Mullingar Shamrocks Minors came close to pulling off one of the shocks of the season when they were decidedly unlucky to lose out to Coralstown-Kinnegad by the minimum margin in Kinnegad on Friday evening. In the league phase of the championship Kinnegad inflicted an 11 point drubbing on the Shamrocks boys. In reality, the gap was even greater when the sides met two weeks ago. 

Some tactical readjustments by the Shamrocks management proved to be highly effective: James Ryan was deployed as sweeper, Oisín Gavin was assigned man-marking duties and curbed the influence of Josh McGauran and the use of three midfielders was also effective.

Scores were scarce in the opening half: Shamrocks led by 0-2 to 0-0 after twenty minutes courtesy of a two-pointer from Tom McCaul. Ted Aherne and Rory McCaul added points to give Shamrocks an interval lead of 0-4 to 0-2.  Coralstown-Kinnegad shaded the second half. Zac Coyne scored Shamrocks opening goal after winning possession in his own half-back line and was on hand to finish to the net for a superbly worked team goal. Our second goal was a product of individual excellence and flair as Hugo Corroon cleverly dispossed the Coralstown-Kinnegad defender, rounded the goalkeeper and planted the ball in the back of the net. In between the goals, Colm Clinton and Hugo scored points. 

Unfortunately, one more point was needed to send the match into extra-time; it is not an exaggeration to suggest that Shamrocks missed at least six goal opportunities over the hour and this result falls into the ‘one that got away’ category. This is not a criticism but a recognition of an outstanding and spirited performance given by the lads who departed the championship with their heads held high. 

Mullingar Shamrocks: Tom McCaul (0-2); Zak Masterson, Sean Hickey, Liam Heffernan (Gareth Sweeney);   Rian Sheerin, James Davitt (Keelan Reilly), Zac Coyne (1-0); Oisín Gavin, Ted Aherne (0-1), Rory McCaul (0-1); Ryan McNamee, Colm Clinton (0-1); Hugo Corroon (1-1), Daragh Ryan (Rory Kilmartin), James Ryan. 

 

End of the road for our Junior II championship hopes as St Mary’s, Rochfortbridge strolled to victory in this mismatch between our third team and a very experienced Rochfortbridge side. Our team spanned the generations with Shane Colleary continuing a record of championship appearances that began sometime back in the mis-1990s, Dónal O’Donoghue, one of the best players on the field, made his Senior championship debut in 2000 and Philly Shaw, who made goalkeeping look easy, began his Senior career in 2004 or thereabouts lining out with  players such as Tommy Daly and James Flynn in their first season in adult football. Football for all is the name of the game at this level; Gary Corroon and Ritchie Daly are to be commended for assembling a panel of twenty players at this stage of the competition.

Shamrocks enjoyed the benefit of the strong wind and hill in the first half and began with two fine points from Nathan Cornally and a third from Tadhg Sheridan. However, two early St Mary’s attacks slivered the Shamrocks defence and James Neale and Finnian Carroll were in for goals. Points from Daragh Hughes and Padraig Casey cut the deficit to the minimum before wing-back Paul Carey left his stamp on the game and scored 0-3 of the next five St Mary’s points from play despite the playing into the strong wind. Finnian Carroll pointed after a breach infraction and Eddie Alford also added a pair of points before the interval with the scoreboard reading 2-6 to 0-5. 

There was no way back and St Mary’s added 1-6 to their total before Tadgh Sheridan pointed for Shamrocks. We did add one more score, somewhat of a collector’s item when Nathan Cornally added a two-pointer, a special one kicked into the wind. The St Mary’s final total of 3-17 included a pair to two-pointers.

Two-pointer watch = 1

Our men on duty were: Philly Shaw; Eamonn Breslin, Jack Kelly, Tadhg Sheridan (0-2); Dylan Carey, Conor Kelly (John Shaw), James Flynn; Jack Toal (Conor Fagan), Amin Hacini; Nathan Cornally (0-4), Dónal O’Donoghue, Neil Hannigan; Tommy Daly (Sean Óg Hynes), Darragh Hughes (0-1) [Luke McCabe], Padraig Casey (0-1) [Shane Colleary].