Westmeath Junior Football Championship: Mullingar Shamrocks 3-14 The Downs 1-12

Veteran Colleary provides the inspiration

Mullingar Shamrocks kept their title hopes alive, with an excellent 3-14 to 1-12 victory, over The Downs in the Junior Football Championship play-off, in Springfield on Sunday. It was The Downs who opened the scoring with two early points, but Jordan Warde opened Shamrocks account after seven minutes with a very nice effort. Shamrocks would go on to score five of the next six points, including two “45”s from midfielder Ross Corroon, to give themselves a 0-6 to 0-3 advantage, but The Downs responded excellently, registering a green flag from wing-forward Donal Coughlan just before half time, to give themselves a 1-8 to 0-7 interval lead.

It was a completely different second half from Mullingar Shamrocks, playing with real championship intensity.  It was veteran forward Shane Colleary who opened the scoring after the break, with a well-taken point. Legendary could be one of the many words used to describe Colleary’s second-half performance, with the 2004 Leinster Championship winner scoring 2-2 and setting up another goal. Colleary added another score before putting Shamrocks into the lead with an excellent goal at a crucial period in the game. The Downs responded with a point of their own, but three Ross Corroon points restored Shamrocks advantage. Warde added a further point and got Shamrocks second goal after a wonderful move involving himself and Colleary and at this stage Shamrocks were very much in the driving seat. Jordan’s comeback from injury was confirmed beyond doubt with this fine performance.  A Ross Corroon pointed free was followed up with another goal from Colleary, which turned out to be his sides last score in what was a very good team performance.

Mullingar Shamrocks now advance to a further play-off against Shandonagh (scheduled for next Friday night in Shandonagh, throw-in at 6.30) and if they can replicate that performance the next day, they won’t be too far off advancing to the next round.

 Mullingar Shamrocks: Killian White; Conor McEntee, Eamonn Breslin, Cormac Murphy; Mark Irwin, Alan Cashman, Ryan Blundell; Nathan Gavin, Ross Corroon (0-7); Robert Ryland, John Ganley (0-1), Kenneth O’Reilly; Brian Melody (0-1), Shane Colleary (2-2), Jordan Warde (1-3).

Subs used: Michael Ayiebiowu for Ryland (35), Michael McKnight for Gavin (47), Cian Roe for O’Reilly (58), Matthew Kelly for Colleary (58), Darragh White for Murphy (58).