Registration Day

It’s that time of year again; Saturday next, 18 February 2017 between 10.30 and 1.00pm is Registration Day for Mullingar Shamrocks Under-Age players. The venue is of course the Clubhouse in Springfield.  Shamrocks people will be visiting the school’s during the week to deliver the message  and distribute the leaflets with all the details. The Registration Fee is €30 with family discount operative also.

It is hard to beat word-of-mouth to spread the good news so parents with young people involved in Shamrocks be sure to remind your friends and neighbours about the top-class coaching and great Saturday morning atmosphere in Springfield, the school holiday camps in summer and mid-term, the cardiac screening, the Christmas party, the football blitz competitions (home and away), the all-year round coaching for the older children, the awards ceremony etc. etc. 

The Under-age coaching programme resumes on Saturday morning, 25 February (10.30 -11.45) and continues each Saturday until next October.

Membership Fees

It’s also that time of year when membership fees are due and our registrars Anthony Clinton, Karen Hegarty and Des Maguire are available to receive the relevant fee which according to the rules of the GAA must be paid by 31 March. The relevant fees for 2017 are:

Full Membership: (Over-18 playing with full voting rights at AGM and eligible to hold positions in club), €50.

Social Membership: (Eligible to participate in all club social activities apart from playing and access to walking track), €25.

Family Membership: (2x adult social membership and juvenile registration for children), €100. 
Fitness Centre membership is not included in any of the above. Contact Michael (086-0824267) for membership details or to make an appointment to view the facilities.

ACL Div.1: St Mary’s Rochfortbridge, 2-6 Mullingar Shamrocks 1-9

Mullingar Shamrocks opened their 2017 Division 1 league campaign in Rochfortbridge on Sunday and were slightly fortunate to secure a draw although the manner in which the team responded to the late Rochfortbridge goal with four unanswered points was commendable.

Wind-assisted Rochfortbridge dominated the first-half with Joseph Bradley orchestrating matters from centre-forward but this was not reflected on the scoreboard due in part to poor shooting and in particular to some very good defending by the Shamrocks full-back line of Keith and Eddie Moore and Aaron Purcell. The sides were level at the interval (1-1 to 0-4); the Shamrocks goal was a quality score arising from a quickly-taken free by the excellent Simon Quinn to Tye Adamson. Tye had still much work to do but he skipped through the Rochfortbridge defence to score a brilliant goal. Dylan McDermott also landed a point, again after good work by Tye Adamson, shortly before the interval to level matters.

Points from Ross Corroon and Patrick Fagan after the interval established a Shamrocks lead but a point followed by a Frank Duffy goal restored the Rochfortbridge lead (1-5 to 1-3). A Simon Quinn point reduced the deficit to the minimum and when Joe Bradley and Dylan McDermott exchanged points with eight minutes remaining the game was delicately balanced (1-6 to 1-5). When Eoin Gorman exposed the Shamrocks defence to goal it seemed as if St Mary’s would celebrate their return to Div. 1 with a victory. However, the Shamrocks response was positive, composed and patient and points by Micheál Curley, Darren Keena, a great one from Patrick Fagan and the crucial one from Kenneth O’Reilly secured Shamrocks the draw (2-6 to1-9). 

Note: Mark watchers might be interested to know that the match featured four marks none of which had any impact on the flow of the game. 

Shamrocks: Philly Shaw; Keith Moore, Eddie Moore, Aaron Purcell;  Micheál Curley (0-1), Seanie Daly, Pearse Corroon; Patrick Fagan (0-2) [David Coyne-blood] and Dylan McDermott (0-2); Paddy Joyce (Kenneth O’ Reilly 0-1), Tye Adamson (1-0), Simon Quinn (0-1); Ross Corroon (0-1), Donal O’Donoghue, Darren Keena (0-1).

ACL Div. 3: The Downs, 1-16 Mullingar Shamrocks 0-5

 We began our 2017 season with a short trip to The Downs for the opening game in the ACL Div.3. A heavy defeat resulted; we were never in contention as the home side made full use of their first-half wind advantage and established an interval lead of 1-10 to 0-3. Shamrocks points were scored by Gary Corroon (the first of the new season), Kenneth O’Reilly and Nathan Smith. The Downs continued to dominate after the break and only Ross Corroon and Nathan Smith contributed to the scoreboard. The defeat could have been heavier if it wasn’t for some brilliant saves by Dj Fedronas and Adam Smith. Dj’s final contribution was a stunning save that was worth enduring the ultra-cold to witness. Adam Smith who played the final fifteen minutes also had two superb saves to his credit. The match also witnessed the comeback to active service of David Gavin who was playing his first match for Shamrocks since his first-half injury in the 2014 county final v Garrycastle.

Shamrocks: Dj Fedronas (Adam Smith); Cormac Murphy, Ryan Blundell, Stephen Hassett; Eamonn Breslin (Shane Colleary), Robbie Rylands, Niall Hannigan; Pearse Corroon and Nathan Smith (0-2); David Gavin, Ross Corroon (0-1), Martin Culkin. Conor Moore (Ross Brady), Gary Corroon (0-1), Kenneth O’Reilly (0-1).

Leinster Under-13 League: St Colmcille’s 5-5 Mullingar Shamrocks 4-7.

The temperature read -1°C. in Springfield when the brave and enthusiastic young players of Longford club, St Colmcille’s and Shamrocks took the field in the Leinster Under-13 League on Saturday afternoon. The wind which blew directly towards the Cusack Park end was to play a significant role in the destination of the league points. The physically stronger Longford side maximised the advantage of the elements and established an apparently unassailable interval lead of 5-4 to 1-2.  The idea of never giving-up has been instilled into these young players and their second-half display epitomised the philosophy. A bullet-like John Ryan goal and a great Conor Fagan point after the interval began the revival; a great goal from second-half substitute Shane Ormsby continued the trend but unfortunately the come-back was beaten by the clock and twice by the width of the crossbar; the lone second-half point scored by St Colmcille’s proved to be the match winner.

Shamrocks: Eoin Doran, Nathan McLoughlin, Ben White, Caolainn White, Petie McGuinness, Enda Keating, Dillon Carey, Conor Kelly, Aaron Russell, Jamie Rooney, Adam Boyle, Carson Hanlon, Aaron Smith, Óisín McGarry, Keltin Hanlon, Shane Ormsby, Tadgh Sheridan, John Ryan, Conor Fagan, Ben Egan.

Last Man Standing

Saturday night’s results were kind enough to our Last Man Standing race to the finish. Nobody had chosen Tyrone or Mayo and five people believed that Dublin were bankers to beat Tyrone [we did write last week that it is Dublin v Tyrone and one can never be sure of the result in this modern day intense rivalry (what are the odds on a draw?)]. Another five opted for Kerry to beat Mayo, one expert chose Wicklow but two good football judges knew that Waterford were the bankers in this match … so it proved to be and the Decies now sit on top of Division 4. Westmeath beware!

The big losers on Sunday were the nineteen who believed that Tipperary would be too good for Sligo but the one-point defeat for the home team at Thurles eliminated nineteen runners. The nineteen Westmeath people who still believe in Offaly football had their faith vindicate with the latter’s big win against Tyrone … the first significant performance by Offaly in 2017. The picks that are left for round 3 are Laois 1, Offaly 1, Mayo 5, Louth 3, Kerry 3, Armagh 1, Limerick 2, Tipperary 2 and  Galway 8.

Next Week in Springfield

Monday, 13 February

7.00-8.00: Spinning with Aidan.

7.30-8.30: Walking with Mags.

8.00-9.00: Circuit Training and Kettlebells with Orinta.

Tuesday, 14 February

7.15-8.15: Pilates with Orinta.

Wednesday, 15 February

7.00-8.00: Spinning with Aidan.

Thursday, 16 February

7.30-8.30: Walking with Mags.

8.30-10.00: Bingo.

Friday, 17 February

7.15-8.15: Fitball with Orinta.

Sunday, 19 February

3.00- 4.15 Jivin’ Lessons with Niall.

Fixtures

Minor Football League: Mullingar Shamrocks v Kilbeggan-St Joseph’s in Springfield, Sunday, 19th February at 11.00 am.