Mitchel’s take spoils in derby
ANGLO PRINTERS JFC GROUP C
JOHN Mitchel’s came out on top in this local derby as they took advantage of a very lacklustre first half performance from the Sean’s before holding out for a deserved victory.
The Sean’s were tipped to make an impact in this year’s championship following their run to the semi-final’s last season as well as a decent start in the league this term.
The Mitchel’s have been struggling for form in the league this year losing six of their eight games but as we have so often seen in the past the championship can often turn the formbook on its head.
The Mitchel’s management started with Louth minor star John Gallagher on the bench and looked much the brighter of the two sides early on as Barry Kirk and Kevin Gallagher gave the Ballybailie side a two-point lead after three minutes.
The McDermotts looked lethargic early on as the Mitchels were winning all the 50-50 challenges in the opening ten minutes. The game’s opening goal arrived just after the ten-minute mark and it’s one which the Sean McDermotts keeper will want to forget. A Conor Reilly free was floated into the square and any danger seemed to be averted when goalkeeper Mark McEneaney ran out to catch the ball. However, he fumbled it and unfortunately his error was punished as Steven Coyle toe poked the ball home from a couple of yards out.
Coyle went off injured shortly after that goal but his replacement Mikey Nulty soon introduced himself to the game with a sumptuous defence splitting pass which set Robert Coyle free and the full forward made no mistake as he found the corner of the net to put the Mitchells 2-2 to 0-0 ahead after a quarter of an hour.
The Sean’s struggles continued as long aimless diagonal balls gave their forwards no chance as the Mitchels defence continued to mop up everything thrown at them. When they did manage to create chances invariably they went wide with five wides recorded for the McDermotts in what was a sloppy first half for them. The Mitchels finished the half on the front foot scoring three further points to go in at the break 2-5 to 0-0 ahead.
Things could only get better for the McDermotts in the second half and after what was presumably a frank exchange between players and manager Brian Carroll there was an immediate improvement early in the second period with Sean McMahon and a couple of Kevin McMahon points finally giving the McDermotts supporters something to cheer about.
A David O’Neil free ten minutes into the second half reduced the gap further as the Mitchels began to wilt in the warm Tallanstown sun. Crucially, however, a Robert Coyle free stopped the rot for the Mitchels and extended their lead back out to eight points. An Ian Corbally point late on brought the gap back to six but try as they might they could not find a way past a resolute Mitchels defence and ended up on the wrong side of a 2-6 to 0-6 scoreline. JOHN MITCHELS: David Anderson, Mitchell Keenan, Emmet Farrell, Aaron Kane, Anthony Coyle, Neil Reilly, Brendan McDonnell, James Clarke, Aaron Keely, Kevin Gallagher (0-2), Conor Reilly, Stephen Coyle (1-0), Alan Mackin, Robert Coyle (1-2), Barry Kirk (0-1). Subs: Ben O’Brien for Kevin Gallagher, Rory Durnin for Robert Coyle, Mikey Nulty (0-1) for Stephen Coyle
SEAN MCDERMOTTS: Mark McEneaney, Danny Reilly, Ciaran McMahon, Kevin McGahon, Danny Commins, Kevin Carroll, Leigh Ross, Tony Kelly, Emmet Duffy, Ian Corbally (0-1), Sean McMahon (0-1), David O’Neill (0-2), Kevin McMahon (0-2), Lorcan Myles, Peter Osbourne.