Entertaining battle goes the way of men of the West

Primary Junior ‘A’ Football Championship – Group 1 – Round 3 

Westport St Patrick’s 5-12 

Moy Davitts 3-11 

Mike Kelly in Robert McCallion Park, Swinford 

There was no defensive football on display in Swinford on Sunday afternoon as Moy Davitts and Westport treated the large crowd in attendance to an open, attacking game of football in the Junior ‘A’ championship, with a total of 8-18 being scored from play between the teams.

Westport guaranteed their place in the quarter-finals of the championship with a seven point win but it was far from comfortable for the West Mayo side as Moy Davitts matched them stride for stride.

Both sides traded points in the opening few minutes with Conor McGraynor and Daniel McGovern pointing for Westport while Conor Hanahoe and Colm Reape struck singles in reply.

The game’s first major arrived in the ninth minute when Oisin Moran intercepted a Moy Davitts kickout and fed the ball to Danny Brennan who made no mistake in slotting the ball inside the left post.

That score urged Moy Davitts into action and they scored four of the next five points through Alan Bourke, Conor Ryder and two from Reape, to draw level.

Brennan almost hit his second goal on 19 minutes but his low shot was saved by Robert Hanahoe yet Westport raised their second green flag just a minute later when McGraynor burst through from the right, dummied two players, including the goalkeeper, and slotted the ball into an empty net.

They would hold that three point lead for only two minutes, however, as a long ball into the square was fisted to the net by Reape to level the sides again.

Oisin Moran pushed Westport into the lead once more with a 26th minute free but a burst of 1-1 in a minute looked to have put Moy Davitts into a half-time lead. Conor Hanahoe hit the major after being played in on goal by Oisin Quinn, however, just before the break Westport would level with their third goal as the Moy Davitts defence parted like the Red Sea in front of Cian Grimes and the wing-back didn’t need a second invitation to run through the gap to fire past Hanahoe into the net.

Just like the opening half, both teams traded scores early in the second period with McGraynor and Lorcan Silke swapping points with Stephen Clarke and Mark Fahy. This time, however, it was Moy Davitts who hit a goal to take the lead when Max Babiarczyk ran through from midfield and played in Sean Mulroy. His shot was saved but Sean O’Neill fired the loose ball to the net.

Eoghan Canavan and Oisin Moran responded with points for Westport before Reape put his side two ahead again with a fisted effort on 40 minutes.

The West Mayo side would then take control of the scoreboard with an unanswered goal and two points to lead by three by the 44th minute.The goal came when Oisin Moran kicked a mark inside to Brennan who made no mistake from close range. McGraynor and Brennan followed that up with points.

Despite losing Cian Grimes to a black card in the 49th minute, Westport were able to hold on as Clarke knocked over a free in the 52nd minute for Moy Davitts’ last score of the day.

Daniel McGovern hit a fifth goal for Westport in the 53rd minute and they finished with points from McGraynor and Jamie Hoban to ensure their qualification.

Scorers – Westport: Daniel McGovern 1-5 (0-1f, 0-1 ’45), Conor McGraynor 2-1, Conor O’Malley 1-1, Cian Grimes 1-0, Oisin Moran 0-2 (1f), Eoghan Canavan, Lorcan Silke and Jamie Hoban 0-1 each.

Moy Davitts: Colm Reape 1-4, Conor Hanhoe 1-1, Sean O’Neill 1-0, Stephen Clarke (2f) and Alan Bourke 0-2 each, Conor Ryder and Mark Fahy 0-1 each.

Westport: Sean Grimes; Anthony Browne, Martin Dunne, Joshua Lally; Cian Grimes, Eoghan Canavan, Oisin Ryall; Cian Mulchrone, Conor O’Malley; Daniel McGovern, Conor O’Malley; Daniel McGovern, Conor McGraynor, Danny Brennan; Oisin Moran, Sean O’Hanlon, Sean Tierney. Subs: Lorcan Silke, Jamie Hoban, Jack Hyland, Sam Walsh, Ed Gannon.

Moy Davitts: Robert Hanahoe; Conor Ryder, Max Babiarczyk, Mark Fahy; Alan Bourke, Cormac Mulderrig, Sean Mulroy; Oisin Quinn, Stephen Clarke; Paul Byrne, Colm T. Carney, Colm McHale; Conor Hanahoe, Colm Reape, Neil Murphy. Sub: Sean O’Neill.