Nothing minor about derby joy for Moy Davitts
The Moy Davitts team that defeated Kiltimagh in the final of the East Mayo minor 'B' football championship at the Connacht Centre of Excellence, pictured with their management. Picture: Michael Donnelly
East Mayo MFC ‘A’ Final
Moy Davitts 2-16
Kiltimagh 2-12
Mike Kelly at COE Bekan
Moy Davitts celebrated a hard fought win over near rivals Kiltimagh and in the process claimed the East Mayo minor ‘B’ football championship at a sunny Centre of Excellence in Bekan last Tuesday night.
The boys from the banks of the Moy were full value for their victory as they kept their neighbours at arm’s length for much of this contest.
It was Kiltimagh who held the early lead as two Conor Hession scores, one a massive two pointer, matched efforts from Kevin Moylett and James Duffy to leave Kiltimagh one in front.
Four unanswered scores from Eanna Byrne, Cian Fahey, Stephen Conlon and Dean Butler edged Moy Davitts into the lead but another two pointer from Hession along with a single point from the big midfielder, a key member of this year’s Mayo U17 team, left the sides level.
Byrne and Butler again pushed Moy Davitts into the lead before Hession pulled one back, but the big turning point of the opening period came just before the break when Moy Davitts were awarded a penalty.
Wing-back Stephen Conlon stood over the spot kick and made no mistake in raising the game’s first green flag to put Moy Davitts four ahead.
Rian Freeman and Hession brought the deficit back to two with the last scores of the half for Kiltimagh.
The game was turned on its head twice in the opening minutes of the second period, firstly when Jack Shannon found himself on the end of a long ball into the full-forward line and his low shot squeezed in at the far post for Kiltimagh’s opening goal.
Moy Davitts would answer almost immediately however, with another goal of their own just three minutes into the second-half. This one came from the impressive Cian Fahey, giving his side a lead they wouldn’t again give up.
Moylett, Butler and a two point free by Fahey pushed the lead out to six before the men in red lost Fahey for ten minutes on a black card.
Despite playing with an extra man, Kiltimagh couldn’t eat into the lead. Hession did put a free over the bar but the wides began to rack up for his side.
Both teams saw a man sent-off midway through the second-half for an off the ball scuffle before James Duffy extended Moy Davitts’ lead with a two point free just before Fahey re-entered the field of play.
Liam Smyth gave Kiltimagh a glimmer of hope with a fantastic goal in the 51st minute but as the wides continued to mount, Kiltimagh’s confidence visibly dwindled.
Butler would push the lead back out to six before Mikey Kearney rounded out the scoring for Kiltimagh with a huge two pointer off a quickly taken ’45 as the game entered stoppage time.
That would be it for Kiltimagh’s hopes, however, as Moy Davitts repelled the last two attacks from the boys in blue and held on for the win.
Scorers – Moy Davitts: Cian Fahey 1-1-1 (1tpf), Dean Butler 0-0-5, Stephen Conlon 1-0-1 (1-0pen), James Duffy 0-1-1 (1tpf), Eanna Byrne and Kevin Moylett 0-0-2 each.
Kiltimagh: Conor Hession 0-2-7 (1f), Liam Smyth and Jack Shannon 1-0-0 each, Mikey Kearney 0-1-0, Rian Freeman 0-0-1.
Moy Davitts: Cathal O’Neill; Conal Reid, Padraig McKeown; Stephen Conlon, James Duffy, Jason Walsh; Eanna Byrne, Cian Fahey; Dylan McHugh, Kevin Moylett, Matthew Ruane; Joe Horan, Dean Butler. Subs: Rory Byrne, Dylan McHale, Donnacha Timlin.
Kiltimagh: Cameron Farrington; Aaron Boyle, John Forde; Rian Freeman, Cillian Walsh, Mikey Kearney; Liam Smyth, Conor Hession; Tadgh Byrne, Sean McDonald, Dan Farnhill; Peter Conroy, Tadgh Kelly. Subs: Jack Shannon, Eoin McGovern, Jonah Gill, Eoin Ivers, Donnacha Kelly, Ronan Dwyer.
REF: John Clancy (Eastern Gaels)
