Irelands advance to last 8
Anglo Printers JFC Group A Dundalk Young Irl 4-14 John Mitchels 0-5
DUNDALK Young Irelands held John Mitchels scoreless for the entire first half as they cruised into the quarter-finals of the Junior Football Championship on Sunday afternoon.
After a big win over Stabannon Parnells, the Dundalk men were hot favourites to advance to as group winners ahead of this clash and they duly obliged, albeit without quite scaling the heights of that openin-round win.
On a dreadful afternoon for championship football the eventual winners slowly turned the screw in the opening half and adjourned with a 0-9 to no score interval lead.
For their part Mitchels tried gallantly to hold off their more fancied opponents, but it was always going to be an uphill battle.
The Ballybailie outfit rallied well after the break and managed to ‘draw’ the second period matching their opponents five-point haul.
Kevin Gallagher (3), Robert Coyle and James Clarke gave the Mitchels a sliver of hope, but in truth the Irelanders were never going to allow themselves to be reeled back in.
It was to their credit, and that of ‘keeper David Anderson, that they kept prevented the Dundalk men from finding the net and will take heart from their overall display ahead of a winner-takes-all derby date with their neighbours Stabannon Parnells this weekend.
The winners of that clash will join Young Irelands in the last eight, while a draw would suffice for Mitchels due to their superior score difference. DUNDALK YOUNG IRELANDS: Fergal Sheeky; Peter McCourt, Ciaran Murray, Stephen Bellew; Peter Nixon, Derek Maguire 0-2, Cian O Naraigh 0-1; Derek Rogers, Aidan Sheeky 0-2; Aaron Murray 0-1, Dean Maguire 0-1, Peter McStravick 0-1; Jordan O’Donoghue 0-4, Mark Savage, Cian O’Donoghue 0-2. Sub: Alan Minto for P Nixon.
JOHN MITCHELS: David Anderson; Mitchell Keenan, Emmet Farrell, Alan Mackin; Barry Kirk, Trevor Matthews, Anthony Coyle; Kevin Gallagher 0-3, James Clarke 0-1; Ben O’Brien, Sean Sweeney, Richie McGuinness; John Gallagher, Robert Coyle 0-1, John Devitt. Sub: Donal Rahill for J Gallagher.