Under-Age Coaching
The buzz and excitement that was so obvious last year at our Saturday morning coaching sessions was alive and well and survived the winter break when our programme resumed on Saturday last. Over 100 boys and girls braved the conditions on the morning and fortunately the really bad weather held-off until the initial session concluded. These sessions continue each Saturday morning from 10.30-11.45 and newcomers are welcome and can register at any time during the year.
Leinster Under-13 League
Our Under-13 footballers travelled to Bective in County Meath on Saturday and defeated Bective-Canninstown by a substantial margin in the Leinster League.
Championship Draw
We were drawn against St Loman’s in our opening match of the 2017 Senior Championship which makes for an interesting start. A real lay-down-a-marker-challenge for the championship for both clubs which will take place in five months’ time. We then play Killucan, Tyrrellspass, Garrycastle and Athlone in that order. In the junior championship, we start our campaign against Coralstown-Kinnegad and then play St Loman’s, Killucan and Shandonagh.
Speedy Recovery
Last week we welcomed Pauric McKenna back to action after being side-lined for nearly eighteen months with an illness. Unfortunately, we now have to wish Pauric a speedy recovery as an injury received in the match against Kilbeggan-St, Joseph’s has ruled Pauric out for another 6-8 weeks.
Annual Congress
Mullingar Shamrocks had two motions on the programme at the GAA Annual Congress staged in Croke Park at the weekend. The first which allowed eighteen-year-olds to play in the inter-county under-21 hurling and under-20 football championships from 2018 when the new under-17 minor championships are introduced was passed by a substantial margin. Had this motion failed eighteen year olds would have been excluded from inter-county competition. The second motion proposed limiting the suspension of a child sent-off in under-12 competition to the remainder of the match was shredded in the Congress debate and was withdrawn before it was slaughtered in the vote.
Congratulations
Congratulations to Ciarán Luby who was successful in obtaining one of the Westmeath GAA’s Gaeltacht Scholarships. Ciarán who was a member of our under-14 team last year has been playing football for Shamrocks for the past decade and was one of the select few to obtain a scholarship from the 90 applicants.
Fixtures
ACFL Div.1: Mullingar Shamrocks v Garrycastle, 4 March 2017, Springfield, 3.30.
ACFL Div.5: Mullingar Shamrocks v St Loman’s, 4 March 2017, Lakepoint Park, 8.00.
ACFL Div.3: Mullingar Shamrocks v Kilbeggan Shamrocks, 5 March 2017, Kilbeggan, 11.30.
This week in Springfield
Activities continue as usual this week in the Clubhouse: Monday night is spinning (7.00), Tuesday is Pilates night (7.15), Wednesday more spinning (7.00), Bingo is on Thursday night (8.30) and Friday night it is Fitball (7.15). Walking with Mags is on Monday and Thursday at 7.00 and Sunday afternoon it’s Jivin time (3.00).
