A good opening night as Mullingar Shamrocks ACL Div. 5 side began the club season with a good victory against The Downs. With 19 players unavailable, the always positive team manager Gary Corroon still managed to conjure up another 19 players on what was a near perfect night for football  given the miserable weather we have experienced since Christmas. 

The football wasn’t bad either as both the ACL Div. 2 and Senior management teams were on hand to monitor potential  candidates for the big challenges ahead. Ross Corroon on outfield duties opened the scoring for Shamrocks with a pointed free; The Downs responded with a pair of points from Shane Carroll and Tadhg Nolan. A Ross Corroon goal restored the lead for Shamrocks that Trevor Keena extended with a fine point that was balanced by a similar score from Tadhg Nolan. Liam English who  impressed throughout with his handling produced a great save to deny Tadhg Nolan, the ensuing scramble ended with a pointed free from Nolan (1-2 to 0-4). Andrew Shaw, playing well at centre-forward, pointed before The Downs added 0-3 to their total including a two-pointer courtesy of a Shane Carroll free. The next few minutes were crucial to the final result. Trevor Keena pointed and from the restart Shamrocks gained possession and Jack Kelly pushed forward to create a goal scoring opportunity that was finished in style by Killian Mooney.  Matthew Shaw finished another combined attack for Shamrocks third goal and the two-point deficit was converted to a six-point lead (3-4 to 0-7) in the space of a few minutes. Andrew Shaw pointed, an outside of the boot Tom O’Sullivan/Denis Corroon model, before Adam Connell pointed followed by a spectacular Karl McCormack two pointer from midfield. A  Ross Corroon pointed free brought the half-time score to 3-6 to 0-10 in favour of Mullingar Shamrocks with five forwards registering scores – always welcome. 

Shamrocks extended the lead early in the second half; Pearse Corroon knocked down a restart, Trevor Keena collected and launched a massive two pointer from midfield.  Tadgh Nolan  pointed from a free that resulted in a black card for Conor Kelly but Shamrocks coped well with the numerical disadvantage. Kilian Mooney kicked a beauty of a point and finished a move that began at the back with a great Bressie turnover (3-9 to 0-11).  Shane Carroll and Ben Harte pointed before Ross Corroon kicked his first two pointer of the season (a great effort from play). Andrew Shaw completed the total and the final whistle from Mick Gordon brought a fine game to an end but not before Liam English produced his second great stop of the night. 

So a positive start to the season a decent victory, Killian Mooney and Jack Toal  had their first taste of adult football and a number of lads made a return to active service most notably the Kelly brothers. 

It’s great to see. 

Mullingar Shamrocks: Liam English; Eamonn Breslin, Conor Kelly, Ben Egan (Adam Boyle); Conn O’Hanlon (Caoilinn Walsh), Jack Kelly, Ryan Blundell; Pearse Corroon (Conn O’Hanlon), Ciaran Kiernan; Jack Toal, Andrew Shaw (0-3), Killian Mooney (1-1); Matthew Shaw [1-0] (Darragh Hughes), Ross Corroon [1-4] (Seán Hynes), Trevor Keena (0-4).