ACL Div.3: Mullingar Shamrocks 0-19 Garrycastle 1-9

First of all, full-credit to both clubs (especially to Garrycastle for travelling) for playing this match which was of no significance to either club for determining league positions, but then again we exist to play football. The match was played with plenty of intensity and was more valuable than any training session or challenge match on what was a beautiful evening for football. The pity is that the leagues are now almost concluded but if players are to have a proper schedule of games spread over the year this is one of the prices to be paid.

Shamrocks and Garrycastle adopted a serious approach to the task-in-hand and Shamrocks established a 0-7 t0 0-3 interval advantage with points from Gary Corroon (0-2), Darren Keena (0-2), Niall Hannigan, Ross Corroon and Paddy Joyce. It night have been more as a great Gary Corroon effort smashed off the crossbar. Various Corroon combinations added 3 points on the restart (Ross 0-2, Gary 0-1) but with Brian McCormack kicking points for sport Garrycastle reduced the deficit (0-10 to 0-7). Donal O’Donoghue pointed off his left foot, Ross scored two more points but when big James Sheerin volleyed to the net the game was again back in the melting pot (0-13 to 1-7). The response was really pleasing from a Shamrocks perspective as the home side outscored Garrycastle 0-6 to 0-2 over the final ten minutes with six different players contributing to the final tally. Some of these were great long-range efforts: some more followed from fine combination play. Conor Twomey, Paddy Joyce, Kenneth O’Reilly, Ross Corroon, Stephen Hassett and Darren Keena were the ones doing the finishing.

Mullingar Shamrocks: Dj Fedronas (Killian White); David Coyne, Aaron Purcell, Ryan Blundell (Mark Irwin); Cormac Murphy (Stephen Hassett, 0-1), James Grogan, Eamonn Breslin (James Shaw); Donal O’Donoghue (0-1) and Gary Corroon (0-3) [Kenneth O’Reilly, 0-1]; Niall Hannigan (0-1) [Brendan O’Reilly], Ross Corroon (0-6), Paddy Joyce (0-2), Darren Keena (0-3), Pearse Corroon, Conor Twomey (0-1).