Intermediate LGF Championship: Mullingar Shamrocks 6-15 Clan na Gael 1-6.

Clan na Gael were no match for Mullingar Shamrocks in this intermediate LGF match played in Springfield on Thursday evening. It was a great team performance by Shamrocks decorated by a brilliant individual performance by Karen Hegarty who turned in her best performance since suffering her cruciate injury three years ago. This was an individual display by Karen that had everything that is good in LGF. Speed, score-taking and score making, accurate free taking and unselfish tackling and work rate. The watching Westmeath team manager, Seán Finnegan must have been impressed. Mullingar Shamrocks led at half-time 3-9 to 1-3. Karen scored an incredible 3-6 with Emma Morris adding two points to the total and Michelle Buckley a point. Any doubts about the final result were dispelled immediately after half-time when Carole Finch goaled and Karen added another point. Sarah Geoghegan added two more points, the first after collecting a Susanna Buckley shot that rebounded from the crossbar. Emma Morris then stepped up to score the goal of the night when she soloed through the Clan na Gael defence from the 50 metre line. What made this a really special goal was Emma's sidestep that began the run when she skinned her marker in the smallest of spaces. Wonderful skill. Karen Hegarty pointed a free and then scored her fourth goal of the night when she finished a great team move to the Clan na Gael net. Carole Finche's role in this goal is worthy of mention as Carole sacrificed her own what was little more than a tap-in-goal to pass to the inrushing Karen. Definitely the most unselfish moment and play of the night. Karen pointed again and with her first touch of the might substitute Holly McCormack added the final point of the evening as the darkness and the rain began to descend. So a match of many positives, one of which was the return to active service of Carla Thornton after the best part of a year's absence. Welcome back Carla.

Mullingar Shamrocks: Isabelle Clinton; Lorna Morris, Liveta Lazauskaite, Sophie Hegarty; Máiread Newman, Tara Fagan, Chloe Swarbrigg; Laura Whitlelaw, Michelle Buckley (0-1); Susanna Buckley, Emma Morris (1-2), Allison Bane; Sara Geoghegan (0-2), Karen Hegarty (4-9), Carole Finch (1-0).

Replacements (all played): Áine Melody, Teresa Connell, Orianna Quinn, Holly McCormack (0-1), Clara Thornton, Ciara Keegan.