Davitts battle back to secure famous win on Moyside
Patrick Carr (15) scores a goal for Ballina Stephenites in the opening minutes of last Saturday's Mayo SFL Division 1A game against Davitts. Pictures: David Farrell Photography
Davitts came back from being eight points down, ten minutes into the second-half, to beat county senior champions Ballina Stephenites by four points in Saturday evening’s Division 1A encounter on Moyside. Anyone who has been following the league fare closely will know that Davitts are a rapidly improving side but to inflict what is just Ballina’s second defeat of the campaign is their biggest statement yet, particularly given that the hosts had welcomed county panellist Frank Irwin and former Mayo stars David Clarke and Evan Regan, back to the fold after recent absences.
Ballina Stephenites, with the assistance of the wind, got off to a flyer when a second minute Frank Irwin ’45 kick dropped short and, after Conor McStay’s scoring attempt was blocked, the ball broke to Patrick Carr who blasted the ball to the Davitts net.
Shane Treacy got the visitors from South Mayo off the mark with a well-taken fifth minute point but Niall Feeney cancelled that score out less than a minute later. Davitts points from Dylan Gallagher and Jack Melvin were matched by similar scores from Frank Irwin and Evan Regan, in the 13th and 18th minutes. Jack Melvin narrowed the deficit to two points but an excellent two-pointer from Niall Feeney in the 24th minute and points from Conor McStay and Evan Regan, extended their lead to five before Davitts’ Dylan Gallagher and Shane Treacy fired over the last scores of the first-half, points in the 29th and 31st minutes, to leave Ballina ahead by 1-7 to 0-6 at the interval.
The home side shot two points in the first two minutes of the second-half through Frank Irwin and Evan Regan but Davitts countered through points from Shane Treacy and two from Dylan Gallagher in the next three minutes.
Ballina then hit a purple spell, scoring five unanswered points between the 36th and 40th minutes via Conor McStay, Ben Thornton, Evan Regan, two, and Adam McAndrew to go eight points clear.
You’d have fancied the Green and Red strongly from thereon, however, the final twenty minutes of the game were to be totally dominated by Davitts, with midfielders Jack Melvin and Mayo senior Fenton Kelly in superb form. The Ballina defence couldn’t cope with the powerful running of those two nor with the impressive Davitts’ inside forward-line of Dylan Gallagher, Niall Treacy and man of the match Ciaran Treacy. In the 41st minute, Jack Melvin confidently converted a penalty after Niall Treacy was brought down following a sweeping move. Three minutes later, Dylan Gallagher, Niall Treacy and Ciaran Treacy linked up with the latter finishing past a hapless David Clarke for a second Davitts goal.
Niall Treacy pointed in the 47th minute as did Fenton Kelly from the resulting kick-out to level the match. Davitts had their tails up now and Ciaran Treacy coolly finished his second goal in the 49th minute after great work by Fenton Kelly and Niall Treacy, to put his side three up. Niall Treacy pointed again for Davitts in the 51st minute, in what amounted as a twelve points turnaround.
Adam McAndrew did clip over a ’45 for Ballina in the 53rd minute but that was only before Ciaran Treacy completed his hat-trick for Davitts, giving David Clarke no chance with a clinical finish, assisted again by his brother Niall.
The final score of the game was an injury-time point by Mikey Murray for Ballina.
Jordan Flanagan, Cathal Higgins, Patrick Keadin, Jack Melvin, Fenton Kelly, Dylan Gallagher and the three Treacy brothers were in top form for Davitts.
Ballina’s best players were David Clarke, Brendan Collins, Frank Irwin, Mikey Murray, Conor McStay, Adam McAndrew and Niall Feeney.
Scorers – Davitts: Ciaran Treacy 3-0-0, Jack Melvin 1-0-2, Dylan Gallagher 0-0-4, Shane Treacy and Niall Treacy 0-0-2 each, Fenton Kelly 0-0-1.
Ballina: Evan Regan 0-0-5, Patrick Carr 1-0-0, Niall Feeney 0-1-1, Frank Irwin, Conor McStay and Adam McAndrew 0-0-2 each, Mikey Murray and Ben Thornton 0-0-1 each.
Ballina Stephenites: David Clarke; Stephen Mullins, Liam Golden, James Doherty; Brendan Collins, Ciaran Boland, Keith Tighe; Mikey Murray, Frank Irwin; Ben Thornton, Conor McStay, Niall Feeney; Evan Regan, Ciaran Sweeney, Patrick Carr. Sub used: Adam McAndrew.
Davitts: Joe Prendergast; Jordan Flanagan, Cathal Higgins, Patrick Keadin; Tommy Waldron, Tom Corless, Sean Keadin; Fenton Kelly, Jack Melvin; Shane Treacy, Darragh McGale, Cathal Corless; Dylan Gallagher, Niall Treacy, Ciaran Treacy. Subs used: Dylan Burke, Colm Boyle, Brian Birmingham, Kieran Fahy.
REF: Vincent Neary (Bonniconlon)
