ACL Div.5: St Paul’s 1-11 Mullingar Shamrocks 0-13. 

Another one that escaped. A total fade out in the second half when St Paul’s outscored Mullingar Shamrocks 1-7 to 0-3 for no apparent reason. Shamrocks were comfortable 0-10 to 0-4 leaders at the interval with the Corroon uncle and nephews dominating the scoreboard. It changed after the interval and a few tidy pointed frees from Tom Flynn and a smashing goal from Paddy Reilly inspired the St Paul’s comeback. A good save by Liam English, who can fairly boom the restarts, prevented a second goal. Even the introduction of the veteran Shane Colleary wasn’t enough to stop the Pauline conversion. Gary Corroon pointed a free early in the second half. 20 minutes later Andrew Shaw pointed from play and in the final minutes, Luke McCabe pointed another free. That was it and the final score read 1-11 to 0-13 and a win for St Paul’s. 

St Paul’s had more spectators at the match too. Seven dedicated followers of Brownstown hurlers and the St Paul’s footballers made the journey to Springfield and the banter was good with the three Shamrocks supporters especially when St Paul’s scored a very wide point. We didn’t really mind when Jim Rock was seen writing something in his notebook and afterwards it was confirmed that Jim was recording a score. It was that kind of night. Jim can’t be faulted; umpires are becoming an increasingly endangered species, especially in a match without spectators. One of the St. Pauls GFC Clonmellon supporters had a very long memory and enquired  at the final whistle what year did our PRO take part in Know Your Sport. We reluctantly confirmed that it was well into the last century – 1988 in fact! 

Mullingar Shamrocks: Liam English; Eamonn Breslin, Matthew Siode, Aaron Purcell; Tadgh Sheridan, Adam Boyle, Donal Lane; Ross Corroon, Pearse Corroon; , Niall Hannigan, Adam McCormack, (Shane Colleary), Andrew Connaughton (Seán Hynes); Luke McCabe, Gary Corroon, Andrew Shaw.