Remember the Team (6) ...
Mullingar Shamrocks: Scott Hogan; Calvin Kirwan, Davy Gavin, Shane Kennedy; Seán Lynch, Enda Morris, Niall Hardiman; Daragh Daly (Captain), Conor Gilsenan (0-1); Stephen Noonan (0-1), Tony Dunne, Kevin Campbell; Colm O'Leary, Stuart Flynn (0-4), Adam Corroon (1-3). Other panellists: Mark Connolly, Dean Moore, Paddy Simpkin, Philip Bell, Aaron Andrews, Ciarán Maguire, Robert Fenton, John McManus, Sean McCarthy, Ciarán Glennon, Shane Masterson, Adam Kerroum, Ronan Tyrrell.
Management: John Doran (Manager), Davy Walls, Denis Corroon, Johnny Corroon
The Occasion: Westmeath Minor Football Final played on 12 October 2008 in Cusack Park on the day that the Castledaly club won the Flanagan Cup for the first time.
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The Result: Mullingar Shamrocks 1-9 Clann Bhraonain 0-6.
Mullingar Shamrocks defeated reigning champions St Patricks in the semi-final, a match that cost Ronan Tyrrell his place in the team for the final as he was red carded and picked up a one match suspension. Scott Hogan replaced Ronan for the final.
The Match: The Westmeath Examiner headline told much of the story from the Shamrock perspective: 'Second Half Master Class Sees Shamrocks Home'. The report elaborated: 'When Shamrocks opened up after a woeful first half display, they simply tore the Clann defence to shreds and scored 1-6 without reply while Clann managed just a single point in that second half'. Despite the poor first half display Shamrocks trailed by just a two point margin at the interval. A spectacular Adam Corroon point just before half time when he soloed the length of Cusack Park before pointing set down a marker for what was to come. Daragh Daly and Conor Gilsenan totally dominated midfield after the break but it was Clann that scored first - a long range point from Ger Egan. That proved to be the last score for the St Mary's Rochfortbridge-Tyrrellspass-Milltownpass combination. Shamrocks then began to make an impression on the scoreboard. Stuart Flynn kicked two frees and in between Adam Corroon scored another point. Stuart Flynn pointed another free and minutes later when his 45 rebounded from the post Stephen Noonan was the first to react and added another point to the Shamrocks tally. Stuart Flynn had a point from play before Adam Corroon took off on another one of his solo runs that ended with the speedster blasting the ball to the net for the final score of the day. In the words of the Westmeath Examiner 'Corroon was simply immense and there was a buzz about the place. Pace, skill, and finishing power mark him out as a star in the making while the midfield axis of Daly and Gilsenan were comfortable throughout'. In the club notes, Shane Kennedy got the eulogy '... the smallest man on the field has the biggest heart, and Shane Kennedy's sheer desire to represent his club should be bottled and sold nationwide as an elixir. He validates what is good about pulling on your club jersey, as size and skill means nothing when you can give 100%'. Niall Hardiman was the one in the special category for the pre-match profiles: 'An all out Shamrocks legend in the making. First man at training and last man to leave he is totally dedicated to his football and the club and likes nothing better than a battle'.
Significance: 'Surely we are doing something right and all the hard work of our entire coaching staff is now coming to fruition and it makes all that work so pleasing' was how the club notes recorded the fact that this was the club's third minor title of the decade. The fact that four of the panel played on senior title winning Mullingar Shamrocks teams represents a good return from the minor class of 2008. Adam Kerroum won an intermediate title with St Malachy's whilst Conor Gilsean became a top flight rugby professional.
Unfortunately, it was the last occasion the club has collected a minor championship ... this eleven years gap is the longest by far since Mullingar Shamrocks won the first of the club's sixteen minor titles in 1957. As the hotel porter is alleged to have asked George Best as he delivered champagne to George and his female companion Where did it all go wrong?
