| Mitchels edge Go Bragh in goal
fest
BY ANTHONY McLAUGHLIN
Two late points from Wayne Healy were enough for John
Mitchels to see off Erin Go Bragh at Pairc na hÉireann on Sunday
in a seven-goal thriller.
Two goals from full-forward Martin Morrissey were instrumental in the
Mitchels’ narrow win, although lethal Dick O’Brien netted
a hat-trick for Erin Go Bragh.
Mitchels came out of the blocks at a sprint pace as Morrissey and half-back
Mark Lyons fired home a four-point advantage before Martin Fleming opened
the Go Bragh account with his sweet strike from the wing.
O’Brien brought the sides level on 10 minutes as a scramble in Seamus
Brough’s box left the forward to slam home from 10 yards.
However Mitchels responded in the best possible fashion as a lobbed shot
from Denis Kelly evaded a ruck of players to nestle into the corner of
Liam Boxwell’s goal.
It was a double delight for Mitchels moments after as Morrissey showed
bags of skill to catch and drive from close range.
Morrissey was in the swing of things as he looped another shot over the
bar from distance, before Enda Barron fired over another score from the
right-hand wing.
Go Bragh did manage another score five minutes before the break through
an O’Brien free, however another composed strike from Lyons took
Mitchels into the break with a healthy nine-point lead.
This game was far from over and Go Bragh signalled their intention with
their first attack of the half.
O’Brien once more picked up the pieces to hit a thunderbolt into
the corner of Brough’s net.
Fleming was on hand a minute later to fizz a low drive over the bar to
reduce the gap to five, before Lyons added another free at the other end
for Mitchels.
The clash of the ash was mighty in midfield and Fleming looped over another
point for Go Bragh, before a burst of pace
and pin-point accuracy produced Lyons’ sixth and best point of the
game.
Another O’Brien free focused Go Bragh’s intentions before
he snatched a long ball from midfield and made no mistake from 10 yards.
The jubilation on the Go Bragh touchline lasted only moments however as
Morrissey again showed his class in front of goal, driving a low effort
accurately into the corner of the net.
With Mitchels snatching the initiative once more, it seemed Go Bragh needed
another goal to make a fist of things and it was super-sub John Coyne
who provided it as he sent a low drive past Brough.
With Mitchels now chasing the game, a grandstand final five minutes saw
the lead yo-yo between both sides.
In the end it was the composure of Wayne Healy that saw Mitchels draw
level and eventually run out the victors.
Morrissey almost netted his own hat-trick only to be denied by a great
Boxwell save but it was Healy who screwed over a 30-yard strike to send
Mitchels home the happier in this barnstormer. |
