O’Neill’s ACHL Division Four
Davitt’s 1-11-2-11 Gort na Mona
Kevin Herron reports from Davitt Park
Gort na Mona effectively sealed the Division Four hurling league on Sunday afternoon after seeing off nearest rivals Davitt’s 2-11-1-11 at Davitt Park.
The Turf Lodge side went into the second West-Belfast derby in a matter of weeks unbeaten and with two games in hand over their nearest challengers, who they defeated 2-13-1-12 on home soil two weeks previous.
Davitt’s knew that victory by more than four-points was needed to set up a grandstand finish to the league campaign and keep their own hopes alive.
The visitors were first off the mark when Nathan Gibson was caught late, and Dessie McClean converted the resulting free.
McClean saw a further effort from the placed ball come back of the large post and at the other end Stephen McGivern saw similar fate from an attempt from play.
Davitt’s restored parity through Marcus Toner and it sprung them to life with three further scores in succession moving them 0-04-0-01 ahead.
Jay Maguire nudged the hosts in front after floating a shot over, Stephen McGivern then dipped the ball from a ruck and popped a shot between the posts, before intercepting a loose ball and firing over his second within 60-seconds.
Gort na Mona awoke from their brief slumber and regained the lead through four Neil Henry scores on the bounce.
He confidently dropped over his sides initial response, squeezed a further shot inside the posts after Dessie McClean’s lay-off and then restored parity on the quarter-hour mark from Ryan Cahill’s pass.
Henry edged his side in front again for a short period after seizing upon a loose touch from Stephen McGivern and swinging a shot high over the bar.
It was only brief however as the opening goal of the game put Davitt’s back ahead. Cormac Maguire and Colm McKee switched the play with McKee’s dipping shot being diverted into the net via a flick on from Stephen Thompson to give his side a 1-04-0-05 advantage.
Their lead was extended when Donn Whelan converted a free, but Gort hit back twice before the break, through a McClean free and a Niall Healy strike that was all so close to bouncing to the net as the bare minimum separated the top-two at the interval (1-05-0-07).
Gort na Mona seized the initiative at the beginning of the second half with two quickfire strikes within three minutes of the restart.
The first arrived through a Thomas McCaffrey shot that appeared to deceive Davitt’s keeper Antoin McLaughlin- though Darron Boyd’s darting run across the face of goal may have distracted the keeper as McCaffrey’s attempt dropped to the net.
The Turf Lodge side struck again within 60-seconds when Dessie McClean got the faintest of touches to a dipping shot and despite the best efforts of McLaughlin, he was unable to keep it out as the Gort’s went 2-07-1-05 ahead.
Scores were traded on two occasions in the aftermath as the visitors twice extended their lead through a Dessie McClean free and Neil Henry point from play, though Christopher Gallagher hit back on both occasions- first converting a free and then dropping over angled point to ensure the gap stayed at five.
Donn Whelan doubled his account for the afternoon to reduce arrears, although McClean added his third score from play after getting on the end of Caolan McCrory’s indirect free and firing between the posts.
Successive Maguire and Toner scores brought the hosts to within three (2-10-1-10) but Gort’s insurance score arrived in the form of a Darron Boyd point from Neil Henry’s switch.
Liam McCaffrey saw his angled shot crash off the post and drop over in injury-time, but Davitt’s were unable to secure as share of the spoils – never mind the win that was required to see them apply pressure on Gort’s who remain unbeaten and with two games in hand looked primed to take the Division Four title and an immediate promotion.
Davitt’s: A McLaughlin, L McCaffrey (0-01), T Toland, P Carleton, C Gallagher (0-02, 0-01f), C Heaney, J Park, S McGivern (0-02), J Maguire (0-02), D Whelan (0-02, 0-01f), C McKee, C Maguire, S Thompson (1-00), M Toner (0-02), T Maguire. Subs: G Nelson for T Maguire (15).
Gort na Mona: C McCrory, J Monaghan, G McKenna, B Cousins, N Gibson, C Scullion, D Hughes, T Moran, R Cahill, N Healy (0-01), N Henry (0-05), T McCaffrey (1-00), C McMullan, D McClean (1-04, 0-02f), D Boyd (0-01). Subs: M McMullan for J Monaghan (27), M Carlin for R Cahill (57), T O’Cadhlaigh for C McMullan (60+1).
Referee: Kevin Parke (Naomh Eanna)
View more of Bert Trowlen’s photos from the game by clicking the link below
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