Davitts 2-18  Charlestown 4-8

Davitts hosted Charlestown in the opening round of the Senior League Div 1A on Saturday evening and, after an entertaining game, came out on top by four points.

Davitts looked the sharper side from the start and built up a 2-8 to 1-2 lead by half-time, after playing with the assistance of the wind. Ciaran Treacy opened the scoring with a 5^th minute point which was quickly followed by a superb Jack Melvin goal, the Davitts midfielder finishing emphatically after a great run. Ciaran Treacy extended the lead to five points in the 8^th minute but Charlestown countered with a fine goal a minute later, Ciaran Honeyman supplying the finish after a well-worked move. Jack Devane goaled with a neat finish for the homeside’s second major in the 13^th minute and three points from Tommy Waldron, Charlie Phillips and Shane Treacy in the next five minutes opened up an eight point gap between the teams. Jack Mahon, who impressed throughout, pulled back a point for Charlestown in the 22^nd minute but Jack Melvin replied with the first of his three two-pointers, converting a long-range free. Jack Mahon and Ciaran Treacy traded points before the break to leave Davitts with a healthy nine point lead at the interval.

Charlestown came out firing in the second half and a Patrick Lenihan goal in the first minute gave them a much needed boost. A Jack Mahon point for the visitors in the 37^th minute reduced the deficit to five points but a superb two-pointer from Jack Melvin and a Mark Birmingham point in the 38^th and 39^th minutes were crucial scores for Davitts. Jack Mahon reeled off three Charlestown points in a row in the 40^th, 41^st and 46^th minutes to leave five points separating the sides. That lead could easily have been reduced to two but for a brilliant save by Stephen Nyland in the Davitts goals.  Another Jack Melvin two-pointer in the 49^th minute and points from Ciaran Treacy, Jack Melvin (2) and Ronan Kelly extended Davitts lead to eleven points with three minutes of normal time remaining. Charlestown didn’t lie down and they finished the game with points from Patrick Goldrick and Jack Mahon and two fine Ruairi Cullen goals in stoppage time.

This was a fine team performance from Davitts with Patrick Keadin, Tommy Waldron, Charlie Phillips, Cathal Corless, Mark Birmingham and Ciaran Treacy in top form while midfielder Jack Melvin had an exceptional game.

Charlestown were best served by Thomas Goldrick, Gareth O Donnell, Patrick Goldrick, Ruairi Cullen, Ciaran Honeyman, Jack Mahon and Patrick Joseph Dunleavy.

Davitts: Stephen Nyland, Patrick Keadin, Cathal Higgins, Brian Birmingham, Tommy Waldron (0-1), Thomas Ronayne, Brian Og McTigue, Charlie Phillips (0-1), Jack Melvin (1-8), Mark Birmingham (0-1), Shane Treacy (0-1), Cathal Corless, Ciaran Treacy (0-5), Darragh McGale, Jack Devane (1-0). Subs used: Ronan Kelly (0-1), Andy Peters, Jordan Flanagan, Sean Keadin, Davey Hennessy.

Charlestown: Kenneth Brennan, Niall Drudy, Thomas Goldrick, Tadhg Horkan, Jack Corley, Gareth O Donnell, Ben Conway, Patrick Goldrick (0-1), Tom Holton, Sean Dunleavy, Ruairi Cullen (2-0), Ben Crean, Ciaran Honeyman (1-0), Patrick Lenihan (1-0), Jack Mahon (0-7). Subs used: Patrick Joseph Dunleavy, Eddie Goldrick, Alex Cullen, Niall Towey.

Referee: Kieran Barnicle (Breaffy).