Minor Football Championship: Mullingar Shamrocks 4-13 Shandonagh 4-7.

Mullingar Shamrocks began their minor football championship campaign with a well deserved victory against Shandonagh in Springfield on Sunday evening. With goals from Zach Aherne(2), Oliver McNamara and Barry Nwokeiwu and a collection of points from Jack Gillen and Trevor Keena, great defending and some great saves from Seán Óg Hynes Shamrocks were full value for their six point victory. After creating a number of early scoring opportunities Shamrocks opened the scoring when Zach Aherne goaled in the fifth minute after a superb defence splitting pass from Mark Flynn sent the wing forward through on goal. Flynn had been picked out by Tomass Turks whose immediate instinct when he gains possession is to look up to see what colleagues are available in a better position. Jack Gillen pointed a free and Ollie McNamara ran in along the end line and punched over the bar. A Shandonagh point narrowed the deficit before Jack Gillen pointed two difficult frees and Ollie McNamara added another to send Shamrocks into a 1-5 to 0-1 lead. Jack Gillen who gave a superb exhibition of place kicking added another point before Shandonagh added 1-2 to their total. The goal followed a fine Seán Óg Hynes save but Adam Traynor netted from the rebound. Zach Aherne added two points - the first followed a move that began with the wing-forward; Tomass Turks and Barry Nwokeiwu were also involved in the creative move. Oliver McNamara scored Shamrocks second goal when he finished a move that involved Matthew Siode, Tomass Turks, Mark Flynn, who delivered the killer pass to Trevor Keena who raced through the Shandonagh defence and created the opportunity for Oliver who finished in style. This score was neutralised when Evan Molloy goaled for Shandonagh after a quickly taken free caught the Shamrocks defence on an unscheduled timeout. The half-finished with some anxiety as Jack Gillen and William Adzangoa were linked to the dressing room after the two players had collided at full pace with each other. Thanks to those who delivered the medical attention. Fortunately both players recovered and resumed their positions for the second half with the scoreline reading 2-8 to 2-3. Trevor Keena pointed after the restart and Shandonagh added a point from a free (2-9 to 2-4). After a scoreless spell Zach Aherne scored what can only be described as a wonder goal as his long range rocket dipped under the crossbar giving the very good Shandonagh goalkeeper no chance. Jack Gillen added two points and Trevor Keena a third to extend the Shamrocks lead to eleven points (3-12 to 2-4). There was still fight left in Shandonagh and a goal by Adam Traynor and a pointed 45 narrowed the gap. However in the final minutes Barry Nwokeiwu was rewarded for his hard work all through when he blasted to the net; Adam Loughlin volleyed a goal for Shandonagh before Jack Gillen added another pointed free to his collection and when referee Mick McAdden blew the final whistle, the scoreboard read 4-13 to 4-7 in Mullingar Shamrocks favour

Mullingar Shamrocks: Seán Óg Hynes; Lee Ryan, Ciarán Looby, Daniel Chukwuemekg; Cian Fox, Matthew Siode, Tomass Turks; Rory O'Sullivan Sexton, Mark Flynn; Zach Aherne (2-2), Jack Gillen (0-7), Oliver McNamara (1-2); Barry Nwokeiwu (1-0), Trevor Keena (0-2), William Adzangoa (Evan Battle).