Mullingar Shamrocks G4M&O take part in the National Blitz

The growth of the G4M&O initiative over the past three years has been one of the most interesting phenomenon in Irish sport over the past five years.  

The number of participating clubs has risen from 220 to over 500 in the space of three years with 81 new clubs established in 2024 alone.

On Saturday last, close to 3,000 women made the trip to the Naomh Mearnóg, Portmarnock and St Sylvester’s, Malahide for the G4M&O National Festival Day as the association celebrates 50 years of Ladies Gaelic Football.

138 Gaelic4Mothers&Others clubs from all 32 counties registered for the chance to sample the unique atmosphere of the festival day, which provided the opportunity for a great  get together and to play games in a non-competitive and fun environment. 

Games on 23 pitches commenced at 12.00 pm and live music commenced after the final games. A silent disco and the Sports Direct zone were also part of the attractions on the day, while the 2FM Roadcaster was on site from 12.00 pm, with presenters Roz Purcell and Emma Power bringing a flavour of the event into homes across the country. Our own Lisa, Sarah and Niamh went on air with Roz and Emma and did their ‘woohoos and Up Shamrocks’ for the nation at large. 

The Mullingar Shamrocks team was one of 138 teams participating in this amazing spectacle of football and fun. 

The Mullingar Shamrocks ladies played a total of 5 matches against teams from Limerick, Galway, Dublin, Down and Monaghan. A wonderful day was had by all and some fantastic football was played. Some idea of the fun, games and colour associated with the festival and with the G4M&O in general can be seen from the photographs attached. 

 

No wonder the ladies look forward to another blitz in The Downs in a few weeks’ time. 

 

New members always welcome!!

 

Clarke’s Bar Junior I Football Championship: Mullingar Shamrocks 2-16 St Joseph’s 4-12.

 

A potential victory that escaped as Mullingar Shamrocks for the second successive year were eliminated from the Junior I championship after extra time at the quarter final stage. A few needless turnovers proved costly as St Joseph's progressed to the semi-final.

Ross Elliffe opened the scoring for St Joseph’s and a score that was followed by a Danny Keegan goal as he ran straight through the Shamrocks defence and blasted the ball past Philly Shaw. Ross Corroon under intense pressure pointed for Shamrocks; this was neutralized by a Dean Slevin point after he intercepted a short kick-out. Jordan McDonnell blasted over the bar from close range when a goal seemed certain but Philly stood big (1-3 to 0-1). At this stage Shamrocks dominated possession but playing into a strong wind and against the hill made scoring difficult. Ross Corroon put down two strokes of what was to become a free-taking exhibition when he pointed twice from difficult frees – the ones that are in front of the posts and into the wind are the most difficult but not on this day for Ross. Ryan Blundell won the restart and advanced to find Trevor Keena who raced through and shot the equalizing goal. Ross Elliffe and Jordan McDonnell combined to split the Shamrocks defence but Philly saved brilliantly and from the resultant free kick Shamrocks worked the ball patiently up field before Emmet Walsh pointed to send Shamrocks into the lead. Jordan McDonnell kicked a great equalizer for St Joseph’s before Mikey Lynam and Ross Corroon swopped scores. Jordan McDonnell signed off with the point of the half to bring the interval score to 1-6 to 1-5 in favour of St Joseph’s. 

 

Shamrocks dominated the first ten or so minutes following the resumption and Ross Corroon pointed a very difficult free with a superb strike. Just when it seemed things couldn’t get any better for Ross he went and pointed a sideline kick from miles out. The point of the day without question. Ross went short with his next free and combined with Alan Cashman who pointed and from the restart Shamrocks won possession and Ross pointed from play. This was Ross’s seventh point ‘’all good points, every one of them” cousin Gary remarked on the sideline. The next few minutes were vital to the result as after thirteen scoreless minutes of the half Jordan McDonnell pointed twice for St Joseph’s to tie the game (1-9 each). One of the lessons from several inter-county championship matches this year was the importance of staying in the game and this is what St Joseph’s did. The men from Streamstown never fell more than two points behind. And it wasn’t easy playing against a strong breeze. Ross Corroon pointed a 45 but in the twentieth minute Ross Elliffe goaled to re-establish the St Joseph’s lead (2-9 to 1-10). We lost Aaron Purcell who had been playing superbly throughout at this stage to injury. Alan Cashman also departed through injury as did Dónal O'Donoghue and Conor Fitzpatrick and all were missed although incredibly played almost the full 80 minutes. 

 

The Ross Corroon show continued with two more pointed frees to equalize once again and then he kicked Shamrocks ahead with a free taken from the hand this time (2-9 to 1-13). In the final minute, Jordan McDonnell pointed to equalize and send the match into extra time. A decent pointed free given the pressurized circumstances. 

 

St Joseph’s had wind advantage for the first ten minutes of extra time and opened with a goal when a long delivery from a sideline kick into the Shamrocks goalmouth was finished to the net by Dean Slevin, suspicions of a ‘square ball’ were ruled out following a consultation between referee Mick Murtagh and his umpires. Shamrocks responded well. Trevor Keena attacked and as his shot for goal flew across the goalmouth Niall Hannigan came sliding in to finish to the net for what can only be described as a wonder goal and the sides were level once again. A galloping run by Eddie Moore was halted with a free which was converted by Ross. Jake Gannon equalized and Jordan McDonnell added a point from play for the lead for Joseph’s (3-12 to 2-14). It was short lived as a quickly taken free to Trevor Keena produced the equalizer once again as Trevor shot over from long range. As Shamrocks attacked, possession was lost and a St Joseph’s attack along the end line ended with a shot that was deflected on to the crossbar by Ciaran Kiernan and from the rebound Alan Conlon reacted quickly and got the vital touch with his head (yes!) to send the ball to the net for what proved to be the winning goal. Ross Corroon’s thirteenth point proved to be the last score of the game and when Shamrocks final attack was repelled Mick Murtagh’s final whistle brought a great game to an end. 

 

13 is an unlucky number allegedly and on this occasion Ross Corroon deserved better for his extraordinary place kicking exhibition with the majority kicked from the ground – a dying skill as we know. Was this a record score for a Shamrocks player in an adult championship match? 

Mullingar Shamrocks: Philly Shaw; Eamonn Breslin, Aaron Purcell (Matthew Siode), Conor Fitzpatrick (Nathan Cornally); Emmet Walsh (0-1); Eddie Moore, Dónal Lane; Pearse Corroon (Ciaran Kiernan), Dónal O Donoghue (Gary Corroon); Alan Cashman (0-1) [Andrew Shaw], Trevor Keena (1-1) Niall Hannigan (1-0); Ross Corroon (0-13), Conor Fagan[Nathan Smyth].

 

Under-14 Girls 

Well done to our Under-14 Girls who qualified for the Division 1 PGF county final with a victory against Garrycastle. Our Under-14 Division 4 team were unlucky against Moate and just missed out on a second county final place by two points.

 

Clarke’s Bar Junior II Championship: Garrycastle 4-11 Mullingar Shamrocks 0-5. 

This was always likely to be a one sided affair and so it transpired as our third choice team faced the Garrycastle second team. The achievement was in fielding a team in this championship and providing young and not so young lads with an opportunity to play football without engaging with the training process. Full marks to Gary Corroon, Ritchie Daly and Derek Sheridan for their recruitment work during the season. Garrycastle led by 2-5 to 0-2 at the interval with Mickey Green in flying form and doing a lot of damage. They added another 2-6 to their first half total after the break and enjoyed the luxury of 21 wides compared to 8 by Mullingar Shamrocks. Garrycastle benefited from 35 turnovers while Shamrocks achieved 21. Darren Keena (0-2), Luke McCabe (0-2) and Mark Shaw landed the scores and Liam English had a few great saves worthy of mention. 

Mullingar Shamrocks: Liam English; Ciaran Luby William O’Reilly, Stephen Hassett; Edro Siode, Ben Egan, Tadhg Sheridan; Jack Kelly, Aaron Russell; Adam Boyle, Peter Collins, Mark Shaw, Luke McCabe, Darren Keena, Seán Óg Hynes. Replacements: Shane Colleary, Mike Ayibiowu

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