McHugh completes comeback mission for Moy men

Mayo SFL Division 1B – Round 5 

Moy Davitts 0-19 

Westport St Patrick’s 0-19 

Mike Kelly in Sraith Garbh 

Oisin McHugh struck an excellent two pointer with the final kick of this enthralling game as Moy Davitts came from seven points down to snatch a draw at the death. It was the least Paul McGarry’s side deserved as they outscored their visitors eleven points to four in the second-half; the result leaves Westport without a victory after five rounds, this being their fourth draw.

Two pointers were very much to the fore in Saturday evening’s Division 1B clash with the hosts hitting four across the hour and Westport grabbing four of their own, all within an astonishing four minute period at the end of the first-half.

It was a very evenly matched opening to the game with the teams level on four occasions in the opening 15 minutes.

Brian Heneghan and Ronan Clarke both hit a pair of points for Moy Davitts with Luke Tunney, Danny Brennan and a Kevin Keane double leaving the scores at four points apiece on the quarter hour.

Westport edged ahead through a Keane free and should have scored the game’s first goal in the 17th minute but Joey Holmes’ attempt to push a Lee Keegan pass into the net was thwarted by Moy Davitts stopper Chris McGlynn.

Another Kevin Keane free doubled Westport’s lead before four points, including a two point free by Ronan Clarke, suddenly had Moy Davitts two ahead with five minutes to go in the half. It was at this stage that Westport upped the intensity and pinned the home side back inside their own half, turning a two point deficit into a seven point lead by the break.

Tunney hit a point to leave one between them before a flurry of two point scores left the home side reeling at the break. John Grady hit two impressive shots with Conor Calvey hitting another from outside the arc.

The half then ended when Westport goalkeeper Patrick O’Malley coming up the pitch to drive over a two point free.

Moy Davitts emerged for the second-half immediately trying to reel Westport in, but they couldn’t get any momentum going on the scoreboard. In fact, there were only three points scored in the first eighteen minutes of the second-half with the hosts closing the gap by just one.

A Jamie Clarke two pointer did eventually breathe life into his side’s comeback chances but when Liam Byrne traded two points with John Grady and Ronan Geraghty, there was still four between the teams with only two minutes left to play.

Step forward Ronan Clarke, the former Mayo minor captain, who nailed a massive two point free in the 58th minute to bring the gap back to two before winning a free for Sean Kelly to knock over the bar, which left the minimum between the sides.

Kevin Keane seemed to have stopped the rot for Westport and in the process break the Moy Davitts fightback, when he pointed in the 59th minute, but there was still time for late drama when Oisin McHugh fired over from outside the arc on 64 minutes, much to the delight of the home support.

Scorers – Moy Davitts: Ronan Clarke 0-2-6 (2tpf, 4f), Jamie Clarke and Oisin McHugh 0-1-0 each, Brian Heneghan and Liam Byrne 0-0-2 each, Sean Kelly 0-0-1f.

Westport: Kevin Keane 0-0-6 (2f), John Grady 0-2-1, Conor Calvey and Patrick O’Malley (1tpf) 0-1-0 each, Luke Tunney 0-0-2, Ronan Geraghty and Danny Brennan 0-0-1 each.

Moy Davitts: Chris McGlynn; Ryan Binley, Jack Dunleavy, John Gilmore; David Byrne, Oisin McHugh, Cathal Clarke; Padraig Ruane, Colm McHale; Ajay McGrath, Sean Kelly, Jamie Clarke; Liam Byrne, Ronan Clarke, Brian Heneghan. Sub: Conor Ryder.

Westport: Patrick O’Malley; Ronan Geraghty, Niall McManamon, Brian McDermott; Lee Keegan, Leon Askin, Malcolm MacEvilly; Danny Brennan, Joe Grady; Conor Calvey, Joey Holmes, John Grady; Colm Moran, Luke Tunney, Kevin Keane. Sub: Michael Geraghty.

REF: John Brennan (Claremorris)