Tones hit all the right notes in Mitchel’s win

Westerns top group as Seans scrape through

WOLFE Tones produced a fine performance to score an 11 point victory over John Mitchels in an entertaining Junior Championship Group D encounter at Louth Village on Friday evening.

Unfortunately for the Drogheda men, their brave effort was all in vain as they missed out on a place in the quarter-finals on score difference, with Sean McDermotts scraping through alongside group winners, Westerns.

The Tones probably deserved more for a performance that saw them play with great heart throughout, while some excellent team play was complemented with very well-taken scores, but unfortunately for them they were left to reflect on what might have been as they headed home.

It was also a night of bitter disappointment for John Mitchels who went into the game knowing that victory probably would have been enough to see them into the last eight. However, they will not be happy with a lacklustre performance where they played without any real cohesion and failed to match the spirit of their opponents.

Despite beginning their campaign with two defeats, the Tones gained plenty of encouragement from their displays in those games and that was evident in the opening exchanges as they took the fight to the Mitchels.

Their cause was certainly helped by a very healthy breeze in their backs as they opened up with points from Gideon Lugoye and Niall Smith. However, on five minutes they suffered a real setback when Mikey Nulty drove the ball to the net from close range after a defensive error to see his side take the lead.

Such a blow might have knocked the stuffing out of the Tones but instead they responded impressively. With Barry Kelly, John Kelly and Graham Fanning working tirelessly around the middle they provided a great supply of ball for the attack where Niall Smith and Jordan Duffy were causing endless problems.

Smith and Duffy kicked some brilliant points to see their side lead by 0-8 to 1-2 on 20 minutes before Smith got in for his side’s opening goal. However, late points from Aaron Keely and Conor Reilly gave the Mitchels hope as they cut the gap to 1-9 to 1-4 at the break. LANNLEIRE clinched second place in Group C to join Roche Emmets in the quarter-finals, following a comfortable win over the Dowdallshill in Castlebellingham.

Both teams had succumbed to Roche in their opening fixture, so this was the proverbial ‘winner takes all’ Kevin Collier, Wolfe Tones comes under pressure from Brendan McDonnell, John Mitchel’s as he attempts to clear his lines. Picture: Ken Finegan

With the wind in their backs for the second half, the Mitchels were expected to dominate proceedings but crucially they failed find the target from their opening three attacks.

The Tones sensed the game was there for the taking and made the Ballybailie men pay for those misses when Kelly and Smith (2) pointed at the other end, with Robbie Coyle pulling one back for the Mitchels leaving the score 1-12 to 0-5 at the end of the third quarter. contest to determine who stayed in the championship.

And it was the men from Dunleer who eased to victory, boosted by three first half goals from Breen Mc Guinness, Bob Murphy and Benny McEvoy.

With the score standing at 3-3 to 0-1 approaching the half time whistle, Dowdallshill were handed a lifeline when full forward Aidan McCabe was brought down for a penalty.

The same player dusted himself down to take the resulting kick, only

Any lingering doubt over the outcome was dismissed on 49 minutes when another excellent move from defence ended with Duffy setting up Smith for his second goal and soon after Eoghan O’Shea pointed to increase the gap to 11 points.

The closing stages of the game were relatively straightforward for the Drogheda side and saw Duffy and Ben O’Brien exchange points before Tones keeper, Chris Eustace, made his mark on the game with an excellent save. to see his effort shave the outside of the post and go wide.

That miss ended any prospect of a fightback from the Dundalk side, and while their enjoyed much more possession in the second period, they failed to convert it into scores.

Dunleer’s work rate dropped off as the game headed towards its inevitable conclusion, while the ‘Hill finished the game with 14 men after substitute Peter Hughes was sent off on a second yellow card offence. DOWDALLSHILL: Robbie Arthur, Seamus Agnew,

WOLFE TONES: Chris Eustace; Kevin Collier, Patrick Fanning; Adam Gartland; Marc Lugoye, Sam Kelly, Eoghan O’Shea 0-1; John Kelly, Graham Fanning; Alan Fanning, Barry Kelly 0-1, Jordan Duffy 0-5; Gideon Lugoye 0-1, Niall Smith 2-5, Chris Cudden 0-1.

JOHN MITCHELS: David Anderson; Aaron Kane, Mitchell Keenan, Conall Keenan; Anthony Coyle, Neil Reilly, Brendan McDonnell; James Clarke, Stephen Coyle; Aaron Keely 0-1, Robbie Coyle 0-3, Ben O’Brien 0-1; Mikey Nulty 1-0, Conor Reilly 0-1, Barry Kirk. Subs: Rory Durnin for B McDonnell, Sam Bingham for N Reilly.

REFEREE: Peter Hoey. Vincent Roe, Conor Mc Gailey, Paul Flynn 0-1, Jack Mc Gailey, Justin Halley, Ciaran Thornton, Noel Finnegan 0-1, Paul Gill, Anthony Quinn, David Mc Crave, Aidan Mc Cabe 0-1 and Johnny Burke. Subs: Luke O’Brien 0-1, Gerry Mc Shane, Peter Hughes, Emmet O’Brien.

LANNLEIRE: John king; Andrew Flanagan, Paul Doyle, Paul McGeough; Jason Torris, Andrew Dowd, Michael O’ Hare; Briain McGuinness 1-1, Paul Callan 0-1f; Brendan McEvoy 1-1, Ian Mulroy, Liam Callan 0-1f; Niall Lennon, Bob Murphy 1-1, Gary Monaghan 0-2. Subs: Thomas Doyle for Andrew Flanagan, Laurence McEntee for Niall Lennon, Conal Maher for Liam Callan, Alan Kealy for Laurence McEntee

REFEREE: Thomas Brennan WESTERNS advanced to a quarter-final meeting with Lannleire as a one-point victory over Sean McDernotts earned themn top spot in Group D.

With Wolfe Tones shocking John Mitchel’s in the other clash in the four-team section, Seans could have secured top spot with a win, but after turning around at half-time facing a six-point deficit, they fell just short in the end.

With Tommy Durnin in commanding form, goals at the start and end of the first-half proving crucial

Durnin converted an early free before Ciaran Campbell netted the opening goal in the fifth minute.

Seans managed to gain a foothold and they closed the gap to 1-2 to 0-3, but Westerns found another gear in the second quarter and a second goal from Anthony Durnin made it 2-4 to 0-5.

The sides traded late points as Westerns adjourned weith a 2-5 to 0-5 interval lead.

Seans outscored their opponets by four points to one ion the third quarter to halve the deficit, but Ciaran Scrivena nd Tommy Durnin steadied the ship, re-establishing a five-point cushion.

However, Kevin McMahon goal and two quick points drew Seans level and set up a grandstand finish.

Westerns gave one last push and veteran Trevor Baylon popped up to kick the winner in the first minute of added time.

Westerns didn’t have the luck of the draw when they were paired with Lannleire in the last eight, while Seans also face a tough assignment against Group C winners Roche.

Westerns: Peter Shiels; Colin Martin, James Ward, Mick M artin; Shane Matthews, Sean McGuinness; PJ Marron; Tommy Durnin 0-5, Anthony Durnin 1-0; Patrick Kerley, Trevor Baylon 0-2, Ciaran Scriven 0-2; Andy Kerr, Conor Kerr, Johnny Lynch. Subs: John Murray for PJ Marron (28), Dylan Ogle for Andy Murray (28), Ciaran Campbell 1-0 for Andy Kerr (38), Andy Murray for Shane Matthews (46), Terence Sweeney for Patrick Kerley (49). SEAN MCDERMOTTS: Mark McEneaney; Danny Reilly, Kieran McMahon, Kevin McGahon; Sean McMahon, Lee Ross, Danny Commins; Peter Osborne 0-1, Patrick Osborne; Emmett Duffy 0-2 , Kevin Carroll, David O’Neill 0-2; Kevin McMahon, 1-2, Tony Kelly, 0-2, Lorcan Myles 0-2.