ACL Div.5: Castledaly 2-11 Mullingar Shamrocks 0-9

It was back to Castledaly on Tuesday evening for Mullingar Shamrocks last ACL Div. 5 game of the season. With one team in with a chance of making the final and the  other relatively safe from relegation (whatever that means!) there was only one probable outcome and so it transpired.

Castledaly had the ball in the net in the first few seconds. Win possession in midfield, deliver the ball in fast to a high fielder on the edge of the square and let him go for goal. That’s how it worked; football’s a simple game really.  Aaraon Sheerin was the one doing the fielding and he duly buried the ball past Liam English. Shamrocks replied from the restart with a point from Neill Hannigan and a second effort from Gary Corroon reduced the deficit to the minimum. Cathal Dolan and Neill Hannigan exchanged points as a close game threatened to break out.  

However, that was it for the Shamrocks first half scoring and when Niall Warde blew the half-time whistle the scoreboard read 2-7 to 0-3 in favour of Castledaly. Cathal Dolan scored the second goal. 

Sheerin and Dolan began with a point each in the second half; Conor Fagan pointed for Shamrocks making the score 2-9 to 0-4. At this stage, Shamrocks found a bit of form and outscored Castledaly 0-5 to 0-2 over the final quarter. Ross Corroon, Gary, Dylan Franzoni and Luke McCabe pointed with Luke also scoring the last point. This is worthy of mention as it was created by a wonderful piece of off the ball running by Dylan Franzoni who burst into life in the final quarter.  

Mullingar Shamrocks: Liam English; Eamonn Breslin, Conor Fitzpatrick, Matthew Siode; Tadgh Sheridan, Dónal Lane, Dylan Franzoni (0-1); Pearse Corroon, Niall Hannigan (0-2);  Andrew Connaughton (Shane Colleary), Gary Corroon (0-2), Ben Egan (Seán Hynes); Conor Fagan (0-1), Ross Corroon (0-1), Andrew Shaw (Luke McCabe, 0- 2).