Sometimes a ‘16-scores-to-14-scores’ game is a close-run thing but that certainly wasn’t the case here as Aghaloo simply blasted Kildress away by 4-12 to 0-14 on the banks of The Blackwater on Saturday evening. Maybe the Tones’ two tight opening games took too much out of them because at no stage were they in this game, falling behind by four points in the first four minutes and struggling thereafter to cope with the McGlone brothers and the outstanding Niall McElroy who put on a mesmerizing display. Aghaloo were stronger, sharper and dominated every line of the field, particularly round the middle, in a game that was very well refereed by Conor McGahan.
Trailing by 0-4 to 2-10 at half-time Kildress were livelier in the second-half with the wind now behind them and played some good football but Ruairi McGlone’s wonder goal after ten minutes really put the game to bed. Kildress almost worked their way through for goals three different times but equally Aghaloo also hit the post or bar twice to add to the four goals they did score. The sterling Eoghan McElduff led Kildress’ resistance throughout and Conor McAleer, Matty McGuigan (0-6), Adam Connolly (0-1) and Des Treacy (0-1) never gave up but this was simply not a day for a weakened Kildress team that was well-beaten by an outstanding display from the home side.
