A good start and a strong finish made the difference as Red Hughs defeated neighbours Robert Emmets in this keenly contested championship opener in Castlefin as Charlie Collins reports. ROBERT EMMETS 1-12 V 1-18 RED HUGHS. With the breeze at their backs Red Hughs raced to a five point lead in the opening eight minutes and indeed looked as if they could run away with this championship clash. Micheal Devine opened the scoring and James Carlin and Damian Brown both scored twice as the visitors dominated the early exchanges. Robert Emmets had strong claims for a penalty turned down in the 9th minute when Gary Mc Crory appeared to be fouled but a minute later Aaron Dalton set up Dean Mc Brearty who blasted to the net for Emmets opening score. Points by Ricky Gallen and Brown restored the visitors five point lead before Brian Dooher got the home side’s first point in the 15th minute. Calvin Bradley and Ronan Gallen both scored from play to leave it 1-01 v. 0-09 but Gary Mc Nulty the first of what would be a eight point return for himself and Paul Mc Cauley got the first of his two to leave just three points in it in the 22nd minute. There was just one more score before the break, Damian Brown got his fourth point of what would be a total of nine for him personally, to leave Red Hughs four ahead at half-time 1-03 v 0-10. Paul Mc Cauley reduced the lead again to three with the opening score of the second-half but Brown and Carlin increased it to five with points from play inside a minute. Roberts Emmets then had their best spell of the game with four points in a row to the just the minimum between the sides, Gary Mc Nulty kicked three from play, the first a brilliant effort from wide on the right and Gary Mc Crory added another to leave it 1-08 v 0-12 and game on. However Red Hughs responded in some style when Damian Brown found Sub Johnny Carlin with a quickly taken free and he set up Calvin Bradley who drilled the ball low past keeper Paddy Dooher to make it a four point game yet again. After that Brown and Mc Nulty added four points apiece to their teams totals while Aodhran Doherty and Calvin Bradley both knocked over points for Red Hughs to see them through to a six point victory against a gallant home ream who were missing a number of key players. The win puts Red Hughs in a strong position in Group A of the Junior Championship, a competition they are targeting this year. ROBERTS EMMETS: Paddy Dooher, Ryan Roe, Jordan Tourish, Ryan Mc Girr, Dylan Mc Namee, Brian Dooher ( 0-1 ), Sean Friel, Dean Mc Brearty ( 1-0 ), Aaron Dalton, Tiernan Gallagher, Paul Mc Cauley ( ( 0-2 ), Gary Mc Crory ( 0-1 ), Conor Dalton, Gary Mc Nulty ( 0-08 5f ), Ronan Kennedy. SUBS: Damian Mc Glinchey for Gallagher ( 38mins), Gallagher for Mc Crory ( 50mins ). RED HUGHS: Ciaran Kelly, Cathal Doherty, Shane Mc Glinchey, Dylan Irwin, Ryan Kelly, Peadar Mc Glinchey, Gavin Wright, Damian Brown ( 0-09 5f), Aodhran Doherty ( 0-1), James Carlin ( 0-3 ), Calvin Bradley ( 1-02 ), Michael Devine ( 0-1), Ricky Gallen ( 0-1), Ronan Gallen ( 0-1), Corey Gallagher. SUBS: Johnny Carlin for Gallagher ( 48mins ).
