MJS Building Services Minor Football Championship: Mullingar Shamrocks 1-14 St Loman’s 2-7
Wind-assisted St Loman’s began this Minor Championship semi-final impressively and in the opening five minutes raced into an 0-3 to 0-0 lead thanks to the boot of full-forward Eoin Meehan who scored three fine points – two from free kicks (one from the ground, one from the hands) and one from play. The foundation for Shamrocks’ victory was established during the remaining 25 minutes of the half as we came to terms with St Loman’s intensity and attacking power. St Loman’s were held scoreless for the remainder of the half and after 16 minutes Ryan Kelly, from a well struck free, registered Shamrocks first score. Two minutes later, Conor Heffernan added a second point, the product of a great move that began deep in Shamrocks full backline. Ryan Kelly pointed his second free in the twenty-fifth minute and a Gavin Pierce point that again completed a move that began deep in defence was enough to give Shamrocks an 0-4 to 0-3 interval lead that looked unlikely in the opening minutes. This despite kicking 6 wides and conceding 10 turnovers to our neighbours.
The pattern of the opening five minutes was repeated following the restart but on this occasion Shamrocks kicked the points; the first directly from the restart finished by Ryan Kelly, the second by Conor Heffernan and the third again by Ryan Kelly. In between, Adam Buckley made the first of a number of vital saves that delivered the victory but Adam did make a significant contribution to the next score which was Óisin O’Hara’s opening goal for St Loman’s that reduced the gap to the minimum (0-7 to 1-3). The setback was temporary as Shamrocks responded by outscoring St Loman’s 1-5 to 0-1 over the next fifteen minutes. Gavin Pierce (0-3), Ryan Kelly, Conor Heffernan were responsible for the points before the scoring spree was completed by Alex Sheerin’s goal. An Eoin Meehan pointed free was the best that St Loman’s could offer during this phase of the play. However, the neighbours were far from finished and points by Sean Plunkett, John Casey and Sean Hayes provided a lifeline; a real George Hamilton ‘Danger Here’ moment followed that was averted by a superb Adam Buckley save that foiled Aaron Smyth. Mullingar Shamrocks attacked from the let-off, an attack that ended with the award of a penalty. Alex Sheerin’s kick was well saved by Callum Butler but Shamrocks responded with points from Gavin Pierce (a collector’s item from the right boot) and the impressive Killian Mooney to secure a seven point lead. An injury time goal from Eoin Meehan proved to be too little too late and Mullingar Shamrocks secured the county final place on a 1-14 to 2-7 scoreline despite kicking 8 second half wides.
And so the two best Minor football teams in the county over the past three years have navigated the path to the 2024 county final. Tubberclair gained the semi-final victory in 2022 by the minimum margin; Mullingar Shamrocks triumphed in 2023 after a replay so the final showdown beckons for TEG Cusack Park in three weeks’ time.
Mullingar Shamrocks: Adam Buckley; Ben Sheerin, Adam Glynn, Peter Finch (Killian Mooney, 0-1); James Flynn, Tye Masterson, Ben McNamee (Andrew Gavigan); Criostóir Ormsby, Donnacha Maguire (Padraig Casey); Paul Keating (Matthew Shaw), Conor Heffernan (0-3) [Ronan Byrne], Callum Rigney Clyne; Gavin Pierce (0-5), Ryan Kelly (0-5), Alex Sheerin (1-0).
