Davitts 0-17  Kiltane 1-12 (AET)

Davitts qualified for the Intermediate Championship semi-final after a tense battle with Kiltane on Saturday evening in Ballindine. The large attendance was treated to a thrilling game with plenty of honest endeavour from both sides in a match that could have gone either way.

Kiltane looked the likelier side in the first half and had shot the opening three points in the 7^th, 10^th and 12^th minutes before Niall Treacy opened the homeside’s account in the 13^th minute. The same player shot two points in the 18^th and 20^th minutes, either side of a 19^th minute score from the visitors. Some of the tackling was of a crude nature and referee Declan Corcoran flashed a number of yellow cards which the visitor’s would rue before the match finished as they ended the game reduced to thirteen players following two double yellows. Kiltane’s chances got a major boost in the 21^st minute when they fired home the only goal of the game to pull five points clear and two minutes later they extended that lead to six and Davitts looked to be in serious trouble. A Dylan Gallagher point in the 24^th minute was the last score of the half as Kiltane took a 1-5 to 0-4 lead to the dressing-rooms at half-time.

Davitts points in the first five minutes of the second period from Dylan Gallagher, Niall Treacy and Ciaran Treacy narrowed the deficit to the minimum. A pretty harsh black card for Davitts’ midfielder Jack Melvin in the 32^nd minute wasn’t appreciated by the home crowd, particularly as two very similar offences by Kiltane players went unpunished in the next five minutes. The home team reacted well to their numerical disadvantage and while Kiltane rallied with a 39^th minute point, this score was cancelled out by Niall Treacy four minutes later. The North Mayo men pointed in the 44^th, 46^th and 47^th minutes to go four clear as the game entered the final quarter. Dylan Gallagher immediately pulled one back for Davitts and Jack Melvin fired over a 45 in the 50^th minute. A 52^nd minute Kiltane point was cancelled out by Shane Treacy a minute later. A bad injury to Davitts’ outstanding wing-back Tommy Waldron was a blow to the home side but another long-range free by Jack Melvin left a point between the sides with two minutes of normal time remaining. In the closing seconds of the four minutes of injury time young Ciaran Treacy did brilliantly, reacting first after a long range free by Dylan Gallagher had dropped short, to keep his nerve and fist over the equaliser leaving the teams tied, Davitts 0-13 to Kiltane’s 1-10.

Kiltane, reduced to fourteen players following a second yellow card offence in the closing minutes of normal time, kicked the first score of extra-time, a first minute point. In the fifth minute they lost another player to a second yellow and Dylan Gallagher levelled it, firing over the resultant free kick (twice). Kiltane took the lead again just before the end of the first period of extra-time.

The home team took over in the second period with Cathal Higgins and Colm Boyle in outstanding form at the back and the strong running of Jack Melvin, Fenton Kelly, Ciaran Treacy, Niall Treacy and Dylan Gallagher proving too much for the depleted Kiltane side to cope with. Dylan Gallagher equalised again in the second minute of the second half of extra-time and the same player put Davitts ahead for the first time four minutes later. The final score of this epic game was another long distance Jack Melvin free. A semi-final awaits against either Crossmolina or Moy Davitts next weekend.

Davitts: Dylan O’Brien, Brian Birmingham, Cathal Higgins, Kieran Fahy, Tommy Waldron, Colm Boyle, Mark Birmingham, Fenton Kelly, Jack Melvin (0-3), Darragh McGale, Liam Kearns, Stephen Nyland, Dylan Gallagher (0-6), Niall Treacy (0-5), Shane Treacy (0-1). Subs used: Ciaran Treacy (0-2), Michael Conroy, Brian Óg McTigue, Donal Ronayne, Ronan McNamara.

Davitts 1-8  Hollymount Carramore 1-7

Davitts maintained their 100% winning record in this year’s Intermediate Championship against a tough Hollymount Carramore side in Garrymore on Friday night. The game was played in difficult conditions, wet and windy, which led to several errors but the result was in doubt right up to the final whistle, giving the large attendance plenty of entertainment.

Davitts played with the assistance of the stiff wind in the first half but Hollycarra almost goaled in the second minute when Davitts keeper Dylan O Brien expertly saved what looked like a certain goal. Davitts shot the first two scores through their excellent corner forward Dylan Gallagher in the 5^th and 7^th minutes. A superbly-struck Hollycarra goal in the eighth minute was a big setback for Davitts with the Hollycarra defence proving to be very hard to penetrate. Davitts did manage points from Dylan Gallagher and Niall Treacy (2) in the next ten minutes to go two ahead. A 23^rd minute Hollycarra point was cancelled out by Jack Melvin two minutes later and Hollycarra shot the last score of the half, a 30^th minute point, to leave Davitts ahead at the break by 0-6 to 1-2.

A 34^th minute Hollycarra point equalised the game but a brilliant Davitts move involving several players in the 36^th minute ended with Niall Treacy being fouled in the penalty area. Jack Melvin slotted home the spot kick to put Davitts three up. Scores were very hard to come by but Hollycarra managed to hit three points between the 38^th and 42^nd minutes to level the match again. They fired over a 51^st minute point to take the lead but Davitts, showing tremendous grit and driven on by the brilliant Colm Boyle, scored the last two points of the game, both struck by their star forward Dylan Gallagher in the 57^th and 61^st minutes.

This win ensures Davitts a home draw in the quarter-final of the championship. A big improvement on this performance will be required if the team is to reach the last four but the fighting spirit in the second half was very encouraging.

Davitts: Dylan O Brien, Brian Birmingham, Cathal Higgins, Kieran Fahy, Tommy Waldron, Colm Boyle, Brian Óg McTigue, Fenton Kelly, Jack Melvin (1-1), Darragh McGale, Liam Kearns, Mark Birmingham, Dylan Gallagher (0-5), Niall Treacy (0-2), Shane Treacy. Subs used: Cian Naughton, Michael Conroy, Stephen Nyland, Ciaran Treacy, Ronan McNamara.

Davitts 3-15  Kiltimagh 1-10

Davitts overcame the challenge of Kiltimagh in the Intermediate Championship in Ballindine on Saturday evening to make it two wins from two. After a close enough first half, the home side opened up in the second period to win with a bit to spare.

Kiltimagh started off in impressive fashion scoring two points in the first minute through Cian Gallagher and Conor Mallee. Niall Treacy replied with a Davitts point in the second minute but Jack Niland restored Kiltimagh’s two point advantage two minutes later. Niall Treacy in the tenth minute and Conor Mallee in the eleventh, exchanged points and Davitts points from Jack Melvin and Dylan Gallagher tied the game after the first quarter. A 17^th minute Jack Niland point for the visitors was cancelled out by Niall Treacy before Shane Treacy struck for Davitts first goal in the 19^th minute, after terrific play by Tommy Waldron and Niall Treacy. Donovan Cosgrove, arguably Kiltimagh’s best player, pulled a point back in the 24^th minute. The first half finished with two Liam Kearns points to give Davitts a 1-8 to 0-6 lead.

Dylan Gallagher extended Davitts lead with a brilliant finish to the visitor’s net in the opening minute of the second half, with Jack Melvin and Shane Treacy involved in the build-up. Dylan Gallagher and Niall Treacy added points in the 33^rd and 39^th minutes but Kiltimagh pulled a goal back through Conor Mallee a minute later after some very careless defending by the home side. Davitts replied straight away with a Dylan Gallagher point. Two Cian Gallagher points fror Kiltimagh were cancelled out by Shane Treacy and Dylan Gallagher. Kiltimagh’s Jordan Henry and Niall Treacy for Davitts exchanged points in the 50^th and 51^st minutes but Dylan Gallagher finished off a sweeping move involving Brian Birmingham, Colm Boyle, Niall Treacy and Ciaran Treacy with an emphatic finish for his second goal in the 53^rd minute to absolutely kill off the visitor’s challenge. Cian Gallagher for Kiltimagh and the home side’s Niall Treacy completed the scoring with two late points.

This was a solid team display by Davitts with the full-forward line trio of Shane Treacy, Niall Treacy and Dylan Gallagher in unstoppable form and Tommy Waldron, Colm Boyle and Mark Birmingham impressing too.

Kiltimagh’s best performers were Donovan Cosgrove, Jack Niland, Cian Gallagher, Conor Mallee and Aidan Cosgrove.

Davitts: Dylan O Brien, Brian Birmingham, Cathal Higgins, Kieran Fahy, Tommy Waldron, Colm Boyle, Brian Óg McTigue, Fenton Kelly, Mark Birmingham, Darragh McGale, Liam Kearns (0-2), Jack Melvin (0-1), Dylan Gallagher (2-4), Niall Treacy (0-6), Shane Treacy (1-2). Subs used: Michael Conroy, Ciaran Treacy, Cian Naughton, Donal Ronayne, Ronan McNamara, Jordan Flanagan.

Kiltimagh: Sean Gilmartin, Ryan Carroll, Mattie Cummins, Darragh McGovern, Jack Niland (0-2), Evan Cosgrove, Jack Mahon, Donovan Cosgrove (0-1), Liam Kelly, Oisin Mulderrig, Aidan Cosgrove, Brian Gallagher, Cian Gallagher (0-4), Tomas Keegan, Conor Mallee (1-2). Subs used: Lorcan Conroy, Niall Mulderrig, Jordan Henry (0-1), Liam Lydon.

Referee: Shane Corcoran.