Westmeath Junior Football Championship: Mullingar Shamrocks 0-14 St Loman's 1-6

Mullingar Shamrocks were worthy winners of this local junior championship derby played in Lakepoint Park on Thursday night. This is the first time in three years the club has won this particular championship match-up. It didn’t look good at half-time as wind-assisted Shamrocks struggled to a single point lead (0-5 to 0-4). Pearse Corroon pointed two frees, Ross kicked two excellent long-range efforts and Gary’s point before the interval sent Shamrocks into the lead. Goalkeeper Dj Fedronas made a major contribution to this score with a kick-out that travelled further than most hurling puckouts. On his last visit to Lakeland Park the feature of the game was his shot stopping against St Loman’s senior team; tonight, it was his excellent kicking that attracted attention, although he did manage one excellent second half save that had a crucial bearing on the result.

Although playing against the wind the Shamrocks second half performance bore little resemblance to what had gone before. The switch of midfielders Gary Corroon and John Ganly to the full-forward line proved to be a master stroke as Ganly kicked three excellent points and Gary roved the field to great effect. Alan Cashman dominated his half-back line and Nathan Smith’s work rate was also effective. One of Nathan’s rockets drew a great save from the St Loman’s goalkeeper. John Ganly’s opening score of the half was answered by a Gareth Hickey goal that established a single point St Loman’s lead (1-4 to 0-6). A point each from Pearse and Ross Corroon restored the Shamrocks lead before St Loman’s equalised after Dj had beaten away a net-bound effort. This however proved to be Loman’s final score of the evening and points from John Ganly (0-2), Pearse and Ross Corroon (0-1 each), Nathan Smith and Niall Hannigan secured the victory.

Mullingar Shamrocks: Dj Fedronas; Cormac Murphy, Paul Christie, Eamonn Breslin; James Grogan, Alan Cashman, Neil Hannigan (0-1); Gary Corroon (0-1) and John Ganly (0-3); Robbie Ryland (Shane Colleary) (Conor Bracken), Ross Corroon (0-4), Nathan Smyth (0-1); Kenneth O’Reilly (Franklyn Nwokeiwu), Pearse Corroon (0-4), Conor Twomey.