Garrycastle 3-9
Mullingar Shamrocks 3-9

Mullingar Shamrocks came from nine points down at the start of the second half to draw with four-in-a-row chasing Garrycastle for the second year in succession at Cusack Park.

Last season's beaten All-Ireland club finalists Garrycastle looked to be cruising to their seventh title in 11 years when Conor Cosgrove's second goal immediately after the restart gave them a 3-7 to 1-4 lead. But inspired by Lorcan Smyth, who top-scored with 2-5, Shamrocks staged an incredible comeback to earn another bite at the cherry next Sunday.

Paul Clancy's Garrycastle led by 2-7 to 1-4 at the break with their goals coming from James Dolan and Cosgrove in the 22th and 29th minutes. In between, Smyth netted his first for Shamrocks after being set up by Seanie Daly.

Shamrocks looked dead and buried when Cosgrove scored a soft goal within 30 seconds of the restart, but the county town side refused to lie down and hit back with a second goal from Smyth two minutes later.

Garrycastle still led by six points, 3-9 to 2-6, at the end of the third quarter, but failed to score thereafter with wing back Micheal Curley's 47th minute goal igniting Shamrocks' late surge. Smyth eventually brought them level in the 57th minute, but they will rue a tally of 11 wides compared to just one for the champions.

Garrycastle - S Brennan; G McCallon, M McCallon, J Gaffey; R Fox, E Mulvihill (0-1), D Harte; J Barrett, A Browne; P Dillon (0-1), P Mulvihill, J Duignan; C Cosgrove (2-4), J Dolan (1-3), D Dolan. Subs: A Fox for R Fox, E Monaghan for D Dolan, M Guiheen for Duignan, S O'Donoghue for Dillon, D O'Shaughnessy for Barrett.

Mullingar Shamrocks - R Tyrrell; E Moore, K Gavin, A Purcell; K Daly (0-1), D Gavin, M Curley (1-0); D Corroon, D O'Donoghue (0-1); P Joyce, S Daly, C Twomey; J Ganley (0-1), C Curley (0-1), L Smyth (2-5). Subs: A Clinton for O'Donoghue, S Quinn for D Gavin, A Smyth for K Daly, D Daly for Ganley, D Miller for Purcell.

Referee - S Carroll. Tweet

Most Read Stories