The small crowd in Ballinagore on Wednesday evening were treated to a fantastic exhibition of all that’s good about Gaelic football when Lilliput Gaels faced Mullingar Shamrocks in round two of the under 14 football championship. In the end the visitors prevailed but in truth no one would have complained had the sides finished all square. There were some terrific duels all over the field with Colm Clinton and Darren Corcoran vying for midfield supremacy, Theo Kelly battling with Jack Favier, Oliver Keane engaging in a tremendous contest with Daniel Masterson, Donnacha Mangan competing ferociously with Manus Kelly and Billy Whelan doing his utmost to get the better of his duels with a number of Shamrocks’ attackers. 

The teams traded scores throughout the first half and Tom McCaul’s heroics between the posts ensured that the home side only led by Darren Corcoran’s first half goal. The efforts of Conor Glynn, Cian Traynor, Killian Hand, Fionn Ledwith, MJ Burke, Carl Keane and Darragh Daly were noteworthy and Marius Budividavicius early goal in the second moiety ensured parity but a draw seemed likely until Colm Clinton’s bullet like shot in the 55th minute gave the green and whites breathing space. 

Lilliput continued to exert scoreboard pressure and Shamrocks’ substitutes Sam Phillips and Eddie Leavy made significant contributions on the scoreboard before Mick Gordon’s final whistle signalled a narrow Mullingar Shamrocks win on an evening where every player played his part in a captivating contest. 

The Mullingar Shamrocks’ squad was: Tom McCaul, Cian Traynor, Carl Keane, MJ Burke, Conor Glynn, Shay Leavy, Manus Kelly, Colm Clinton, Killian Hand, Conan Kelly, Harry McLoughlin, Sam Phillips, Theo Kelly, Ruairi Thornton, Eddie Leavy, Fionn Ledwith, Marius Budividavicius, Dylan Hanly, Conor Matthews, Darragh Daly, Majus Virketis, Kian Newcombe, Cian McNamee, Oliver Keane, Evan Nohilly,