Ballinrobe make Davitts pay for second-half slump
Kevin Quinn scored three points for Ballinrobe in their comprehensive home win against Davitts.
After a very competitive first-half in Ballinrobe on Saturday evening, the home side took over after the break to win impressively by eight points against Davitts in Division 2 of the Mayo Senior Football League.
Ballinrobe were on top in the early stages and they shot points from county senior panellist Diarmuid Duffy, Ryan Corcoran and Conor O’Brien in the 6th, 9th and 14th minutes before Ciaran Treacy opened Davitts’ account with a point on the quarter hour mark.
From that restart, Luke Jennings’ superbly placed long kickout landed in the lap of Kevin Quinn and he pointed confidently for an excellent score. Davitts replied immediately, with their goalkeeper Dylan O’Brien finding Jack Melvin with the resulting kickout. Melvin went on a strong 50-metre run through the middle before rifling an unstoppable shot past Luke Jennings, to level the game.
Shane Treacy pointed for Davitts in the 18th minute and two minutes later Stephen Nyland was the recipient of a needless push by an over-exuberant Ballinrobe defender and referee John Glavey had no option but to award the visitors a penalty. Melvin’s piledriver from the spot crashed up off the crossbar and over for a point.
John Enda Flannelly pulled a point back for Ballinrobe in the 22nd minute and Ewen Duffy was denied a goal seconds later by a brilliant O’Brien save and Davitts burst upfield. A fine move ended with Ciaran Treacy and Cathal Corless combining for Treacy to slap home his side’s second goal.
Ewen Duffy got a Ballinrobe point in the 27th minute, after his goal attempt was again saved by Dylan O’Brien.
In the final minute of the half, fine goalkeeping at the other end of the field by Luke Jennings, and some diligent defending, saved Ballinrobe when it looked like Davitts were poised to goal again. Instead the hosts broke down the field and Conor O’Brien shot over the final score of a frantic first-half, to leave his side trailing by 2-4 to 0-7 at the break.
Ballinrobe started the second-half well and they shot the first two points in the opening three minutes via defenders Rossa Burke and Sean Flannery, before a 35th minute two-pointer from Ewen Duffy put them in front. Points from Ciaran Treacy and Jack Melvin in the 37th and 39th minutes saw Davitts regain the lead but that was as good as it got for them.
The home side dominated the remainder of the game and they got points from Cian Maye and two from Kevin Quinn before the outstanding Barry Langan smashed home a 51st minute goal after a great move.
Further points from Conor Jennings and a brace from the lively Cian O’Connell in the final minutes sealed a good win for Ballinrobe.
The home side had star performers in Luke Jennings, Sean Flannery, Barry Langan, John Enda Flannelly, Diarmuid Duffy, Cian Maye, Ewen Duffy and Cian O’Connell. Hardest triers for Davitts were Dylan O’Brien, Charlie Phillips, Conor McDermott, Tommy Waldron, Shane Treacy, Jack Melvin and Ciaran Treacy.
Scorers – Ballinrobe: Barry Langan 1-0-0, Ewen Duffy 0-1-1, Kevin Quinn 0-0-3, Conor O’Brien and Cian O’Connell 0-0-2 each, Diarmuid Duffy, Cian Maye, Ryan Corcoran, Conor Jennings, John Enda Flannelly, Rossa Burke and Sean Flannery 0-0-1 each.
Davitts: Ciaran Treacy 1-0-3, Jack Melvin 1-0-2 (0-1pen), Shane Treacy 0-0-1.
Ballinrobe: Luke Jennings; Jason Butler, Aaron McDonnell, Sean Flannery; John Enda Flannelly, Barry Langan, Rossa Burke; Evan O’Brien, Diarmuid Duffy; Ryan Corcoran, Cian Maye, Conor Jennings; Ewen Duffy, Conor O’Brien, Kevin Quinn. Sub used: Cian O’Connell.
Davitts: Dylan O Brien; Conor McDermott, Cathal Higgins, Charlie Phillips; Tommy Waldron, Thomas Ronayne, Dylan Burke; Sean Clarke, Cathal Corless; Shane Treacy, Jack Melvin, Ronan Kelly; Liam Kearns, Stephen Nyland, Ciaran Treacy. Subs used: Sean Keadin, Darragh McGale, Danny Corless, Tom Corless.
REF: John Glavey (Aghamore)
