John Mitchels GFC - Liverpool & Lancashire

Match Reports

All Ireland Junior Club Semi Final vs Killala (Co. Mayo)

Mayo men no match for magic of Mitchels

IT was an unlikely venue for one of British GAA’s finest hours and if the setting was unique then so too was hearing You’ll Never Walk Alone sung with passion by members of the Liverpool side’s massive support.

Carrick-On-Shannon was rocking on Sunday night as John Mitchels completed a smash-and-grab of mammoth proportions to become the first-ever British club side to reach an All-Ireland football final.

The underdogs from the banks of the Mersey fought tooth and nail to secure a spot in the Valentine’s Day showpiece against the Kingdom’s Skellig Rangers at Croke Park and it was a fully-deserved victory in Leitrim’s county town. The ravenous John Mitchels marshaled by manager Barry Morris rarely gave their opponents the time or space in which to build up a proper head of steam. The Mayo men hit four early points, but as the opening half developed it became obvious that the Lancashire team weren’t here to make up the numbers.

Paddy Mulligan was the central character from gun to tape and he kicked eight points while also turning in a fine all-round performance. Kieran McGeeney could do worse than have a look at the Kildare native for the Lilywhites inter-county campaign. The early signs looked ominous for Mitchels though as Killala settled initially, however once the British club champions got into their stride they played some fine football. Killala raced out of the traps and their first attack of the day ended with Marcus Hannick slotting over a free. That advantage was doubled two minutes later when Hannick repeated the trick following a foul on Brendan Garvin.

The Lancashire side were taking time to settle into a rhythm, but when their influential midfielder curled over a sixth-minute free they were off and running. Their acceleration was halted moments later when Hannick hit his third score from the dead ball. Mitchels were beginning to dominate in midfield and the Blue and Gold began to find room in attack, two frees from Mulligan and a single from Daryl McConnell only eliciting a point from Brendan Garvin in response. Killala’s best chance of a first-half goal arrived in the 19th minute when Garvin’s high ball into the square fell at the feet of Enda Clarke only for the wing-back’s toe-poke to scrape the outside of the post.

That was as good as it got for the Mayo men in the first-half and from there to the interval it was the Liverpool side who dominated proceedings as Killala lost the talismanic Ryan to a niggling injury. Mulligan and John McDermott became the dominant partnership in the middle as Killala turned over possession time and time again. Mulligan kicked two close-range frees to nudge them in front and when Daryl McConnell converted another, the Lancashire side brought a healthy 0-7 to 0-4 lead to the break. Killala needed a powerful secondhalf display if they were to divert the Mitchels from their Croke Park destiny and when they emerged from their dressing room they looked as if they meant business.

John Mitchels pulled an extra man back into defence to try and clog up Killala’s path to goal. The Connacht champions closed the gap to a very manageable two points early in the new half when Garvin’s fist expertly diverted the ball over the bar. Rory Hannick managed to cut the gap to the minimum 10 minutes into the half, but Mulligan slotted over a free at the other end to move Mitchels just out of reach once again. Then a flowing Mayo move that involved a plethora of passes ended with Rory Hannick cutting the gap to one again with 15 minutes remaining.

Both sides realised that history was beckoning them forward as time ticked away and they laid everything on the line in search of immortality. Chances came and went at both ends, but when Kevin White slotted over the equaliser with five minutes to go it seemed as if Killala were the chosen ones. Up in the stand the excitement had reached fever pitch with the Mayo crowd roaring on their heroes and the Liverpool fans giving as good as they got.

Then with two minutes remaining the sensational Mulligan converted a 21-yard free and the same player ran through and landed a superb point on the stroke of full-time to cement an AllIreland final berth.

All Ireland Junior Club Quarter Final vs Moynalvey (Co. Meath)

Mitchels march on to the final four

JOHN MITCHELS 1-10 MOYNALVEY 1-8

AFTER trailing by 0-2 to 0-6 at the interval, Liverpool’s John Mitchels turned on the style at Navan on Sunday to progress to the last four in this year’s Junior Football Championship, causing something of a shock in the Royal County.

The followers of the Liverpool-based side - and there were plenty of those around to cheer their heroes on - celebrated at the final whistle as if their team had won the Sam Maguire cup itself.

The players were also jubilant with the result and they had every right to be after overcoming the odds and a Moynalvey team that looked weary and worn from a Championship-winning run that began early last summer.

The All-Britain champions refused to be beaten and showed a hunger and desire that carried them to a deserved victory.

The score that evoked the biggest cheer of the day from the big John Mitchels following came at the end of the third quarter. The team combined with a sweet passing movement they were well capable of stitching together.

Paddy Mulligan and Daryl McConnell were involved in setting up Kevin Kane who shot low to the net with real conviction from about 20 metres.

That put the Mitchels in front for the first time with the score standing at 1-5 to 0-6. The goal infused further confidence into a team that had, up to then, displayed considerable self-awareness and assurance.

From the time Kane dispatched his venomous shot to the net it always looked likely the British title holders would seize their opportunity and prevail.

Moynalvey also found the net, however. That was in the closing minutes when substitute James Weldon somehow found a gap in a crowded goalmouth to slot home. It proved no more than a consolation though.

It looked ominous for the Meath side at the interval despite their four-point advantage. With a strong wind behind them they needed to lead by much more, facing the elements in the second-half.

There were also indications during the opening half that the

Lancashire champions would be far from compliant and would not fold after putting up a decent challenge. They showed themselves to be fit, strong and eager for battle.

The Meath JFC champions came up against a very formidable midfield combination in Mulligan and John McDermott. Mulligan lofted over three points and made his presence felt with surging forward runs. McDermott was very unlucky not to top his barnstorming display with a goal midway through the opening half when a long-range shot cannoned off the bar.

The ball broke to full-forward Shane McCann, his shot was deflected away by Moynalvey goalkeeper Ollie Regan and eventually the danger was cleared. It was a sign of things to come.

At no point did Moynalvey carve out a clear-cut scoring opportunity. A lot of this was down to the efforts of the highly-competent John Mitchels full-back line of Gay McNamee, Colin Philips and Peter Walsh.

The two opening half points for John Mitchels were scored by the industrious Lorcan McGonagle and Ryan Mullan. McGonagle was again on the mark in the second-half as the Liverpudlian outfit grew stronger and stronger.

One of the best players on view was Rocky Ivers, the John Mitchels half-forward capping a fine outing with a long-range point after the break.

Kane, McConnell and Mulligan were others who strode forward to split the posts with excellent efforts to send their team on the way.

Weldon’s goal and a point from Byrne inside the last five minutes ensured a frantic finish with Moynalvey reducing the deficit to a single point. For a moment extra-time looked a possibility but Mulligan fittingly scored the last point to seal it for the team from Merseyside.

While the natives were surprised by the result, players and mentors from John Mitchels knew that this performance was well within their reach and they didn’t disappoint.