Davitts denied place in top flight by impressive Parke
The players of Parke-Keelogues-Crimlin and Davitts players with their eyes firmly fixed on the ball during Saturday's AbbVie Mayo SFL Division 1A encounter at Parke. Pictures: David Farrell Photography
Davitts missed out on the opportunity to feature in next year’s Mayo SFL Division 1 when falling to a defeat away to Parke-Keelogues-Crimlin in the final round of Division 1A last Saturday evening. The game was played in sweltering conditions in Parke and while there was only two points between the teams at full-time, the hosts were full value for their win.
Consistency got the Black and Amber over the line, scoring 1-7 in each half, and Davitts, who trailed by eleven points at one stage of the second-half, simply left it too late before testing the mettle of their opponents.
Both sides will be considered among, if not the overall favourites to win the county intermediate championship later this year, but it was Parke-Keelogues-Crimlin who made a flying start to the proceedings, shooting six points inside the opening eight minutes. Simon Cloherty scored three of those, there were two points by Ronan Carolan and one from John Cloherty.
Shane Treacy had kicked a third minute point for Davitts but the home side were playing some great football and dominating the midfield exchanges, with Jack McLoughlin and Declan Neary in particular impressing. A Dara Neary goal in the 13th minute and an 18th minute point from Evan Walsh extended their lead to nine before Davitts points from Cathal Corless and Dylan Gallagher, two, in the last ten minutes of the half left Parke-Keelogues-Crimlin leading by 1-7 to 0-4 at the interval.
Dylan Gallagher pointed for Davitts in the first minute of the second-half but a 34th minute two-pointer by Simon Cloherty, a point from Dara Neary two minutes later and a second goal by Neary in the 39th minute, stretched the Parke-Keelogues-Crimlin lead to eleven points, 2-10 to 0-5.
Davitts fought back and a 43rd minute goal from Dylan Gallagher was closely followed by points from Shane Treacy and Cathal Corless to reduce the deficit to six. The home side responded with a 47th minute point from Evan Walsh and the same player confidently fired over a two-pointer in the 50th minute, a feat that was matched by Davitts corner-back Patrick Keadin in the next attack. Lucas Kenny pointed for Parke-Keelogues-Crimlin in the 53rd minute as his side went eight points ahead but Davitts refused to lie down. Points from Dylan Gallagher, two, and Mark Birmingham, in the 55th, 56th and 58th minutes, and a brilliant goal by midfielder Jack Melvin in the 59th minute, closed the gap to just two points, but the home team were able to withstand all that Davitts threw at them in the final frantic minutes of the game.
Davitts end the campaign on nine points, one ahead of Parke-Keelogues-Crimlin, with both teams destined to play in Division 2 in a restructured Mayo SFL next year.
Mark Walsh, Ronan Reilly, Declan Neary, Jack McLoughlin, Conor Sweeney, Simon Cloherty, Evan Walsh and Dara Neary were key players for Parke-Keelogues-Crimlin. For Davitts, Jordan Flanagan, Sean and Patrick Keadin, Jack Melvin, Dylan Gallagher, Cathal Corless, Shane Treacy and Dylan Burke all did well.
Scorers – Parke-Keelogues-Crimlin: Dara Neary 2-0-1, Simon Cloherty 0-1-3, Evan Walsh 0-1-2, Ronan Carolan 0-0-2, Lucas Kenny and John Cloherty 0-0-1 each.
Davitts: Dylan Gallagher 1-0-5, Jack Melvin 1-0-0, Patrick Keadin 0-1-0, Shane Treacy and Cathal Corless 0-0-2, Mark Birmingham 0-0-1.
Parke-Keelogues-Crimlin: Conor McDonnell; Cian McHale, Aaron McHale, Aaron Moran; Mark Walsh, Ronan Reilly, Lucas Kenny; Declan Neary, Jack McLoughlin; Conor Sweeney, Simon Cloherty, John Cloherty; Evan Walsh, Ronan Carolan, Dara Neary. Sub: Jack Doocey.
Davitts: Dylan O’Brien; Jordan Flanagan, Cathal Higgins, Patrick Keadin; Kieran Fahy, Thomas Ronayne, Sean Keadin; Mark Birmingham, Jack Melvin; Danny Corless, Darragh McGale, Brian Óg McTigue; Dylan Gallagher, Cathal Corless, Shane Treacy. Subs used: Dylan Burke, Davey Hennessy, Sean Clarke, Brian Birmingham.
REF: Barry McDonnell (Moy Davitts)
