Senior League 1A v Castlebar match report
Davitts 1-11 Castlebar Mitchels 4-15
Castlebar produced a devastating second half display of attacking football to overwhelm Davitts in this Senior League Div 1A match played in Ballindine on Saturday evening. This win sees Castlebar open up a three point gap at the top of the table with a 100% winning record after five matches.
Anthony O Boyle opened the scoring in the first minute with a point for the visitors but this was cancelled out in the third minute by the superb Niall Treacy. Neil Douglas got the first of Castlebar’s four goals a minute later after a fine run. Niall Treacy pulled a point back in the 5th minute and fired home a brilliant goal two minutes later, after a brilliant Liam Kearns pass, to put Davitts ahead. The lively Ben McHale levelled the game with a neat 9th minute point which was quickly followed by a second Mitchel’s goal, this one courtesy of wing-back Donal Newcombe after a defence-splitting run. Niall Treacy pointed in the 12th minute and three minutes later, the same player got on the end of a fine move before appearing to have been pushed to the ground as he was about to shoot. Davitts appeals for a penalty fell on deaf ears but Charlie Phillips did salvage a point for the homeside. Mitchels hit three unanswered points between the 16th and 19th minutes through Steve Keane, James Durcan and Jack O’Reilly but Davitts finished the half well with points from Niall Treacy (2) and Jack Melvin to leave Castlebar ahead by 2-5 to 1-7 at the break.
Dylan Gallagher shot an equalising point in the first minute of the second half but points from Ben McHale, Neil Douglas and James Durcan and a Steve Keane goal put the visitors into a six point lead before Liam Kearns got Davitts’ next score, a 36th minute point. Mitchels took control of the game and their slick attacking moves and unerring shooting was of the highest order. They scored points from Anthony O Boyle (2), James Durcan and Conor Stenson with ace poacher Steve Keane grabbing his second goal to lead by twelve points with ten minutes remaining. Davitts kept plugging away and Dylan Gallagher and Charlie Phillips pulled two points back before Castlebar finished off the scoring with late scores from Conor Stenson, Gavin Durcan and Anthony O Boyle.
Rory Byrne, Donal Newcombe, James Cunningham, Conor Mulroy, Conor Stenson, Anthony O Boyle, Neil Douglas, Ben McHale, James Durcan and Steve Keane were in top form for an impressive Castlebar side.
In Niall Treacy, Davitts had the best player on view, and he got best support from Sean Keadin, Mark Birmingham, Charlie Phillips, Jack Melvin, Liam Kearns, Brian Clarke and Dylan Gallagher.
Castlebar: Rory Byrne, Rory Burke, John McMonagle, Jack O’Reilly, Donal Newcombe (1-0), James Cunningham, Conor Mulroy, Conor Stenson (0-2), Fergal Durcan, Neil Douglas (1-1), Anthony O Boyle (0-4), Emmet Murphy, Ben McHale (0-2), James Durcan (0-3), Steve Keane (2-1). Subs used: Kylum Chambers, Gavin Durcan (0-1).
Davitts: Tristan Diskin, Kieran Fahy, Cathal Higgins, Sean Keadin, Brian Óg McTigue, Thomas Ronayne, Mark Birmingham, Charlie Phillips (0-2), Jack Melvin (0-1), Dylan Gallagher (0-2), Liam Kearns (0-1), Fionn McLoughlin, Niall Treacy (1-5), Darragh McGale, Tommy Waldron. Subs used: Brian Clarke, Michael Conroy, Michael Hett, Stephen Nyland, Brian Birmingham.
Referee: Eamon McAndrew.
