Seniors v Breaffy – Championship – Match Report
Davitts 0-11 Breaffy 1-13
Breaffy qualified for the Quarter Finals of the Mayo Senior Football Championship with a five point victory over Davitts in Ballindine on Saturday evening. Breaffy’s ability to win possession around the middle of the field gave them the edge over the homeside. Aidan and Seamus O Shea won a lot of ball but their colleagues were very sharp at collecting any breaking ball in this sector.
Liam Irwin opened the scoring from a free in the third minute before two neat Josh Ronayne points put Davitts in front. Alan Durcan equalised in the twelfth minute and put Breaffy in front two minutes later. Fearghal McGrath had the sides level again in the sixteenth minute and Irwin edged the visitors ahead six minutes later before Davitts midfielder Paul Carey scored two excellent points to put his side ahead again with half time looming. The game’s crucial score came on the stroke of half time when referee Vincent Neary awarded Breaffy a penalty after Colum Lyons was upended in the square. Matthew Ruane despatched the kick emphatically to the Davitts net, giving Adrian McNamara no chance, and Breaffy were ahead by 1-5 to 0-6 at the break. Davitts had introduced star player Michael Conroy ten minutes before halftime and he looked very lively after his long lay-off due to a shoulder injury.
David McDonagh opened the scoring for Davitts in the first minute of the second half, after a clever Conroy flick on, before three points from Irwin, Marty McNicholas and Gerry Jennings put Breaffy four points ahead. Two Ronan McNamara frees from long range were cancelled out by Seamus and Aidan O Shea. McNamara struck two more massive points but Aidan O Shea and Durcan replied for Breaffy. Brian Howley and Paul Carey exchanged points and Breaffy keeper Robert Hennelly had the final say, scoring a huge free kick as Breaffy closed the game out well.
Best for Breaffy were Matthew Ruane, Michael Hall, Gerry Jennings, Brian Howley, Aidan O Shea, Seamus O Shea, Tommy O Reilly and Alan Durcan.
Davitts were best served by Colm Boyle, Paul Carey, Ronan McNamara, David McDonagh, Josh Ronayne, Thomas Waldron and Michael Conroy.
Breaffy: Robert Hennelly (0-1), Kevin Scahill, Matthew Ruane (1-0), Michael Hall, Gerry Jennings (0-1), David Gavin, Brian Howley (0-1), Aidan O Shea (0-2), Seamus O Shea (0-1), Tommy O Reilly, Colum Lyons, Eddie Conroy, Liam Irwin (0-3), Alan Durcan (0-3), Ronan Conway. Subs: Marty McNicholas (0-1), Finian Canavan.
Davitts: Adrian McNamara, Colm Roche, Cathal Higgins, Kevin Gallagher, Johnno Clarke, Alan Roche, Colm Boyle, Ronan McNamara (0-4), Paul Carey (0-3), Josh Ronayne (0-2), David McDonagh (0-1), Keith Prendergast, Andrew Peters, Fearghal McGrath (0-1), Thomas Waldron. Subs: Michael Conroy, James Cummins.
