Drogheda Lightning kicked off their 2014 IAFL-1 campaign, playing host to a Mullingar Minotaurs outfit looking to improve on a debut season that saw them prop up the table when the dust settled. And it was the visitors that had the best of the early exchanges at St. Oliver’s, taking advantage of a Lightning side that were slow to get into the game.
Concerted pressure with the running game wore at the Drogheda defence and the Minotaurs capitalised toward the end of the first quarter, putting up their first points of the 2014 campaign through running back Adam Corcoran. Again they exploited the hosts’ run defence on the PAT attempt as full back Niall Corcoran crossed the line for two additional points and take an 8-0 lead.
Drogheda failed to heed the early warning signs and found themselves further behind in the second quarter. Again the Minotaurs exploited the Lightning defence to push within sight of the goal-line. The hosts reacted too late to the drive and, in spite of some determined defensive pressure, the Minotaurs were able to force their way over the line with Dermot Corroon to increase their lead to 14-0. The determined Drogheda defence were able to stop the PAT to hold the Minotaurs to a two-score lead.
Indeed the whole Drogheda team seemed to find its rhythm as the half worn on and both sides of the ball began to find success. Fewer Mullingar plays were breaking through the Lightning defence while running backs Ross Neville and Craig McCormack harried the Minotaur defence with probing attacks for good gains.
Buoyed by their performance in the latter stages of the first half, Drogheda started the second on the front foot and finally got themselves on the scoreboard early in the third quarter. Taking the attack to the air, rookie quarterback Kevin Duffy found tight end Mick O’Shea in space and the Lightning captain brushed off several tackles to take the ball nearly sixty yards for a touchdown. After the initial PAT attempt was flagged for pass interference, Drogheda QB Duffy added the extra points to cut the lead to just six points – Minotaurs 14-8 Lightning.
With the game once again it the balance, complacency began to creep into the Lightning game yet again. Good field position was given up on offense through repeated infringements by the O-line while a tiring defence gave up a series of damaging first downs allowing the visitors to run down the clock and hold out for the victory.
In the end Mullingar were good for their win, and Drogheda will be left to think on what might have been. Improvement will certainly be needed if they hope to kick-start their season next time out as they face a tough trip to UCD on May 4th.
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