Junior Football Championship: Mullingar Shamrocks 1-11 The Downs 0-10

First of all, well done to the team management of Gary Corroon, Barry Maguire and Robbie Boyle on their ability to round-up the troops for this match; it was great to see a panel of thirty-three players togged and ready for action in The Downs on Thursday night. This was a very important result with only one team to qualify for the play-off stages of the championship and Mullingar Shamrocks were fully deserving of this hard-earned victory in a match that produced plenty of good football.

The Downs made the early running and Donie Coughlan pointed two frees to give the home-side an early lead and at this stage it could have been more as their forwards were guilty of some bad shooting. Gradually Mullingar Shamrocks began to make an impression and Ciarán Curley kicked a fine opening point and then added a second when he finished a fine move involving John Ganly, Billy Flynn and Conor Moore. Billy Flynn pointed from a move that began with a Neil Hannigan ‘mark’ and Conor Moore added a fourth point in the seventeenth minute after a bootless Billy Flynn provided the final pass. Great tackling by Nathan Smith produced the turnover that created the opportunity for this fine score.  Billy Flynn added a fifth point for Shamrocks in what was the score of the year for the club with the tenacious Kenneth O’Reilly forcing a line ball close to the end-line. A quickly taken kick to goalkeeper Dj Fedronas began a move that ended 23 passes later with Billy Flynn pointing without a Downs player touching the ball as it was moved down the field (0-5 to 0-2). John Smyth pointed for The Downs before a quickly taken free for a foul on Kenneth O’Reilly saw Ciaran Curley and Billy Flynn combine to create a goal scoring chance which John Ganly slotted home, in what proved to be the crucial score of the game. Ross Corroon struck a nice point from a free before Ciaran Curley closed the first-half scoring with a superb point from the sideline to secure a five-point interval lead for Shamrocks (1-7 to 0-5).  

An early Shamrocks second-half attack ended with a Billy Flynn shot that hit the post and The Downs took full advantage of the escape by hitting three points to reduce the deficit before Kenneth O’Reilly responded with a point for Shamrocks. Ross Corroon also pointed after another fine bout of combined play and at this stage it was roll-up-your-sleeves time for Shamrocks as the younger and fitter The Downs dominated play but great defending by Paul Christie, Conor Twomey and Eamonn Breslin ensured that the Shamrocks goal remained intact. Dj Fedronas was a reassuring presence between the posts. Donie Coughlan was a danger-man and kicked 0-2 for The Downs (1-9 to 0-10) but some bad wides followed. Mark Irwin replaced James Grogan, Shamrocks now had stars of stage and screen on the pitch, and when a Ross Corroon ‘45’ rebounded from the post, Conor Moore was the quickest to react and gathered and pointed. A short kick-out from Dj to Eamonn Breslin enabled the Donegal man to surge forward and provide a scoring opportunity which Billy Flynn converted for the last score of the evening to guarantee a Shamrocks victory.

For most of the Mullingar Shamrocks players the victory was a new experience as it was the first time they returned from The Downs after a victory over the home side. It was comeback time for three of our starting forwards. Billy Flynn and Ciarán Curley were the stars of the attack scoring 0-3 each. It was Billy’s first hour’s football in over twelve months as he continues to recover from his serious shoulder injury; Ciarán Curley too had his first football match in almost a year and showed that he has lost none of his score making or taking ability. Conor Moore too was sharp in attack in what was also his first outing in some time.  We also welcome back Jordan Warde, another long-term injury victim, Paul Hickey, and Ryan Blundell after a summer in New York City.

Mullingar Shamrocks: Dj Fedronas; Eamonn Breslin, Paul Christie, Cormac Murphy (Ryan Blundell); James Grogan (Mark Irwin), Alan Cashman, Neil Hannigan; Conor Twomey and Ross Corroon (0-2); Billy Flynn (0-3), John Ganly (1-0), Nathan Smyth (Robbie Ryland); Ciarán Curley (0-3), Conor Moore (0-2) [Paul Hickey] and Kenneth O’Reilly (0-1) [Jordan Warde].