Danny & Dale Dominate Derby!

JUNIOR FOOTBALL B: Austin Stacks 1-12; John Mitchels 1-9.

Our B team collected their first brace of Co. League points with a hard fought victory in Connolly Park onthis Friday evening (31^st May). This was our third game of 5 and we showed a continual improvement from our first two games. Mitchels went ahead after two minutes but when we took the lead in the 5^th minute, after two good points from play by Wayne Gutherie and Danny Carroll, we never relinquished that lead again even if Mitchels came to within a point of us on three separate occasions.

We led by five after 18 minutes (0-6 to 0-1) with further points from play by Theo Diggin and Breandan Caball and two pointed frees from Bráin Mangan.

Mitchels finished the half the better with two points from play with another Brían Mangan free for us to leave us ahead by four at half time (0-7 to 0-3).

Brían picked up an injury just before the break and had to retire shortly after the resumption and was replaced by Ciarán Flanagan. At the end of the third quarter Mitchels had fought their way back into contention, reducing our lead to the bare minimum (0-9 to 0-8) with our two points coming from play by Theo and Danny.

Then in the 48^th minute Brian O’Sullivan (great t see Brian back again – his last game was almost three years to the day – 28^th May 2010) send a high lobbing ball into the goalmouth which was finished to the net by Ciarán Flanagan. Flan was fouled a minute later and Danny pointed the resultant free. But, typical of Mitchels, they never give up and by the 55^th minute they scored 1-1 to leave us ahead again by just one point.

But we held our composure in the closing minutes and Danny added two more to leave us with three points to spare at the end.

Another great display overall with some brilliant defending to hold the attacking Mitchels forwards at bay.

Brendan Caball tackles Laurence Bastible (JM)

Dylan Harnett and Barry Walsh stop up Mitchels veteren Clive O’Callaghan

Man of the Match Dale Counihan on the attack. Tom McLoughlin and Theo Diggins (grounded) support

Team: Barry Galvin, Paul Galvin, Alan Crean, Pádraig Lynch, Barry Walsh, Eoin Colgan (Capt), Tom McLoughlin, Brían Mangan (0-3 frees), Brendan O’Neill, Dale Counihan, Theo Diggin (0-2), Seamus Bastible, Breandán Caball (0-1), Wayne Gutherie (0-1), Danny Carroll (0-5 – 2 frees).

Subs: Dylan Hartnett (ht), Ciarán Flanagan (32m) (1-0), David Courtney (37m), Brian O’Sullivan (43m).

Our postponed round 2 game, away to Dingle, is scheduled to take place on next Tuesday week (11^th June)at 7.30pm. In the meantime our round 5 game, at home to Rathmore, is due to go ahead, as scheduled, on next Friday evening (7^th June) at 7.30pm.