Davitts 2-11  Moy Davitts 0-13

Another hardworking team display saw Davitts defeat Moy Davitts in Bekan on Sunday to qualify for the U-21 A Championship semi-final. The game was played in very difficult conditions, wet and windy, but both teams served up some very good football throughout the game.

Moy Davitts had the assistance of the strong wind in the first half and they opened the scoring with a third minute point. They were rocked in the next minute when Davitts strung together a sweeping which ended with Ronan Kelly firing home a great goal. Moy Davitts points in the 6^th and 10^th minutes put them level. A tidy point scored by the lively Ciaran Treacy in the 15^th minute saw Davitts edge ahead again. Moy Davitts equalised again in the 16^th minute but two Dylan Gallagher points and one from Jack Melvin put Davitts three ahead by the 23^rd minute. The final two points of the half were scored by the East Mayo team to see Davitts lead by 1-4 to 0-6 at half-time.

Moy Davitts got the first score of the second half in the 32^nd minute but points from Fenton Kelly, Dylan Gallagher and Ronan Kelly in the 33^rd, 34^th and 36^th minutes put Davitts two up, and when Jack Melvin goaled, flicking a long delivery from Cathal Corless to the net in the 39^th minute, it looked like they were poised for a comfortable win. Moy Davitts showed some real grit, against the driving wind and rain, and points in the 42^nd and 43^rd minutes reduced the deficit to four points. Dylan Gallagher fired over a brilliant point in the 44^th minute but this was cancelled out by Moy Davitts a minute later. Davitts keeper, Dylan O Brien produced two superb saves to deny Moy Davitts goals and Mark Birmingham pointed in the 49^th minute. Three unanswered Moy Davitts points in the 51^st, 56^th and 59^th minutes left just two points separating the sides but Davitts shot injury-time points from Jack Melvin and Dylan Gallagher to advance to the semi-final where they will meet Westport.

Dylan O Brien had a fine game in goals with Brian Óg McTigue, Micheal Hett and Brian Birmingham forming an impressive full-back line in front of him. Cathal Corless had a powerful game at centre back and he got great assistance from his wing men, Sean Keadin and Burke Briere. Mark Birmingham (0-1) and Fenton Kelly (0-1) were in top form at midfield, getting though an amount of work. Jack Melvin (1-2), Dylan Gallagher (0-5), Ronan Kelly (1-1) and Ciaran Treacy (0-1) were menacing forwards while Fionn McLoughlin and Jack Devane worked extremely hard in the wing-forward positions. Davey Hennessy, Dylan Burke and Sean Clarke were all introduced towards the end of the game.

Knockmore 1-12  Davitts 1-13

Davitts’ U-21 team advanced to the quarter-final of the county A championship following a narrow and very hard-fought away victory over Knockmore. There was never more than two points separating the sides, but a late point scored by Davitts enterprising full-back, Micheal Hett, ensured his team will take on Moy Davitts in Foxford next week.

The home team started off well and they shot the first two scores in the opening three minutes. A Dylan Gallagher point in the sixth minute and two from Ronan Kelly in the 8^th and 14^th minutes, saw Davitts edge in front. Three Knockmore points, between the 16^th and 19^th minutes, put them two ahead but Davitts finished the half well with Ciaran Treacy, Jack Melvin and Dylan Gallagher pointing, to leave the visitors ahead by 0-6 to 0-5 at the break.

An early second-half Knockmore point was cancelled out by a similar Dylan Gallagher score. A fine Fenton Kelly point put Davitts two up but a 36^th minute Knockmore goal restored their lead. This lasted for less than a minute when Dylan Gallagher collected a superb Cathal Corless pass and buried it for a Davitts goal. Knockmore scored the game’s next three points in the 42^nd, 47^th and 49^th minutes to lead again. Jack Melvin fired over from distance to level it in the 51^st minute but Knockmore replied with a point of their own two minutes later. A 54^th minute Ronan Kelly point for Davitts was matched by Knockmore almost immediately. Two Davey Hennessy points in the 57^th and 59^th minutes saw Davitts in front again but Knockmore went downfield and shot a 60^th minute equaliser. In a welter of excitement, Micheal Hett fired over the match-winning point in the second minute of injury-time, after a brilliant move involving several players.

This was a workmanlike display by the whole Davitts team but they will need to step up a gear if they are to overcome Moy Davitts.

Davitts: Dylan O’Brien, Brian Óg McTigue, Micheal Hett (0-1), Brian Birmingham, Sean Keadin, Cathal Corless, Fenton Kelly (0-1), Mark Birmingham, Burke Briere, Jack Devane, Jack Melvin (0-2), Fionn McLoughlin, Ciaran Treacy (0-1), Dylan Gallagher (1-3), Ronan Kelly (0-3). Subs used: Conor McDermott, Davey Hennessy (0-2), Dylan Burke.