First blood to Urris 08.09.11
Intermediate Football Championship – first round, first leg

Urris...3-12 Buncrana...0-10 IT'S advantage Urris as the men in red and black dominated Buncrana in Clonmany on Saturday night. Led by Eddie Kelly, Alan Friel and Darren Grant, Urris controlled this first round first leg championship meeting from start to finish. Trailing by 2-8 to 0-3 at half time, Buncrana did better after the break but Urris were never really threatened and were good value for their 11 point win. Points from Eddie Kelly (from a sideline kick), Darren Grant, Phil Pat Doherty and an Alan Friel free had Urris 0-4 to 0-1 clear by the tenth minute, Buncrana’s opening effort having come from an Odhran Doherty free in the third minute.

Ryan Bradley, who had a quiet hour, played a short free to Christy McDermott who pointed from play from Buncrana before Eddie Kelly hit the first of three goals for the home side. Kelly, who left Jim McGuinness’ county panel in April because of work commitments in Dublin, really ran the show and his goal, a thundering shot to the top right corner, gave Noel O’Donnell no chance. With his partner Liam Diver, Kelly dominated the midfield sector and ensured an excellent supply of ball into their forward division. Odhran Doherty pointed from play for Buncrana on 22 minutes, but Urris hit a stunning 1-4 in the six minutes before half time to all but seal the win. Alan Friel, who gave his marker Calvin Jones a torrid time in the first half although the Buncrana youngster improved after the break, pointed from a free and from play on either side of a Darren Grant point after the latter had won a cross field ball from Michael Toland. And Urris’ second goal came in the 29th minute when Toland squared a ball low across the edge of the square and Grant stroked it first time to the net.

Eddie Kelly pointed on the stroke of half time as Urris led by 2-8 to 0-3 at the break. With Ryan Bradley moved into full forward, Buncrana hit the first two scores of the second period through Odhran Doherty before Kelly took a pass off Grant to point at the other end.

Bradley did have a sniff of a goal chance when he won a long ball into the square, but Ciaran Friel made a point blank save at the expense of a 45 that Buncrana keeper Noel O’Donnell pointed. But Buncrana really needed that goal to get themselves back into the game, and another Kelly point re-established Urris’ ten point lead. Their defence, led as always by the superb Sean McDaid and Sean Doherty, kept Buncrana out and they didn’t create another goal chance for the remainder of the game. Odhran Doherty and Ryan Bradley converted frees for Buncrana, and Alan Friel won and scored one for the home side, before Urris found the net for a third time in the 51st minute. Grant and Friel had close range attempts blocked by the Buncrana rearguard before Paddy Doherty punched the ball over the line to make it 3-11 to 0-8. Late points from Bradley and Caolan McCann, and one from Urris substitute Jason Doherty, finished out the scoring, but it was all academic by that stage with the home side completely in command and thoughts turning to the second leg at the Scarvey next weekend.

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