Reape helps land early silverware for McGarry’s Moy men
Brian Reape scored two first-half goals and added another five points in Moy Davitts' win over Aghamore on Saturday.
A hattrick of goals in the first-half put Moy Davitts well on their way to claiming the East Mayo Centenary Cup, winning out comfortably in the end over Aghamore on a cold Saturday evening at the Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence.
Even without their county stars Conor Reid and Cian McHale, Moy Davitts had far too much firepower for Aghamore to handle, who were missing their own county men Fergal Boland and Tom O’Flaherty (senior) and hurlers Liam Lavin and David Kenny.
Moy Davitts had made a flying start under new manager Paul McGarry, scoring 7-57 in their three games enroute to Centenary Cup success.
The first 20 minutes of this final was a nip and tuck affair, with both sides raising green flags for their opening scores. Brian Reape palmed into the net for Moy Davitts inside 30 seconds before dual star Shane Crinnigan responded seconds later, reacting quickest to a point attempt that came back off the post.
Crinnigan and Cathal Clarke traded points and Aghamore would nudge ahead through Sean Óg Tighe and Michael McNieve but Moy Davitts netted their second major on 17 minutes through Cathal Clarke after quickfire play between himself and Brian Reape, which was followed by a Brian Heneghan point.
Conor Hunt responded for Aghamore but that single on 19 minutes would be their last of the first-half as Moy Davitts hit 1-5 without reply to take firm control. Former Mayo minor Ronan Clarke sent over a pair of frees and that was followed by points from Liam Byrne and Jamie Clarke when a devastating move through the heart of the Aghamore defence, with Heneghan and Byrne heavily involved, was finished off by Brian Reape for his second goal of the evening to put the Moysiders 3-7 to 1-4 up at half-time, Reape sending over his first point before the break.
Last year’s Mayo intermediate championship runners-up kept their opponents at bay in the opening ten minutes of the second-half through further efforts by Ronan Clarke, Brian Heneghan and two from Brian Reape, each matched by frees for Aghamore by Conor Morley, Sean Óg Tighe and Darren Duffy.
The sole two-pointer of the game was then sent over by Reape on 41 minutes, a booming effort from the right on the turn to make it 3-13 to 1-7 going into the final quarter. There was no Moy Davitts let up in the final fifteen minutes, with Ronan Clarke splitting the posts for his fourth of the evening while matters were compounded for Aghamore when they were reduced to fourteen men for the remainder of the game after Rob O’Flaherty was shown a black card.
To their credit, Aghamore continued to push on but were unable to breakdown a stubborn Moy Davitts rearguard, scoring only one more point through a Darren Duffy placed ball, while Moy Davitts rounded off their evening with another Ronan Clarke point and a free by Liam Byrne to run out thirteen points winners.
Scorers – Moy Davitts: Brian Reape 2-1-3, Ronan Clarke 0-0-5 (2f), Cathal Clarke 1-0-1, Liam Byrne (1f) and Brian Heneghan 0-0-2 each, Jamie Clarke 0-0-1.
Aghamore: Shane Crinnigan 1-0-1, Darren Duffy 0-0-3f, Sean Óg Tighe 0-0-2 (1f), Michael McNieve, Conor Hunt and Conor Morley (f) 0-0-1 each.
Moy Davitts: Chris McGlynn; Ryan Binley, Jack Dunleavy, Kevin Moylett; Stephen Clarke, Oisin McHugh, Jamie Clarke; Cathal Clarke, Ryan Kenny; Conor Ryder, Ronan Clarke, Sean Kelly; Liam Byrne, Brian Reape, Brian Heneghan. Subs: Ajay McGrath (for Ryder 30), Sean Reid (for Heneghan 40), Dylan Dunleavy (for Kenny 47), Adam Conlon and Mathew Gril (for Binley and Byrne 58).
Aghamore: Adam Byrne; Hallam Coen, Justin Kelly, Conall Breslin; Bob Collins, Conor Hunt, Liamie Walsh; Michael McNieve, Brian Breslin; Gary Murphy, Sean Óg Tighe, Dan Duffy; Cillian Mooney, Shane Crinnigan, Darren Duffy. Subs: Conor Morley and Liam Cassidy (for Dan Duffy and B Breslin ht), Keith Cassidy (for L Cassidy 36, inj), Rob O’Flaherty (for Hunt 44), Ross Egan (for McNieve 47).
REF: Declan Corcoran (Islandeady)
