Tones hit all the right notes in Mitchel’s win
WOLFE TONES JOHN MITCHELS 2-14 1-6
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.