Seniors secure top flight championship football next year after impressive victory against Breaffy
Davitts 1-15
Breaffy 0-5
Davitts proved much too strong for Breaffy in this vital Senior Championship tie in wet and windy Ballindine on Sunday. Davitts, in their first year back in Senior football, needed a win to ensure their senior status and set about dismantling the Breaffy challenge from the throw in. Aidan McTigue, outstanding throughout, opened the scoring after ten seconds and Ronan McNamara doubled the advantage a minute later with a trademark free kick from way out. Conor O Shea pointed for the visitors in the 5th minute before Davitts assumed full control of the game. Points from McNamara (2), McTigue (2), the very impressive Josh Ronayne and the inspirational Colm Boyle stretched the Davitts lead with Breaffy’s only reply coming from midfielder Brian Howley. The crucial score came in the 18th minute when the hugely influential Michael Conroy dispossessed a Breaffy defender and Fearghal McGrath goaled superbly to put Davitts 1-8 to 0-2 up. Further points from Josh Ronayne in the 27th and 29th minutes and another Ronan McNamara bomb in the 30th extended the homeside’s lead to eleven points before Aidan O Shea pointed a free kick to leave the halftime score, Davitts 1-11, Breaffy 0-3.
Any hopes that Breaffy might have had of getting into the game, with the assistance of the wind in the second half, were dashed in the first twelve minutes as Davitts poured on the pressure and scored four great points through Josh Ronayne, Fearghal McGrath (2) and David McDonagh. Breaffy corner back Kevin Scahill pointed in the 48th minute and Conor O Shea had the games final score with five minutes remaining.
Davitts had heroic displays all over the field and produced a magnificent display from start to finish, full of aggressive tackling and intelligent football. Alan Roche, Colm Boyle, Ronan McNamara, Paul Carey, Josh Ronayne, Aidan McTigue and Michael Conroy could all stake legitimate claims to the man of the match award.
Breaffy will want to forget this game as quickly as possible and only Kevin Scahill, Aidan, Conor and Seamus O Shea and Brian Howley had any impact on the game.
Davitts: Mark Diskin, Colm Roche, Tommy Nolan, Kevin Gallagher, Colm Boyle (0-1), Alan Roche, James Cummins, Ronan McNamara (0-4), Paul Carey, Keith Prendergast, Josh Ronayne (0-4), Michael Conroy, Aidan McTigue (0-3), Fearghal McGrath (1-2), David McDonagh (0-1). Subs used: Pat Coyne, Michael Waldron, Liam Kearns, Carlos O Gara, Liam Kearns.
Breaffy: Robert Hennelly, Kevin Scahill (0-1), David Gavin, Michael Jennings, Gerry Jennings, Colm Jordan, Patrick Collins, Brian Howley (0-1), Tommy Canavan, Rory Martyn, Aidan O Shea (0-1), Eddie Conroy, Matthew Conroy, Marty McNicholas, Conor O Shea (0-2). Subs used: David Cusack, Mark Livingstone, Seamus O Shea, Tommy O Reilly.
Ref: Michael Daly (Ballyhaunis)
