Meaney’s penalty heroics set Westport on their way
Westport's Danny Brennan tries to hold off the challenge of Davitts Cathal Corless during the Mayo U21A Championship semi-final. Pictures: Conor McKeown
A first half which produced two goals and a saved Davitts penalty was where the bulk of the hard work was done for Westport in the U21 county semi-final on Sunday morning.
Cian Mulchrone and Darragh Hoban both found the back of the net for the Coveys in a frantic first half that also saw their keeper Conor Meaney pull off a penalty save that if Jack Melvin had converted for the south Mayo men, it would have put them well in contention.
It was not to be, and when Hoban fired into the net three minutes later, it put Westport into an unassailable lead.
Mulchrone had a fine performance for the hosts, putting away 1-4, and he opened the scoring with just over a minute played. Conal Dawson, who matched Mulchrone’s tally minus a goal, followed up a minute later.
Davitts drew a foul from Leon Askin and Ronan Kelly put the first of four frees for the day over the bar. Darragh Hoban responded for Westport from a free before Kelly put the second of his frees between the posts on the 10 minute mark. However, it was to be Davitts last score for 15 minutes and the next period of play proved agonizing for them and a purple patch for Westport.
Fionn O’Hora fired a lovely point between the posts and on the next attack, his midfield partner Conal Dawson found Cian Mulchrone deep in enemy territory. Mulchrone gathered the ball well, turned and applied a cool finish into the back of the net.
Davitts almost had an instant response when Ciaran Treacy, under immense pressure, found Jack Melvin staring down the face of the goal but Westport scrambled to defend. Mulchrone called a mark and slotted it over. Fenton Kelly won a free for Davitts and Dylan Gallagher’s effort smacked the post. However, Westport failed to clear their lines and the sequence ended with a penalty awarded to Davitts.
Melvin fired to the right and Conor Meaney guessed correctly, palming it out. Melvin was poised for the followup but Westport defender Lorcan Silke came out of nowhere, sliding in with little regard for his own limbs to make the clearance.
At the other end, Dawson popped a free over the bar and Darragh Hoban found the net after a flowing move involving the usual suspects, Mulchrone, Dawson and O’Hora. It was a demarcation point in the contest between the two teams.
To Davitts credit, they picked themselves up and scored 1-2 before the break with Kelly adding another free, Melvin scoring a point and Dylan Gallagher finding the back of the net. Joey Holmes’ point for Westport brought the game to half time with a seven-point gap between the teams.
Davitts never found the required momentum to overturn this gap. Although Jack Melvin fired over a point to begin the half anew, the next four points went of the way of Westport as Mulchrone added a further two points, Conal Dawson scored a free and Fionn O’Hora got his second of the day.
Conor Meaney was called to action again, stopping Davy Hennessy’s shot from point-blank range during this period of play. Ronan Kelly stopped the rot for Davitts on the 47 minute mark with another free. Dawson responded with Westport’s final point of the match and Davitts added two points before the end through Hennessy and Ciaran Treacy.
