Seniors v Kiltane – Match Report
Davitts 3-14 Kiltane 2-8
Davitts Senior team advanced to the County Quarter Finals with an emphatic nine point defeat of Kiltane in McHale Park on Saturday evening. Davitts controlled the game from the start and, but for a ten minute lapse in concentration in the final quarter, could easily have won by much more.
Davitts built up a 0-9 to 0-3 lead at the break with scores coming from man of the match Cathal Hennelly (5), Evan Ronane, Josh Ronayne, Darragh McGale and Ronan McNamara. The defence were very impressive in that half, none more so than Kieran Fahy, Tommy Waldron and Dmitry Trench while the attack were moving smoothly and working very hard. Kiltane had one great goal chance in that first half but Davitts young keeper Cian Naughton pulled off a superb save in the tenth minute.
Josh Ronayne and Darragh McGale assisted each other for Davitts opening two points of the second half sandwiching a second minute Kiltane point. Evan Ronane completely killed off the game as a contest in the 39th minute with a blistering goal after being put through by a slick Josh Ronayne pass. Kiltane pulled a point back one minute later and Dmitry Trench and Cathal Hennelly traded points with Kiltane in the next five minutes. In the 48th minute Ronan McNamara, now prowling around the Kiltane square, fielded a long Stephen Nyland only to be hauled to the ground for a penalty which was coolly despatched by Stephen Nyland to put Davitts 2-13 to 0-7 ahead.
Kiltane fought valiantly and were rewarded with two goals and a point in the last ten minutes with Davitts replying with a Shane Treacy point and Cathal Hennelly fittingly rounding off a great individual display with the game’s final score, a goal in the closing seconds.
This was a very good performance from Davitts who advance to the Quarter-Finals. The defence was rock solid for most of the game while some of the scoretaking and passing movements were very impressive. The performances of the young players like Cian Naughton, Patrick Keadin, Kieran Fahy, Dmitry Trench, Tommy Waldron, Cathal Hennelly (1-6), William Freeley, Stephen Nyland (1-0), Evan Ronane (1-1) and Shane Treacy (0-1) were very encouraging with the older brigade of Cathal Higgins, Colm Boyle, Ronan McNamara (0-1), Josh Ronayne (0-3), Mark Ronayne and Darragh McGale (0-2) providing the leadership. There were also telling contributions from Aidan McTigue, Michael Conroy, Daniel Huane and Brian Clarke from the bench in a great display of teamwork.
Davitts will now play Ballaghaderreen in the Quarter-Final in McHale Park on September 21st.
