Davitts 3-11  Ballinrobe 0-12

Davitts U-21 team ensured they qualified for the knockout stages of the A Championship following a hard-earned victory over Ballinrobe on Sunday morning. The game was played in Cong and while the playing conditions were far from perfect, both teams need to be lauded for serving up a very good game for the early risers that attended (10 am throw-in!).

A point for Ballinrobe after thirty seconds was cancelled out by Jack Trench two minutes later. Dylan Gallagher, who had a superb game, popped over another Davitts point in the 4^th minute and in the 7^th minute Davitts got the first of their three goals. A brilliant move involving several players was finished to the net by wing-back Brian Birmingham, who applied a cool finish to the bottom corner. In the 10^th minute Jack Melvin slotted goal number two, after great work by Conor McDermott and Dylan Gallagher. Ballinrobe shot four unanswered points between the 13^th and 20^th minutes to reduce the deficit to three points. Ballinrobe were winning plenty of possession but the Davitts attack was extremely efficient. Dylan Gallagher pointed in the 23^rd minute and Fionn McLoughlin extended Davitts lead to four with a 25^th minute point. Ballinrobe scored two more in the final couple of minutes to leave Davitts ahead by 2-4 to 0-8 at half-time.

Ballinrobe scored the first point after the break but Davitts scores from the hard-working Niall Treacy and Jack Melvin in the 33^rd and 37^th minutes put their side ahead by three. Niall Treacy pointed again in the 40^th minute but Ballinrobe scored two in the 43^rd and 46^th minutes to close the gap to two points. They were denied a goal to take the lead by a fantastic save from Davitts excellent keeper Dylan O Brien. Terrific defending by Davitts ensured that Ballinrobe didn’t score for the remainder of the game. Ciaran Treacy, a most impressive sub, linked up with Zack Keadin to point in the 47^th minute and Dylan Gallagher shot three more as the Ballinrobe challenge petered out. The final score of the game was the third Davitts goal finished to the net by Fionn McLoughlin after a goalmouth scramble in the sixth minute of added on time.

This Davitts win saw them top the group on score difference over Claremorris. Both teams are awaiting the draw for the knockout phase. Davitts stand-out players in this game were Charlie Phillips, Sean Keadin, Thomas Ronayne, Jack Melvin, Dylan Gallagher, Fionn McLoughlin, Niall Treacy and Conor McDermott.

Davitts: Dylan O Brien, Micheal Hett, Charlie Phillips, Sean Keadin, Fionnan Gallagher, Thomas Ronayne, Brian Birmingham (1-0), Mark Birmingham, Jack Melvin (1-1), Brian Og McTigue, Fionn McLoughlin (1-1), Jack Trench (0-1), Dylan Gallagher (0-5), Niall Treacy (0-2), Conor McDermott. Subs used: Ciaran Treacy (0-1), Zack Keadin, Sean Feerick, Ronan Kelly.

Garrymore 2-9  Davitts 1-11

Garrymore hosted Davitts on Friday night in what turned out to be a very competitive and entertaining match, in the South Mayo junior A championship semi-final, in front of a good attendance. The home side won although they had to withstand a storming late finish from a Davitts side that were a little unlucky, not to at least salvage a draw, in those frenetic closing moments.

Dylan Gallagher opened the scoring with a Davitts point in the first minute. Garrymore replied with two quick points before Michael Conroy (yes, that Michael Conroy!) equalised in the 4^th minute. Fionnan Gallagher, outstanding throughout the game, pointed in the 11^th minute as did Michael Conroy thirty seconds later to go two ahead. Garrymore pulled one back in the 13^th minute but Colm Roche restored Davitts two point advantage with a brilliant 19^th minute effort after a slick move involving several players. Brian Og McTigue, another Davitts player that excelled, pointed in the 29^th minute, sandwiching two similar scores from the homeside, to leave Davitts ahead by 0-6 to 0-5 at the half-time break.

Garrymore got on top in the 3^rd quarter and points in the 33^rd, 40^th and 41^st minutes saw them go two clear. Dylan Gallagher replied with a Davitts point in the 42^nd minute but a well worked Garrymore goal in the 44^th minute and a point two minutes later saw them go five up. Davitts rallied and a Dylan Gallagher point narrowed the gap. Davitts began to throw everything into the attack but got hit with a sucker punch, a 52^nd minute breakaway goal by the locals. Davitts got a penalty but Dylan Gallagher’s spot kick was well saved by the impressive Garrymore goalkeeper. The away team rallied gamely though, driven on by Fionnan Gallagher, Mark Birmingham, Brian Og McTigue, Colm Boyle, Colm Roche and Zack Keadin. Brian Og McTigue scored a well-worked goal in the 55^th minute and when Dylan Gallagher, Fionnan Gallagher and Zack Keadin added points in the next five minutes, there was just the minimum separating the sides as the game went into injury time. Fionn McLoughlin also had a rasping shot for goal saved in those nail-biting final minutes but the homeside hung on to advance to the final.

Davitts: David Mitchell, Brian Birmingham, Lawrence Daly, Sean Keadin, Jack Trench, Colm Boyle, Brian Og McTigue (1-1), Fionnan Gallagher (0-2), Mark Birmingham, Steve Nyland, Dylan Gallagher (0-4), Zack Keadin (0-1), Davey Hennessy, Michael Conroy (0-2), Colm Roche (0-1). Sub used: Fionn McLoughlin.