Seniors v Charlestown – Match Report
Charlestown 2-9 Davitts 1-8
Charlestown defeated Davitts by four points in this Senior League Div 1A match played in Charlestown on Sunday. The result means that Charlestown retain their 1A League status for next season while Davitts drop down to Div 1B.
Charlestown played against the wind in the first half and Colm Maye opened the scoring for them in the 2nd minute with Michael Conroy equalising two minutes later. The major talking point of the match came in the 12th minute. Davitts lively forward Evan Ronane gained possession and appeared to be fouled but referee Jerome Henry saw it differently and penalised the Davitts player for over carrying and issued him a black card presumably for dissent. From the resulting free the ball ended up in the arms of the inrushing Tom Parsons and the County star lobbed Davitts keeper Adrian McNamara for his side’s opening goal.
Davitts replied with two Cathal Hennelly points in the 13th and 17th minutes and were dealt another crushing blow in the 19th minute when Damian Warde goaled for Charlestown. Davitts had already lost the influential Josh Ronayne with an ankle injury and things were looking bleak for their chances of survival.
Ronan McNamara pointed for Davitts in the 22nd minute but Jack Reilly and Tom Holton in the 24th and 28th minutes put the homeside five points clear. Liam Kearns narrowed the gap but points from Damian Warde and Jack Reilly left Charlestown ahead by 2-5 to 0-5 at the break.
Tom Holton extended the lead with a third minute point but Colm Boyle, now operating at midfield, fired home a brilliant individual goal in the 10th minute to give his side hope. Cathal Hennelly narrowed the gap to three points in the 14th minute but Jack Reilly cancelled out that score a minute later with a sweet score.
David Caffrey pointed in the 24th minute for Charlestown and Cathal Hennelly shot two for Davitts as the game approached injury time. Davitts threw everything into attack to try and grab a goal but it was Charlestown’s Niall Murphy who had the final say with a breakaway point.
Best for Charlestown were Gerry McLoughlin, Aidan Higgins, Enda McLoughlin, Tom Parsons, David Caffrey, Jack Reilly, Tom Holton and Damian Warde.
Patrick Keadin, Cathal Higgins, Padraig Mangan, Tommy Waldron, Colm Boyle, Ronan McNamara and Cathal Hennelly were best for Davitts.
Charlestown: Kenneth Brennan, Gerry McLoughlin, Dara McMeel, Aidan Hopkins, Conor O Donoghue, Enda McLoughlin, David Caffrey (0-1), Tom Parsons (1-0), Gareth O Donnell, Jack Reilly (0-3), Tom Holton (0-2), Damian Warde (1-1), Niall Murphy (0-1), Aidan Higgins, Colm Maye (0-1).
Davitts: Adrian McNamara, Patrick Keadin, Cathal Higgins, Padraig Mangan, Tommy Waldron, Colm Boyle (1-0), Johnno Clarke, Josh Ronayne, Declan Healy, Keith Prendergast, Liam Kearns (0-1), Andrew Peters, Michael Conroy (0-1), Ronan McNamara (0-1), Evan Ronane.
Subs used: Cathal Hennelly (0-5), Paul Carey, Shane Treacy.
