Our Last Under-12/13 Title (31 years ago!)

1992 Under-12 A County Final: Mullingar Shamrocks 2-6 Castledaly GAA 1-2

The last Under-12 Final (the closest equivalent to our present Under-13) that Mullingar Shamrocks won was back in 1992 when we beat Castledaly by 2-6 o 1-2 in the Under-12 A final played in Castletown Geoghegan on 3 October 1992. It rounded off a great week for the club as on the previous Sunday, we travelled to Athlone and defeated the home team in the Westmeath Senior final by 0-14 to 0-4, and brought the Flanagan Cup back to The Clubhouse for the first time in what was a memorable convoy from Athlone.

The same week Ian McMullen and his staff from Sportsground and Field Services Limited moved into Springfield and began an intense drainage programme on our main pitch. It was one of our best ever investments and Ian McMullen’s work has stood the test of time.

Anyway, back to the Under-12 A final. The win completed the League-Championship double as earlier in the year Garrycastle were defeated 1-14 to 2-5 in the League final thanks to some fine goalkeeping by Niall Breslin, the midfield dominance of Tony Gavin and the forward play of Eoin Kelly, Terry Quinn, Gareth Conway and Billy Tynan.

Mullingar Shamrocks were strong favourites but were pushed all the way by Castledaly. M. J. McLoughlin sent Castledaly into the lead in the third minute ‘when Niall Breslin (Bressie) dropped the ball into his own net following a close range free’ the Westmeath Examiner reported. History does tend to repeat itself we have discovered since. This was the first of many goals M. J. McLoughlin was to score against Shamrocks over the next fifteen or so years. Shamrocks responded with points from Michael Walls and one by team captain Tony Gavin. That was it for first half scoring as Castledaly defended well and held Shamrocks scoreless to the interval (1-0 to 0-2). This did not extend to the first four minutes of the second half as Tony Gavin and Billy Tynan (0-2) notched points to send Shamrocks into an 0-5 to 1-0 lead. M. J. McLoughlin replied with a pointed free in the fifth minute. Billy Tynan was the man on the spot in the eight minute when he slotted home the vital first goal for Shamrocks. Another M.J. McLoughlin point from play kept Castledaly’s hopes alive (1-5 to 1-2). After ten minutes of scoreless play Brian Brady pointed and a minute later scored the second goal that secured the title for Mullingar Shamrocks on a 2-6 to 1-2 scoreline.

Interestingly only Dermot Curley of the team went on to win a senior football championship with Mullingar Shamrocks on the field of play. Bressie was a giant midfield presence in 1999 but when the 2000 championship title was won, he was concentrating on his rugby where he represented Leinster on 14 occasions between 2002-04 and also represented Ireland in the World Cup at Under-21 level; Michael Walls too was lost to professional rugby representing Connacht and Coventry during his professional career.

Castledaly fared a bit better in the senior conversion stakes. When the club won its only senior title in 2008, Niall and Gordon Duffy who played in the full back line in 1992 had graduated to midfield, Niall O’Neill held down the fullback spot and M. J. McLoughlin was still creating havoc from centre forward.

Mullingar Shamrocks: Niall Breslin; Oisín Clinton, Ciarán Kelly, David Smith; Adrian Quinn, Evan Lillis, Dermot Curley; Tony Gavin (0-1), Eoin Kelly; Conor Kenny, Terry Quinn, Gareth Conway (Mark Kane); Billy Tynan (1-2), Michael Walls (0-2), Brian Brady (1-1).

Fógra: It is interesting to note that our Minor opponents at the weekend Tubberclaire, captained by Fergal Wilson, won the Under-12 B title. And, the Junior county title was won by Kilbeggan Shamrocks.

Fógra Specialta: Many of the players were completing the Under-12 hurling and football double as St Oliver Plunkett’s defeated Raharney in the hurling final (2-7 to 1-5) despite the best efforts of Johnny Greville who scored 0-7 and John Shaw who didn’t score. Remarkably, GREG GAVIN made an appearance in this final as a substitute and 31 years later, almost to the day, he turned in a phenomenal performance at full back for St Oliver Plunketts in the Senior B final against Ringtown. Class is permanent etc.