Feis Cup Final: Mullingar Shamrocks 2-9 Rosemount 2-6

Mullingar Shamrocks secured the 2017 Feis Cup title with an uncomfortable 0-3-point victory over Rosemount in Cusack Park on Monday morning. Playing against the wind, Mullingar Shamrocks dominated the opening half with Seanie Daly pointing in the second minute. Dean Moore goaled in the sixth minute when he finished a good move that involved Efi Siode a number of times, as well as Patrick Fagan and Ross Corroon. Rosemount opened their account in the tenth minute when Sean Petit pointed a free which was immediately neutralised by a sweet point from Darren Keena who finished a move that involved Patrick Fagan, Dylan McDermott and Seanie Daly. Darragh Healy pointed for Rosemount but a Tye Adamson free and another fine Darren Keena point, after the most patient build-up, completed the scoring for the half (1-4 to 0-2).   

Shamrocks added 1-1 to their total immediately after the restart; Seanie Daly goaled with Daragh Daly and Patrick Fagan doing the spadework and Darren Keena added a point from the resultant kick-out to secure what seemed to be a secure match winning lead for Shamrocks (2-5 to 0-2). However, when all seemed lost Rosemount responded immediately by increasing the intensity and dominated the remainder of the match and outscored Shamrocks by 2-4 to 0-4. Sean Petit kick-started the revival with a pointed free and a sequence between Philly Shaw and Kieran Gavin that included  a short-kick-out, a pick off the ground, a quickly taken Rosemount free ended with a great Philly Shaw save that prevented a further reduction. Rosemount’s Declan Mullen goaled and Petit pointed from a free and Rosmount were buoyant (2-5 to 1-4). Patrick Fagan and Declan Mullen exchanged points; Seanie Daly and Darren Keena added points to provide some security for Shamrocks (2-8 to 1-5) but a point by Darren King and a goal by Ben Cox reignited the Roses. In the final anxious minutes, Simon Quinn (0-1) provided the last contribution to the scoreboard and Shamrocks regained a trophy the club last won in 2015. In the final minutes, a black card for Darren Keena (who probably had his finest game for Shamrocks in a competitive match) gave Billy Flynn an opportunity to make a comeback from an injury that has side-lined one of our most promising players for the past twelve months.   

Mullingar Shamrocks: Philly Shaw; Eddie Moore, Kieran Gavin, Aaron Purcell; Efi Siode, Kilian Daly, Patrick Fagan (0-1) [Brendan O’Reilly]; Donal O’Donoghue (capt) and Darragh Daly; Tye Adamson (0-1) [Davy Coyne], Seanie Daly (1-2), Ross Corroon (Simon Quinn 0-1); Dylan McDermott, Dean Moore (1-0) [Ciarán Curley) and Darren Keena (0-4) [Billy Flynn].