Kelly leads crusade as Davitts dig deepest
Opposing midfielders Cian Naughton of Davitts (left) and Cormac Phillips of Ballyhaunis contest the throw-in at last Sunday's Egan Jewellers Mayo IFC Quarter-Final in Ballyhaunis. Picture: Ballyhaunis GAA/Facebook
This was a game which for the most part was played at breathtaking pace to keep the big crowd in Ballyhaunis enthralled on Sunday afternoon.
It was also a dogged affair, with loads of tackles and the execution of scoring chances far from top class, but what was certain was that both teams went hammer and tongs for the hour, with Davitts prevailing through two goals in the final quarter that ultimately clinched their place in the semi-final stage.
Davitts’ county man Fenton Kelly was at his brilliant best in the second-half, showing huge leadership in the absence of Niall Treacy who was forced off at half-time through injury. Kelly ran the show, with strong running and long distance shooting to literally drag his side over the line in a game that could easily have gone either way.
Mayo selector Colm Boyle was sprang from the Davitts bench and was a magnet to the ball in the second-half, mopping up breaks and dirty ball, and offering a firm welcome to any Ballyhaunis player trying to enter the Davitts half.
With the scores deadlocked at 1-4 apiece at half-time, the football was far from as sparkling as the day itself. But Ballyhaunis would have been the happier camp at half-time having played against the breeze and been at far from their best.
Fionn Conlon was a sensation in the first-half for the home side, as the teenager provided a constant threat, albeit his marker Brian Birmingham was playing his part in a terrific tussle. Ballyhaunis were slack enough up front otherwise, with Eamonn Phillips sporadic with his impact in the first-half, while Adam Noone, Jason Coyne and Adam Kelly showed some positive signs without ever really putting their stamp on the game.
Davitts, in contrast, played some lovely football at times, but their conversion rate in front of goal was very poor, from play and from frees. However, a goal from Ciaran Treacy after 11 minutes at least got them up and running, while Ballyhaunis responded through points from Coyne and Conlon early on.
Ballyhaunis were without the services of their injured Mayo captain Jack Coyne, but Kevin Gallagher’s side were far from soft at the back and largely on top throughout, with a very well organised, stern defensive effort.
Both sides traded scores, as points for the visitors by Niall Treacy, a free, and Ciaran Treacy, in full flight, were responded to by a Ballyhaunis goal, finished by Mark Phillips who tapped in after Joe Sutton’s shot had been saved by Dylan O’Brien but rebounded straight into the path of the Ballyhaunis midfielder.
An Eamonn Phillips two pointer stretched the Ballyhaunis lead to 1-4 to 1-2, but Davitts levelled going into half-time through singles by Ciaran and Shane Treacy.
Ballyhaunis roared into the second-half with a free from Jason Coyne followed by a sensational Eamonn Phillips two pointer, and it seemed Davitts, now down Niall Treacy, would rue the number of misses in the first-half. But they settled nicely through a Ronan Kelly point, before his brother Fenton kicked two great scores, one a two pointer, to pull his side back into a game that looked to be getting away from them.
The turning point in the game came on 43 minutes when Jack Melvin scored a penalty for Davitts after Tom Ronayne had been brought down in front of goal, giving Davitts a three point lead entering the final quarter.
Ballyhaunis themselves had two excellent goal chances a minute apart, with Adam Kelly one-on-one with Dylan O’Brien but dragging his shot agonisingly wide, before O’Brien saved brilliantly from Liam Herr who bore down on goal.
Those were two big misses, but Eamonn Phillips struck a sensational two pointer minutes later to leave the game well in the melting pot, a point in it, with seven minutes only to play.
Davitts settled well again however, with Fenton Kelly and Jack Melvin kicking a point apiece, leaving Davitts three up again during stoppage time.
With Davitts controlling the game well, the sealing of it came when Jack Ronayne, living in England and flying in and out for games, smashed home from close range late on, sealing a six points win for Mark Concannon’s side.
Scorers – Davitts: Ciaran Treacy 1-0-2 (1f), Fenton Kelly 0-1-2, Jack Melvin 1-0-1 (1-0pen, 1f), Jack Ronayne 1-0-0, Niall Treacy (f), Shane Treacy and Ronan Kelly 0-0-1 each.
Ballyhaunis: Eamonn Phillips 0-3-0, Mark Phillips 1-0-0, Jason Coyne 0-0-2 (1f) Fionn Conlon and Adam Kelly 0-0-1 each.
Ballyhaunis: Adrian Phillips; Liam Herr, Conor Henry, Kieran Kiely; Fionn Conlon, Ethan Kilbane, Davy Cunnane; Cormac Phillips, Mark Phillips; Eoghan Collins, Adam Kelly, Joe Sutton; Jason Coyne, Adam Noone, Eamonn Phillips. Subs: Jason Powers (for Collins ht), Aidan Sloyan (for Noone 37), Diarmuid Phillips (for C Phillips 46), Ja Carney (for Sutton 56), Cathal Carney (for Coyne 60+2).
Davitts: Dylan O’Brien; Cathal Corless, Cathal Higgins, Brian Birmingham; Tom Waldron, Charlie Phillips, Conor McDermott; Cian Naughton, Fenton Kelly; Shane Treacy, Jack Ronayne, Jack Melvin; Ronan Kelly, Niall Treacy, Ciaran Treacy. Subs: Colm Boyle (for N Treacy ht, inj), Darragh McGale (for Waldron 50), Mark Birmingham (for R Kelly 60).
REF: Jerome Henry (Castlebar Mitchels)
