Shay Murtagh Precast Senior Football Championship: Mullingar Shamrocks 2-9 The Downs GAA Club 0-9.

 

This is one of our most significant results since the 2018 County Final and a victory that secures a place in the quarter-final of the championship and promotion to Section A for next year’s championship and guarantees our senior status for two more years and the continuation of a sequence that began in 1963.

This was a great team victory and that includes the management team led by Enda Monaghan who worked so hard to prepare the team and tactics for this important game. Section B of this year’s championship is an extremely tough group and to finish top with a game to spare is a fantastic achievement. 

 

Mullingar Shamrocks fell behind in the first minute to a point from a Luke Loughlin free before Shamrocks responded with a superb goal in the fourth minute. Shane Ormsby picked out Denis Corroon with a perfect pass and Denis with calculated calmness blasted the ball to the net. An Ian Martin pointed free added to The Downs total. Two Denis Corroon pointed frees in the eight and tenth minutes extended the lead. In their creation and execution, the points were replicas of each other. The strong running of Paddy Fagan drew the fouls and Denis delivered the points. Conor Coughlan pointed for The Downs as Shamrocks dominated and let a few scoring opportunities slip. These included a missed penalty as Dean Moore’s shot went to the wrong side of the post; the restart began a sequence of play that was to end with Conn O’Hanlon scoring a great second goal for Shamrocks. 

 

The Downs created a clear goal scoring opportunity from the missed penalty restart that was brilliantly saved by Eoin Doran. It was a key moment and a potential six-point swing was prevented by Eoin's vigilance. Shamrocks moved the ball downfield and as David Gavin and Conor Coughlan engaged in a bout of all-In wrestling in mid-field (the rules allowed this one time) Conn O’Hanlon finished for a spectacular second goal. A second pointed free from Luke Loughlin and one from play by John O’Reilly concluded the first half scoring with the scoreboard reading 2-3 to 0-4 in favour of Shamrocks.

 

Luke Loughlin and Jordan Warde exchanged points following the restart, Jordan hand-passing over from a Dean Moore sideline close to the end line. A great Conn O’Hanlon block deprived The Downs of a possible goal before Andrew Kilmartin pointed in the eight minute (2-4 to 0-6). Almost ten minutes later Denis Corroon scored the first of four great pointed frees that kept the scoreboard moving along nicely. The third one was a Denis Corroon special from close to 50 meters – a classic outside of the boot effort that sailed beautifully between the posts. The Downs were also adding to their tally with points from play from Conor Coughlan (a shot for goal that was excellently turned over the bar by Eoin Doran), Ciaran Nolan, and Luke Loughlin.

The Shamrocks defence excelled during this second half with the full back line of Dillon Matthews, Davy Gavin and Marc Eivers (Marc’s first half block down of a Luke Loughlin shot was a classic example of a rarely seen skill in the modern game) especially prominent. The final score was converted by Dean Moore who finished a move that included Lorcan Smyth, Brian Guerin (who covered miles of ground on the night), and Efe Siode with one of his classic solo runs. 

In the five minutes of overtime, The Downs attacked but failed to break down a well-organized Shamrocks defence and at the final whistle, the scoreboard read 2-9 to 0-9 in favour of Mullingar Shamrocks, a victory for “Little David” as the great Paul O’Donovan might say. 

Springfield was a happy place on Saturday night and with good reason as it has been five years or so since we managed a victory over The Downs in any game at senior level and in most of those games we have never come close to matching our neighbours. 

 

One swallow never made a summer as they say but for now it is one game at a time. St Malachy’s will provide stiff opposition in our next outing but as of now JEOPARDY has been replaced by MOMENTUM.

 

Mullingar Shamrocks: Eoin Doran; Marc Eivers, David Gavin, Dillon Matthews; Conn O’Hanlon (1-0) [Efe Siode], Matt O’Shea, Brendan O’Reilly (Killian Daly); Conor O’Brien (Lorcan Smyth) and Shane Ormsby; Brian Guerin, Patrick Fagan (Conn O’Hanlon), John O’Reilly (0-1) [Davy Coyne]; Dean Moore (0-1), Denis Corroon (1-6), Jordan Warde (0-1).

 

Clarke’s Bar Junior I Football Championship: Mullingar Shamrocks 1-16 Athlone 0-5.

 

The scoreline suggests a comfortable victory for Mullingar Shamrocks and this is what transpired as Shamrocks dominated from start to finish.

The opening two minutes featured three scores as Athlone with a vicious in-swinging Donagh Prendergast shot from near the sideline was deflected over the bar for the opening score; from Philly Shaw’s restart Emmet Walsh gained possession, passed to Niall Hannigan who in turn set up Trevor Keena for the equalizing point. From the Athlone restart Dónal O’Donoghue gained possession and delivered the perfect pass to Conor Fagan who travelled along the end line and flicked the ball over for Shamrocks second point. Shamrocks added six more points before Athlone registered a second score. Trevor Keena pointed; Conor Fagan pointed to finish a move that began with a great Eddie Moore turnover that dispossessed Darren Magee. Ross Corroon pointed (“it’s not on, Ross” someone said as the ball floated over) Trevor Keena using his soccer skills forced a good save from Rytis Liaukevicius and Ross chipped the resulting 45 over the bar. Alan Cashman scored point number 6 and completed a move that began with Philly Shaw back in the goalmouth; Dónal O’Donoghue pointed to complete a move that he started himself to extend the lead to 7 points.

Josh Beaumont pointed for Athlone but Dónal Lane replied with a point for Shamrocks from the restart. Niall Hannigan added Shamrocks tenth point followed by two pointed frees for Athlone to complete the first half scoring with Shamrocks leading by 0-10 to 0-4.

The trend continued into the second half that began with a pair of points from the Corroon brothers. Trevor, Hanno and Ross added to the points total before Philly Shaw brilliantly saved what was Athlone’s best goal scoring effort which he turned around the post for a 45. ‘Philly’s on fire’ the lady in red on the sideline announced as the resultant 45 floated wide. From the restart, Alan Cashman fielded and turned his marker and delivered the ball to Nathan Smyth who in turn dispatched the ball to the back of the net to extend the lead to 1-15 to 0-4. A six point swing in the space of 90 seconds. 

There was time for one more Shamrocks score and this last point was a historic one scored by Eamonn Breslin, his first point for Mullingar Shamrocks in championship football. Since landing in Mullingar from Ardara in Donegal, Bressie has been a wonderful servant of the club and rarely if ever misses a match. On Friday night, he thundered upfield from his favourite corner back position to land his first championship score and join the ranks of the modern scoring corner backs. In the last attack of the evening, Athlone recorded their only point of the half, a score that concluded what was a very satisfactory trip to Athlone for Mullingar Shamrocks. 1- 15 of the total was scored from play with 10 players getting their names on the scoresheet. 

 

Mullingar Shamrocks: Philly Shaw; Eamonn Breslin (0-1), Aaron Purcell (Conor Fitzpatrick), Emmet Walsh; Dónal Lane (0-1), Eddie Moore, Ciaran Kiernan (Matthew Siode); Pearse Corroon (0-1), Ryan Blundell (Gary Corroon); Alan Cashman (0-1), Trevor Keena (0-3), Niall Hannigan (0-2) {Andrew Shaw]; Dónal O’Donoghue (0-1), Ross Corroon (0-4), Conor Fagan (0-2) [Nathan Smyth, 1-0].

 

Under-12s do well 

Super result by our Mullingar Shamrocks Whites Division 3 team Friday evening against a physical and skillful Ballycomoyle team. The game was end to end stuff with both teams having the advantage on a number of occasions. The lads battled hard and with some excellent teamwork to work the ball up the field they got their well deserved scores. Well done to all the lads. At the other side of the county, our Under-12 Div.1 team Mullingar Shamrocks Greens had a great win against Garrycastle.

Other under age results this week include: Under-16s lost to The Downs GAA Club; Under-14s defeated Athlone 0-10 to 1-3; Minors defeated Shandonagh 3-15 to 2-2.

 

Summer Camp 

Another successful Mullingar Shamrocks summer camp concluded on Wednesday with over 70 young boys and girls participating. As usual, Andrina Finch was along to add a little bit of non-football activity to the mix. Thanks to all the young coaches who contributed to making the camp an outstanding success.

 

Lotto Results

Numbers Drawn: 4, 5, 21, 23; No Jackpot Winner; Lucky Dip Winner: Debbie Newman; Next Week’s Jackpot: €13,600.

Tweet

Most Read Stories