Our Last Minor Title ...
Graphic Tiles Westmeath Minor Football 2008 Final: 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 which was played on 12 October 2008.
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 PRO Paul Doolin’s 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%'.
'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. It is doubtful if any Westmeath GAA people walking out of Cusack Park that evening could have imagined that it would be 15 years before Mullingar Shamrocks returned for a Minor final. 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.
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.
