Remember the Team (8) ...
Mullingar Shamrocks: Davy Gavin; Liam Daly, Tom Cole, Joe Duncan; Patsy Fagan, Maurice Stenson, John Corroon; Michael Cole, Michael Fagan; Joe O' Hare (0-8), Ger O'Keeffe, Tom Maguire (Benny O' Dowd); Michael Clarke, Paddy Cole, Denis Corroon (0-1).
Player Manager: Paddy Cole; Trainer: Seán Cleary.
The Occasion: 1979 Westmeath Senior Football Semi-Final played on 26 August 1979. The Pope was finalising arrangements for his visit to Ireland, Fr Michael Cleary and Bishop Casey, were getting ready for the spin around Galway Racecourse in the Popemobile. Makem and Clancy were playing in the Beehive Lodge; Foster and Allen were playing in the Inny Inn in Coole and had just released The Bunch of Tyme, the song that was to make the duo international superstars and a memorable appearance on the BBC Top of the Pops TV show. It was a big Irish night on ToTP as Bob Geldof and the Boomtown Rats were on the same night as well as Dexys Midnight Runners - 'Come on Eileen'.
The Result: Mullingar Shamrocks 0-9 The Downs 0-8
The Match: In some ways this was a battle of the place kickers as Joe O'Hehir lit-up Cusack Park with an exhibition of free taking whilst The Downs missed a number of frees although many were from long range. After fifteen minutes The Downs had moved into an 0-3 to 0-1 lead but four minutes later the sides were level when Joe O' Hehir pointed his third free of the evening. The sides were level at 0-5 each at the interval (Denis Corroon's point before the interval was Shamrocks only point from play) and at 0-6 each after forty minutes. The introduction of Donie Smyth to The Downs full forward line began to pay dividends and after eighteen minutes The Downs moved two points ahead courtesy of two pointed frees following fouls on the hard running Donie (0-8 to 0-6). Michael Cole was switched to corner back in a successful attempt to curb Smyth. Normal order was not restored at this stage and it was Mullingar Shamrocks that finished the stronger. Joe O' Hehir pointed two more frees to level the match with seven minutes remaining, the second a great effort from long range. O' Hehir pointed his eight free two minutes from the end to send Shamrocks into a vital lead. One final run from Donie Smith ended with a free against The Downs forward for over carrying and the final whistle was blown when the resulting free was taken.
Joe O' Hehir was the undoubted Man of the Match. His free taking was impeccable 'while his jinking solo runs left The Downs rearguard with plenty to do', the Westmeath Examiner reported. 'The brilliant Michael 'Spike' Fagan was the dominant figure at midfield' also impressed the Examiner reporter, 'who grafted non-stop for the full sixty minutes. When his side were not playing well he was there to "lift them", particularly in the first half when he secured valuable possession around the midfield area'. It was the first important match display of many of the qualities that were to bring numerous honours including 8 international appearances against Australia to Spike
The Significance: The Westmeath Examiner headline 'Mullingar back in big time after thirteen years' captured the importance of the result. But the result had greater significance than qualifying for a county final that was to end in defeat. The result marked the beginning of the end of The Downs control of Mullingar Shamrocks. The last occasion Mullingar Shamrocks had beaten The Downs in the championship was on 31 July 1966 in a match that failed to reach the final whistle. There was no replay. In championship matches in 1970, 73, 75 and 1977 The Downs were comfortable winners. The Downs bounced back from the 1979 setback in 1980 and defeated Shamrocks on their way to winning the championship again and added to the titles won in 1968, 69, 70, 72 and 1974; in 1981 a replay was required in the championship quarter-final before Shamrocks edged into the semi-final. In 1985 The Downs ended Shamrocks championship hopes in the first round (Ritchie O'Donoghue's first championship match in charge); and then came the 1986 only county final between The Downs and Shamrocks which ended with Shamrocks winning the club's third county title and the first since 1966.
Fógra: The Downs lined out the following team: Ollie Colgan; Camillus Walsh, Jimmy Tuite, Aidan Maguire; Martin McCormack, John McCormack, Seamus Conroy; Gerry Smyth (0-3), Dom Murtagh; Padraic Devine (Jim Moore), Noel Cleary, Seamus McKeogh; Eugene McCormack (0-1), Ray Smyth (0-10, Tony Lynam [0-1] (Donie Smyth, 0-2).
Fógra Éile: Remember those blue jerseys worn against Garrycastle last year in the championship first round. Blue was the colour of Mullingar Shamrocks back in 1979; the Westmeath Examiner preview noted that 'hopes are high in the capital town that "the boys in blue" will "make" the final'.
