ACL Div. 5: Mullingar Shamrocks, 2-12, The Downs, 2-11.

Plenty of scores and excitement in Springfield on Thursday night as Mullingar Shamrocks and The Downs engaged in an ACL Div. 5 play-off match. A win was essential for Shamrocks if the team was to maintain its interest in the competition after last week’s loss to Moate All-All Whites in our first play-off game.

Shamrocks opened with intent established a 1-3 to 0-1 lead after fifteen minutes. Conor Bracken and Niall Hannigan (a great long-range effort) scored early points and Bracken then did his Kieran Donaghy impersonation by fielding high and transferring to Brian Melody who dispatched to The Downs net. Seán O’Brien was also making his presence felt and he too pointed from downtown. The Downs responded with a goal of their own and added two points to outscore Shamrocks 0-3 contribution (Seán O’Brien 0-2, Gary Corroon 0-1) for the remainder of the half.  

Points from Kenneth O’ Reilly, Gary Corroon and Sean O’Brien extended the Shamrocks lead to six points early in the second-half. The Downs responded with 0-4 to single efforts by Sean O’Brien and Gary Corroon before a great Niall Hannigan goal gave Shamrocks a seven points advantage. Robbie Ryland began the move by knocking down a kick-out to Brian Melody who released Kenneth O’Reilly with a great pass who in turn found Hannigan (surely the most improved footballer in Mullingar) steaming through and he smashed the ball to the net (2-11 to 1-7). The last few minutes were frantic as The Downs staged a revival and scored 1-4 to a single Niall Hannigan point. The Downs goal, scored in what Manchester people refer to as Fergie time, reduced the deficit to a minimum and continued their interest in the destination of the ACL Div. 5 title.  During this period three glorious goal chances were spurned which may eventually prove costly.

A vital win or a glorious opportunity missed for Shamrocks? The final match between The Downs and Moate All-Whites will determine whether we qualify for the final or not. There are several possible outcomes but the division has been very positive for Shamrocks and several footballers have improved dramatically over the course of the campaign. Many more have played matches which has kept them involved in the club and the game which is the object of the exercise. Gary Corroon has done a superb job of rounding-up footballers for the campaign and his ability to salesmanship skills were stretched to the limit on occasions.

Mullingar Shamrocks: Killian White; Cormac Murphy, James Grogan, Eamonn Breslin; Stephen Hassett (Ryan Blundell), Brendan O’Reilly, Niall Hannigan (1-2); Gary Corroon (0-3) [Cormac Rowe] and John Ganly; Brian Melody (1-0), Seán O’Brien (0-5), Robbie Ryland; Kenneth O’Reilly (0-1), Pearse Corroon, Conor Bracken (0-1).