Seniors v Garrymore – Match Report
Garrymore 1-11 Davitts 0-6
Garrymore proved much too strong for an under strength Davitts side in this first round Senior League game played in wet and windy Garrymore on Saturday evening. Davitts were missing several players through injury most notably Michael Conroy, Colm Boyle and Ronan McNamara and their youthful team were up against it from the start. Garrymore, revelling in the conditions, showed that they will be formidable opponents and their defensive system will be hard to overcome.
Caolainn Crowe got the homeside to a good start with a second minute point from play. Enda Varley doubled the lead with a free five minutes later before Josh Ronayne opened Davitts account with a fine point. The same player levelled the game in the 14th minute but Jimmy Killeen pointed to put Garrymore back in front midway through the half. Josh Ronayne and David Dolan traded points before the game’s only goal from the very assured Shane Nally in the 24th minute. Nally’s drive into the top corner was unstoppable and an Enda Varley free two minutes later put the home side firmly in the driving seat. Josh Ronayne pulled one back just before the break to leave his team trailing by four points, 1-5 to 0-4, at the break and facing the wind in the second half.
Colm O’Neill and Myles Fallon had two lovely long range points early in the second half but then Davitts began to show some grit. Young Cathal Hennelly landed a beauty and Liam Kearns pointed a free in the fifteenth minute as the scores proved very hard to come by. Jimmy Killeen and Enda Varley in the 20th and 25th minutes extended the homeside’s lead. Davitts Padraig Mangan and Cathal Higgins were sent off and Garrymore defenders Alan Reilly and Trevor Nally added two points deep in injury time to finish the job off.
This was a poor game riddled with errors but that won’t bother Garrymore who had fine performers in Alan Reilly, Trevor and Shane Nally, Caolainn Crowe, Jimmy Killeen and Myles Fallon.
Best for Davitts were Johnno Clarke, Donal Ronayne, Liam Kearns, Josh Ronayne, Andrew Peters and Cathal Hennelly.
Garrymore: Morvan Connolly, Jimmy King, Kieran Cunningham, Jamie Oates, Trevor Nally (0-1), Alan Reilly (0-1), Alan Cummins, Shane Nally (1-0), David Dolan (0-1), Colm O’Neill (0-1), Caolainn Crowe (0-1), Brian Walsh, Jimmy Killeen (0-2), Enda Varley (0-3), Myles Fallon (0-1). Sub: Michael Connolly.
Davitts: Michael Mangan, Colm Roche, Cathal Higgins, Donal Ronayne, James Cummins, Johnno Clarke, Martin Cosgrove, Sean Waldron, Padraig Mangan, Mark Ronayne, Liam Kearns (0-1), Thomas Waldron, Cathal Hennelly (0-1), Josh Ronayne (0-4), Andrew Peters. Subs used: Kevin Gallagher, Matthew Trench, Liam Noone and William Freeley.
Referee: Ronan Gurren.
