Mullingar Shamrocks

Founded 1953

Co. Westmeath

Remember the Team (10) ... 1982 League Div. 1 Champions ..

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Remember the Team (10) ...

Mullingar Shamrocks: Denis Larkin; Patsy Fagan, Joe Brady, Mick Conlon; Peter Ledwith, Michael Fagan (Captain), John Corroon (Dominic Flynn); Seán Murphy (0-3), Gerry Nohilly; Denis Shields (0-1), Noel Dempsey, 0-1), Denis Corroon, Brendan Conlon; Mick Greene (0-4), Michael Clarke (0-1), Seán Hynes (0-2).

Occasion: The 1982 League Div.1 Final played in Cusack Park on Sunday July 10 1983 in Cusack Park.

The Result: Mullingar Shamrocks 0-12 Moate All-Whites 0-7.

The Match: Mullingar Shamrocks trailed by 0-5 to 0-2 at the interval. Seán Hynes had a goal disallowed in the first half but showed his class some minutes later by kicking a point from close to the sideline. A Denis Shields pointed free was Shamrocks only other score of the half. Noel Dempsey replaced Denis Shields at half-time and Dominic Flynn was on for John Corroon. A Michael Clarke point reduced the deficit on resumption and then Mick Greene kicked three points in succession to send Shamrocks ahead; Eamonn Coughlan equalised. Seanie Murphy brilliantly pointed a difficult free to restore Shamrocks lead, Noel Dempsey added another point. This one began with a great Denis Larkin save and the goalkeeper soloed clear and began the move that ended with Dempsey's point. The goalkeepers repertoire on the evening included taking down two shots that were going over the crossbar. Shamrocks now cut loose and Seán Hynes, Seanie Murphy (0-2) and Mick Greene completed the Shamrocks total. Eamonn Coughlan pointed a difficult free for Moate but it was too little too late and Mullingar Shamrocks were the winners of the 1982 Division 1 League title and Michael 'Spike' Fagan was presented with the Brendan Breathnach Cup by Fr Ulic Troy, Chairman of the Westmeath County Board.

The Westmeath Examiner noted that 'Mullingar will be pleased with this long overdue success at senior level and the victory confirmed that the Shamrocks have a promising side that should make an impact in the not too distant future' ... not a bad prediction as things turned out a senior level since that time.

Significance: Mullingar Shamrocks went seventeen years without winning an adult football title after winning the senior title in 1966 with several minors on the panel. This title was the first senior title won by Mullingar Shamrocks in almost 17 years which explains the great scenes of celebrations in the Lake County Hotel captured in the photos that accompany this posting (Courtesy of Detty Cornally's attic clean out!). At this stage Shamrocks had been eliminated from the championship by St Malachy's who regularly rolled into town at the time and inflicted a defeat on Shamrocks.

A lot of familiar Shamrocks family names in the team line out and some are still centrally involved in the club; other have contributed in the past. And of course the star of the pictures is the one and only Mick Gaye.

Management: Joe Brady was manager in 1983 but Leo Dowling was manager in 1982 and took charge of the team on this occasion.

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