Seniors v Ballinrobe–Senior Championship Relegation Play Off – Match Report
Davitts 3-13 Ballinrobe 1-6
Davitts retained their Senior Championship status in emphatic style in Bekan on Saturday night after a thirteen point defeat of Ballinrobe. The game was played in terrible conditions but Davitts played some superb football as Ballinrobe made the drop to the Intermediate Championship for next season. The damage was done in the first half as Davitts, in devastating form, took the game by the scruff of the neck from the start and built up a 3-10 to 1-1 lead by the break.
A razor sharp Michael Conroy opened the scoring in the third minute with a point and the same player buried a goal a minute later. Ronan McNamara fired over a long range free in the 6th minute before Ballinrobe’s Kevin Quinn was on the end of a fine move before slotting home a great goal two minutes later. This score was followed by a string of excellent Davitts points courtesy of Michael Conroy, Evan Ronane (2) and Josh Ronayne (2) with James Murphy getting Ballinrobe’s sole reply in the 21st minute.
Ronan McNamara pointed a 45 with a superb strike in the 25th minute and two Davitts goals in quick succession a minute later effectively killed the game off. The first was created by Michael Conroy and finished by Josh Ronayne and when the resulting kick-out was intercepted by the alert Evan Ronane, who lobbed the keeper for his side’s third goal, the writing was well and truly on the wall for the young Ballinrobe side. Josh Ronayne and Evan Ronane added points before the break to leave Davitts ahead by 3-10 to 1-1 at halftime.
Ballinrobe came out fighting in the second half and Kevin Quinn pointed in the 4th minute. Their cause was not helped by the sending off of midfielder James Murphy in the 10th minute but they showed great character and Evan O Brien added three points to their tally as Davitts were content to sit on their big lead. Josh Ronayne fired over three fine points in the 27th, 30th and 31st minutes for Davitts before Kevin Quinn kicked the final score of the game for Ballinrobe.
Davitts whole defence marshalled well by Colm Boyle were very impressive. Ronan McNamara, Josh Ronayne, Andrew Peters, Evan Ronane and Michael Conroy were very effective, especially in the first half.
Ballinrobe had fine performers in Connor Keane, Evan O Brien, Kevin Quinn and James Murphy on a night when little went right for them.
Davitts: Adrian McNamara, Patrick Keadin, Cathal Higgins, Padraig Mangan, Thomas Waldron, Colm Boyle, Johnno Clarke, Ronan McNamara (0-2), Declan Healy, Keith Prendergast, Paul Carey, Andrew Peters, Josh Ronayne (1-6), Michael Conroy (1-2), Evan Ronane (1-3). Subs used: Shane Treacy, Liam Kearns, Cathal Hennelly.
Ballinrobe: Paul Tiernan, David O Connor, Eugene O Malley, Peter Butler, Oran O Malley, Connor Keane, Felim Reilly, David Killeen, James Murphy (0-1), Shane Biggins, Donal Vaughan, Stephen Burke, Evan O Brien (0-3), Joseph Burke, Kevin Quinn (1-2). Subs used: David Murphy, Peter Walsh.
Referee: John Glavey.
