O’Neill’s ACFL Division Two
Gort na Mona 1-20-0-09 Davitts
Kevin Herron reports from Páirc Mhic Ionnrachtaigh
Gort na Mona ended their league campaign on a winning note with a comfortable 1-20-0-09 victory over West Belfast neighbours Davitt’s on home soil on Tuesday evening.
Despite the hosts making most of the early runnings it didn’t reflect on the scoreboard with a point a piece a quarter of an hour into proceedings.
Michael Savage’s 5th minute point was cancelled out by Aaron Slane five minutes later, but Gort began to pull clear after Tarlach Enright was tripped outside the arc and he kicked the resulting two-pointed free.
Enright then clipped over a two-pointer from play after Ciaran Donnelly found Ciaran MacGiolla Cheera to lay-off into Enright’s path.
Davitt’s replied in the form a two-pointed free from Slane, but in the last ten minutes the hosts had racked up a nine-point lead.
Tarlach Enright kicked successive two-pointed frees from outside the arc and then landed a 45’.
Gort’s talisman kicked a further point in the aftermath of Michael Savage doubling his tally as their side were 0-12-0-03 ahead at the interval.
The hosts picked up where they left off and extended their lead after the break, Ciaran Donnelly shot over and after Matthew McConnell was fouled, Tarlach Enright kicked his fourth two-pointed free of the evening.
He followed that up with a fantastic angled score before Davitt’s opened their account for the half through a second Aaron Slane free.
Just before the midway point in the half, Slane kicked his second two-pointed free – but in reply Gort na Mona pulled clear with the games only goal.
Caoimhin Beck saw his shot blocked down, it was only a temporary reprieve for Davitts though as McConnell picked up the loose ball and floated it across for a Jack Thompson close range palmed finish to make it 1-16-0-06.
Successive Ciaran Donnelly efforts dropped over the bar in the aftermath with Davitt’s hitting three unanswered scores in their most productive period.
Slane increased his personal tally with a 45’, Anthony Rowntree then shot over after a one-two with Conor Maguire and Gerard Slane then shot over his sides final score of the evening.
It was Gort na Mona who finished stronger though with Donnelly turning provider for substitute Conal Keenan to join the the scoring ranks and there was still time to Tarlach Enright to bend a shot over the bar to seal a comfortable 1-20-0-09 victory for his side as the attention now turns to the Intermediate Championship for both sides at the end of the month.
GORT NA MONA: J Ireland, J McIlroy, C McCabe, S Campbell, B Burns, C Donnelly (0-3), P Cournane, M Savage (0-2), J Thompson (1-0), C MacGiolla Cheara, C Carson, P Mulvenna, C Beck, M McConnell. T Enright (0-14, 0-1 45’, 1x2pt, 4×0-2 ptf). SUBS: C Keenan (0-1) for P Cournane (HT), K Walsh for C MacGiolla Cheara (HT), C Clarke for P Mulvenna (46), D McKeown for M McConnell (50), J Reilly for J McIlroy (55).
DAVITTS: R McAuley, C Rainey, N Maginn, B Maguire, N McParland, A Hargan, J Lindsey, A Rowntree (0-1), C Slane, D Mooney, G Slane (0-1), CJ Sullivan, M Toner, R Park, A Slane (0-6, 0-1 45’, 1 x 0-1f, 2 x 0-2 ptf). SUBS: P Keeveny for M Toner (39), C Toner for N McParland (39), C Maguire (0-1) for R Park (45), M Toner for D Mooney (46).
REFEREE: Paddy Tumelty (LÁMH DHEARG)
