Seniors v Mayo Gaels – Match Report
Mayo Gaels 1-9
Davitts 2-14
Davitts travelled to Mayo Abbey on Saturday evening to face table toppers Mayo Gaels in Div 3 of the Senior League and left their recent indifferent form behind with an impressive eight point defeat of the locals.
The game was played in ideal conditions as Davitts played with the breeze in the first half. With team captain Ronan McNamara, the hardworking William Freeley and debutante Stephen Nyland winning the midfield exchanges, Davitts raced out of the blocks. Liam Kearns and Evan Ronane pointed in the opening three minutes and in the fifth minute, a long Ronan McNamara delivery was won by Ryan McLoughlin who fed Darragh McGale and he finished in style with a low shot to the corner of the Gaels net. Liam Kearns (2) and Evan Ronane pointed again before Mayo Gaels opened their account with an 18th minute point. The homeside doubled their tally four minutes later but points from Liam Kearns, Shane Treacy and two long distance Ronan McNamara humdingers, extended the visitor’s lead. Gaels pointed again in injury time to leave Davitts ahead by 1-9 to 0-3 at the break.
Facing into the breeze, Davitts opened the second half in whirlwind fashion with three superb points from Stephen Nyland, Evan Ronane and the strong running Liam Macken in the first four minutes of the half. A Mayo Gaels point in the 35th minute was cancelled out three minutes later by a clever Ronan McNamara point after a Liam Kearns assist. Evan Ronane made it 1-14 to 0-4 a minute later with his fourth point from play.
The homeside gave themselves a lifeline with a point in the 41st minute and a goal two minutes later. They were pressing Davitts hard and a combination of some terrific defending with Patrick Keadin, Kevin Gallagher and Dmitry Trench to the fore and a few smart saves by David Mitchell kept Davitts well ahead.
Gaels kicked another point in the 48th minute before a barren nine minute scoring spell was ended by Davitts full forward Darragh McGale. He notched his second goal of the game after collecting a long Liam Kearns pass and blasting past the keeper to the roof of the net. Mayo Gaels finished the game off with three points as Davitts comfortably saw the game out.
This was a very good team effort by Davitts with all of the players on top of their game.
Davitts: David Mitchell, Patrick Keadin, Cathal Higgins, Kevin Gallagher, Dmitry Trench, Padraig Mangan, Liam Macken (0-1), William Freeley, Ronan McNamara (0-3), Stephen Nyland (0-1), Liam Kearns (0-4), Shane Treacy (0-1), Evan Ronane (0-4), Darragh McGale (2-0), Ryan McLoughlin. Subs used: Liam Noone, Jack Ronayne, Tommy Clarke.
