Midfield dominance counts for ‘More
Team captains James Lyons and Niall Treacy shake hands in the company of referee Kevin Connelly prior to the clash of Aghamore and Davitts in Ballindine last Friday evening.
Aghamore earned two valuable league points after defeating Davitts in Ballindine on Friday evening. Both sides were missing a number of regulars but the visitors were stronger for this Division 2 encounter, and with their impressive midfielders Tom O’Flaherty and Sean Og Tighe in dominant form throughout, they were always in control of the game.
Aghamore, with the backing of a stiff wind in the opening half, got off the mark in the second minute with a fine Darren Duffy two-pointer. The visitors had a few more long-range efforts go wide of the posts before the hardworking Niall Treacy shot Davitts’ first point in the ninth minute. Cillian Mooney and Darren Duffy pointed for Aghamore in the 10th and 12th minutes but Duffy had to retire when picking up a leg injury after his score.
Davitts points from Shane and Ciaran Treacy in the 16th and 17th minutes reduced the deficit to the minimum but Aghamore kicked on again shooting six unanswered points in the next ten minutes through Ross Egan, two, Cillian Mooney, Derry Cox, two, and Keith Cassidy. Niall Treacy pointed in the 28th minute for Davitts but it was Aghamore’s Tom O Flaherty who completed the first-half scoring with a point that left his side ahead by seven points at the break, 0-11 to 0-4.
Aghamore goalkeeper Adam Byrne opened the second-half scoring when he converted a ’45 after his Davitts counterpart Dylan O’Brien had produced a top class save to deprive O’Flaherty from close range. Niall Treacy fired over three points for the home side in a seven minute window to narrow the deficit to five, however, Aghamore responded well and points from Tom O’Flaherty, two, and Michael McNieve increased their lead to eight again with 10 minutes remaining.
Davitts fought back and Niall Treacy pointed in the 51st minute and was unlucky when he smashed a goal attempt off the crossbar in the next minute following a great run. Davitts were testing the visitors defence but Aghamore were coping well.
When Davitts’ Tommy Waldron received a second yellow card in the 57th minute, salt in the wound was Tom O’Flaherty converting the resulting free.
Two minutes later however, the fourteen men of Davitts scored a very good goal with Tom Corless, Ciaran Treacy and Darragh McGale combining to send Liam Kearns through and he blasted to the net. In the next minute Davitts sub Patrick Keadin shot a brilliant two-pointer to close the gap to three points, but this was as good as it got for the home side and Aghamore wing-back Keith Cassidy had the final say with a point just before the final whistle.
Best for Aghamore were James and Robert Lyons, Ciaran Harrison, Keith Cassidy, Tom O’Flaherty, Sean Og Tighe, Derry Cox and Michael McNieve.
Davitts had good performances from Dylan O’Brien, Brian Birmingham, Tom Corless, Darragh McGale and the three Treacy brothers, Niall, Shane and Ciaran.
Scorers – Aghamore: Tom O’Flaherty 0-0-4, Darren Duffy 0-1-1, Cillian Mooney, Derry Og Cox, Ross Egan and Keith Cassidy 0-0-2 each, Adam Byrne (’45) and Michael McNieve 0-0-1 each.
Davitts: Niall Treacy 0-0-6, Liam Kearns 1-0-0, Patrick Keadin 0-1-0, Shane Treacy and Ciaran Treacy 0-0-1 each.
Davitts: Dylan O’Brien; Conor McDermott, Cathal Higgins, Brian Birmingham; Tommy Waldron, Tom Corless, Sean Keadin; Michael Waldron, Ronan Kelly; Darragh McGale, Shane Treacy, Danny Corless; Ciaran Treacy, Niall Treacy, Liam Kearns. Subs used: Stephen Nyland, Patrick Keadin.
Aghamore: Adam Byrne; Finlay Coen, Justin Kelly, Jake Glavey; James Lyons, Ciaran Harrison, Keith Cassidy; Tom O Flaherty, Sean Og Tighe; Michael McNieve, Derry Cox, Darren Duffy; Cillian Mooney, Ross Egan, Robert Lyons. Sub used: Jack Concannon.
REF: Kevin Connelly (Hollymount-Carramore)
