Rd. 1 Minor Co. League
Austin Stacks 0-06 John Mitchels 0-10;
This first round of the Co. League played in warm sunshine (though the pitch was a little heavy) at Connolly Park on this Saturday afternoon (25th Feb) saw no more than three points separating the sides until Mitchels got the insurance point on the stroke of full time to give them a four points win.
Mitchels went ahead early on but the sides were level on two points each after ten minutes with all four scores coming from placed balls – our two from the boot of Danny Carroll.
By the 21st minute Mitchels added three more and then five minutes later our two corner forwards, Breandán Caball and Conor Jordan combined well for Conor to point from play. Mitchels added one more as half time approached to leave them 0-6 to 0-3 ahead at the break.
With both sets of backs dominating, scores were hard to come by in the second half. After 23 minutes only five points had been scored. Three of those were for us (Danny Carroll from play and two frees by Greg Horan) to two for Mitchels to leave them ahead by 0-8 to 0-6.
However, the Boherbee boys finished the stronger, adding two more points from play to clinch victory, the ideal start for them in the defence of their title.
We had some good individual performances, notably from Paul Galvin, Ciarán O’Connell and James Galvin in defence and Danny Carroll, Conor Jordan and Greg Horan up front.
The two Shanes, Crowley and Walsh, won some good possession at midfield but, overall, the whole team didn’t play that well as a unit on this occasion.
Team: Brian Horgan, Paul Galvin, Barry Walsh, Joseph O’Kelly, Tom McLoughlin, Ciarán O’Connell, James Galvin, Shane Crowley, Shane Walsh, Danny Carroll (0-3 – 2 frees), Greg Horan (0-2 frees), Kyle Fitzgibbon, Conor Jordan (0-1), Alan Duggan, Breandán Caball,
Subs: Ciarán Flanagan (38m), Aidan McQuinn (45m), Eoghan McKivergan (50m), Eamon McAllen (53m), Patrick Fitzgibbon (54m).
In round 2 we travel to Gallarus in two weeks time (Sat, 10th March) to play An Ghaeltacht with a 4pm start on this occasion.
In between (Sun, 4th March) we are due to travel to Ballymac to play Ballymac/Churchill in round 2 of the Town League. This has a 12 noon throw in.
Austin Stacks Minor Team V John Mitchels Saturday February 25th, 2012.
Stacks – Shane Crowley plays close attention to Jake Moran
Greg Horan on attack – tracked by John Mitchels Jake Moran
Brendán Caball & Joseph O’Kelly fight for possession.
Danny Carroll Austin Stacks vs Argent Kastrati, John Mitchels
Greg Horan goes highest for ball against Shane O’Connor J. Mitchels, with help from James Galvin/Shane Crowley Austin Stacks.
Stacks Eamonn McAllen holds possession.
Austin Stacks Tom McLoughlin on a solo run, goes past Ml. Wrenn John Mitchels.
all photographs courtesy of Adrienne Mc Loughlin.