Runaway Second Half Sees Tones past Mitchell’s

Martin Cup – Round 1

Wolfe Tones 4-15 -v- 1-3 John Mitchell’s

A storming second half performance form Wolfe Tones delivered an impressive victory over Mitchell’s today at The Valley with the Greencastle men setting themselves up for an encounter with St Patrick’s Lisburn in two weeks.

Mitchell’s opened the scoring early on with a point from a Sean McIlhatton free after he was brought down on Wolfe Tones’ 20 metre line. Wolfe Tones responded five minutes later when Kieran Moloney scored from play with Martn Conor adding a second for the North Belfast men two minutes later.

McIlhatton scored a second free from the 13 meter line to level the game on 12 minutes before Gerard McDonnell restored Wolfe Tones lead almost immediately with a free and Moloney adding another soon after.

Phillip Moore responded for Mitchell’s before Matrin Connor and Ciarán higgins both scored for Wolfe Tones to leave the Poleglass men trailing by three. Sharp thinking and a quick free found Mitchell’s Connor O’Neill unmarked inside Wolfe Tones 13 metre line and he didn’t hesitate to bury the ball in the back of Danny McIvor’s net from close range to restore the balance. It was short lived however as Kieran Moloney added to his points total and Chris Dawson found the back of the net for Tones to lead them in 1-7 to 1-3 at the break.

The second half however was a different story with Mitchell’s failing to raise either a green or white flag. Cillian Cumiskey started the rout straight from the throw in with a fine point from about 30 metres out. A torrid next ten minutes would see Mitchell’s concede four further points from distance before Conor Burrows went on a magnificent solo run and bury the ball in Callain Ruane’s goal.

Debhán McGovern also found the net for the Tones with a point-blank effort twenty minutes into the second period. With the game all but over Kieran Moloney was pulled down just on the 13 metre line and his gamble with the resultant free saw the ball hitting the back of the net.

Wolfe Tones

D. McIvor, F. McQuillan, S. McKee, N. Brannigan, C. Higgins, P. Walsh, C. Cumiskey (0-2), E. McKee, J. Magill (0-1), C. Burrows (1-1), K. Moloney (1-3), G. McDonnell (0-3), J. Carberry, V. Lismore (0-1), C. O’Neill, C. Dawson, M. McCann (0-3), M. Connor (0-2)

Mitchell’s

C. Ruane, T. Williams, C. Lowry, N. Rock, J. Carville, D. Kerr, J. Dowling, D. Kerr, A. McIlhatton, J. Dowling, C. O’Neill (1-0), S. McIlhatton (0-2), P. O’Hagan, P. Moore (0-1), P. Boyle, O. Crothers, D. Dillon, B. McCourt, C. Donnelly, C. McIlhatton