O’Neills All County Hurling League Division 4

Con Magees Glenravel 3 – 15           Davitts 2 – 05Con Magees Padge O’Neill in action during his team’s win over Davitt’s. Pic by Dylan McIlwaine

With 20 minutes gone in this match Con Magee were two points down and Davitts were in the ascendancy, but the Glenravel men were able to up the pace and slowly but surely took control before ending up winning comfortably.

The game started well with an early goal and a point from Neill McCann and a point from Niall Donnelly, however with ten minutes gone Davitts had the game all square.

Further points followed from Decky Traynor and Donnelly to edge Con Magee back in front and they could have stretched that lead when Conleth O’Loan, who was making his debut, soloed directly into the heart of the Davitts defence and fired in a great shot, but it was well saved by their Davitt’s keeper. Davitts then hit a goal and two points without reply to give them a two point advantage. However Johnny Fyfe began dominating around midfield fielding a great ball from Micky McDonald he moved it accurately on to Brian O’Neill who shot just wide. This got the Con Magees going again and when Conleth won another free Niall Donnelly confidently struck it over the bar to leave it 1:06 to 2:04 at the break.

After the break the Glenravel defence regrouped and remained tight for the remainder of the game conceding only one point in the entire second half.

Brian O’Neill was first on the ball after the restart and passed to Padge O’Neill for a lovely point from the half way line.  Shortly after James Duffin hit a nice pass to Conleth O’Loan who slotted over from twenty yards. Cormac Scullion fielded the resulting puckout before finding Neill McCann who pointed again.

Conleth O’Loan put the seal on a fine performance when he hit the back of the net to put Glenravel four points up and Decky Traynor added to the score with two points from play.

Mid way through the second half Brian O’Neill put another nail in the coffin with a well worked score

Soon afterwards Glenravel produced the best move of the match in which O’Hagan made a long accurate clearance to O’Loan who soloed from his own half before hand passing to Brian O’neill to finish to the bottom corner of the Davitts net to all but seal a good opening day win for the home side.

Overall a very promising start to the season for the new and youthful looking Glenravel side.

Team: M Magee, S Burns, C Scullion, M McDonald, S Atcheson, S Kerr, D O’Hagan, P O’Neill, J Fyfe, N Donnelly, J Duffin, B O’Neill, C O’Loan, N McCann, D Traynor

Pics by Dylan McIlwaine