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.