Replay is big Deel as Rovers return to top flight

A second bite of the cherry never tasted so sweet for Crossmolina Deel Rovers as they booked their return to the Mayo Senior Football Championship courtesy of victory in Saturday night’s replayed county intermediate final.

They hit a goal and three points unanswered down the stretch, to beat Moy Davitts 1-13 to 0-12. It was their first win over the Moysiders in four attempts over the course of the past two seasons.

Niall Coggins’ second goal in six days was the key score, coming on the hour mark to send Crossmolina in front for the first time since Jordan Flynn had scored the opening point of the game after only 75 seconds.

Moy Davitts had led by four points at the end of the opening quarter and their advantage could have been more but for a couple of unconverted goal chances by Brian Reape, one of which was superbly turned onto the crossbar by Crossmolina goalkeeper JP Mulhern.

Reape and free-taker Cian McHale had contributed the bulk of Moy Davitts’ scores in a first-half that ended with them just one point ahead, 0-7 to 0-6, but some sensational points by James Maheady and man-of-the-match Conor Loftus meant the leaders could never quite pull away after half-time – despite the advantage of an extra man for 10 minutes following a black card to Crossmolina’s Mayo star Jordan Flynn.

It was actually a wild point attempt by Patrick Leddy that led to Niall Coggins firing home the game’s only goal as the game entered stoppage time, and with Fionan Duffy popping over an insurance point in the fourth and final minute, word was quickly sent to the few still left in Crossmolina to get the bonfires ready – Brian Benson’s champions would soon be returning to carry the Sweeney Cup across the Deel.

See Tuesday’s Western People for a full report, reaction and analysis.