Senior Football Playoff

Swatragh 1-09 Lavey 1-03

The Davitts ensured their senior status for next season with a good win over a committed Lavey side at a blustery Magilligan. Despite the breeze conditions were otherwise perfect with the pitch at Magilligan, as always, in superb condition for this stage of the season.

Swatragh were first to have wind advantage but with rain now starting to come down, they struggled to make best use of the elements. Despite bossing possession in most sectors of the field, some misplaced passes coupled with some stout Lavey defending meant that after 23 minutes of the first half Swatragh only had a two point advantage, 0-04 to 0-02.

This lead looked extremely flimsy considering the strength of the breeze and the Davitts players sensed that more scores were urgently required. In the next seven minutes Swatragh scored 1-02 without reply, the goal tapped into the empty net by Ruairi Convery after incisive work by Sean McNicholl and Sean McMaster.

A seven point lead looked about par for the course considering the strength of the wind, and the Davitts knew they faced a tough 30 minutes to claim victory. Swatragh were prepared for an early Lavey onslaught, and instead of battening down the hatches, they took the game to Lavey continually.

From the throw in Swatragh won possession and moved swiftly upfield and managed a grab a fine point to stretch the lead to eight points. Lavey inevitably began to exert pressure on the Davitt backline, but could not eek out any clear scoring opportunities, indeed it took them 25 minutes to get their first score of the second period.

By this point the Davitts had stretched their lead to 9 points and looked home and dry. A goal with five minutes remaining gave Lavey faint hope, but Swatragh responded instantly with a point to put the issue beyond doubt. The Davitts duly closed ot the match with little fuss, and the final whistle was greeted with relief and a sense of job done.

The Davitts will now look forward to next season and aim to make more of an impression in the league, at the right end.

Final score: Swatragh 1-09 Lavey 1-03

Team & Scorers: Brian Og McAtamney, Séamus Bradley, Martin Quinn, Michael McKenna, Gerard Turner, Ryan Dillon, Philip Mooney, Michael Friel, Michael Conway, Robert McWilliams, Sean McGuckin (0-04, 3 frees), Sean McNicholl (0-01, free), Michael Kirkpatrick, Ruairi Convery (1-04, 0-01 free, 0-01 ‘45), Sean McMaster.

Subs: Raymond McPeake for Robert McWilliams (inj), Cathal McQuillan for Martin Quinn (inj), Liam Kearney for Sean McGuckin (inj)