Garrymore 2-9  Davitts 1-11

Garrymore hosted Davitts on Friday night in what turned out to be a very competitive and entertaining match, in the South Mayo junior A championship semi-final, in front of a good attendance. The home side won although they had to withstand a storming late finish from a Davitts side that were a little unlucky, not to at least salvage a draw, in those frenetic closing moments.

Dylan Gallagher opened the scoring with a Davitts point in the first minute. Garrymore replied with two quick points before Michael Conroy (yes, that Michael Conroy!) equalised in the 4^th minute. Fionnan Gallagher, outstanding throughout the game, pointed in the 11^th minute as did Michael Conroy thirty seconds later to go two ahead. Garrymore pulled one back in the 13^th minute but Colm Roche restored Davitts two point advantage with a brilliant 19^th minute effort after a slick move involving several players. Brian Og McTigue, another Davitts player that excelled, pointed in the 29^th minute, sandwiching two similar scores from the homeside, to leave Davitts ahead by 0-6 to 0-5 at the half-time break.

Garrymore got on top in the 3^rd quarter and points in the 33^rd, 40^th and 41^st minutes saw them go two clear. Dylan Gallagher replied with a Davitts point in the 42^nd minute but a well worked Garrymore goal in the 44^th minute and a point two minutes later saw them go five up. Davitts rallied and a Dylan Gallagher point narrowed the gap. Davitts began to throw everything into the attack but got hit with a sucker punch, a 52^nd minute breakaway goal by the locals. Davitts got a penalty but Dylan Gallagher’s spot kick was well saved by the impressive Garrymore goalkeeper. The away team rallied gamely though, driven on by Fionnan Gallagher, Mark Birmingham, Brian Og McTigue, Colm Boyle, Colm Roche and Zack Keadin. Brian Og McTigue scored a well-worked goal in the 55^th minute and when Dylan Gallagher, Fionnan Gallagher and Zack Keadin added points in the next five minutes, there was just the minimum separating the sides as the game went into injury time. Fionn McLoughlin also had a rasping shot for goal saved in those nail-biting final minutes but the homeside hung on to advance to the final.

Davitts: David Mitchell, Brian Birmingham, Lawrence Daly, Sean Keadin, Jack Trench, Colm Boyle, Brian Og McTigue (1-1), Fionnan Gallagher (0-2), Mark Birmingham, Steve Nyland, Dylan Gallagher (0-4), Zack Keadin (0-1), Davey Hennessy, Michael Conroy (0-2), Colm Roche (0-1). Sub used: Fionn McLoughlin.