien rounded off their scoring with a point.
The win puts Burt on 11 points and that might prove enough to stay up.
Red Hughs are now dependent on a big favour from Carndonagh next week as they need Fanad to stay on nine points with them.
Burt: Kieran Brady; Darren Bradley, Leo Kelly, Dara Grant; Caolan McKinney, Tom Doherty, Oisin Kelly; Liam McKinney (0-1), Stephen O’Donnell (1-0); Conor Gartland (1-0), Sean McHugh (0-2, 1tp), Keith McColgan (0-1); Jack O’Brien (0-6, 1tpf, 1f), Mark McElhinney, Darragh Donaghy (1-1). Subs: Ronan McDermott for T.Doherty (55 mins), Gavin Bradley for Grant (56 mins), Ciaran Bradley for Gartland (58 mins).
Red Hughs: Luke Kelly (0-1, 1f); James Gallagher, Thomas McMenamin, Jason Callaghan; Shane Gallagher, Darragh McMenamin, Pauric McMenamin; Aaron McGlinchey, Conor Gallagher (1-0); Liam Carlin (0-2, 1tp), Jack Gillespie (0-3, 3fs), Gareth McGill; Tim Callaghan, Calvin Bradley, Cathair Browne (0-1). Subs: Adam Doherty for S.Gallagher (30 mins), Shane Gallagher for McGill (40 mins), Conor Galvin for J.Gallagher (51 mins), Ryley Stewart for P.McMenamin (55 mins).
Referee: James Connors (St Eunan’s).
Man of the Match: Conor Garltand (Burt)
Gartland had a huge second half, setting up two goals and scoring one himself. Leo Kelly, Stephen O’Donnell and Jack O’Brien were all to the fore. Aaron McGlinchey, Conor Gallagher and Liam Carlin tried hard for Red Hughs.
Turning Point: Burt knew they had to make the most of the breeze backing them in the second half and when Jack O’Brien sailed over a two-point free in the 34th minute to level proceedings, there was a real sense that the home side would kick on and they did.
The Whistler: Connors had four neutral umpires with him and communicated well with the players. Mark McElhinney could have no qualms about his black card.
Talking Point: It’s been a really tight Division 2 this year and Red Hughs and Burt will still be nervous over some results next week. Burt were much the better team in this game and they are shaping up well ahead of the business end of the year. Red Hughs missed Stephen McMenamin and will need his leadership back for the Championship. They will be hoping for a favour from Carn next week to avoid the drop to Division 3.
What’s Next: Either of these teams could still end up in a relegation play-off against Naomh Ultan before the Intermediate Championship begins next month.