On this date, 25 September 1988 ...
On this date in 1988 Mullingar Shamrocks created a bit of history when we sensationally defeated Coralstown-Kinnegad in the Westmeath intermediate football final in a wet and windy Cusack Park and earned the right to field two senior football teams in 1989. This of course was not practical and we continued in the intermediate grade with our second choice team in 1989 and three years later we again qualified for the intermediate final where we were defeated by Tyrrellspass (2-6 to 0-8). After a number of county board refusals Mullingar Shamrocks were finally allowed enter the intermediate championship in 1988 and responded by winning the title at the first attempt after qualifying for the final by beating Maryland (2-10 to 2-5), Ballymore (0-10 to 1-6) and St Paul's (1-9 to 1-5) in the semi-final with a team that had 'a nice blend of youth and experience' as the Westmeath Examiner delicately explained it. The 1988 title winning team was managed by Leo Dowling and was captained by Pearse Corroon in the final; Ned Moore was captain on part of the journey but was promoted to the senior team after Ballymore had been defeated in the quarter-final(Does anybody know if those two lads are still involved in the GAA?). Bunbrosna was a favoured destination for challenge matches for this panel of players and some bonding sessions (before the term was invented!) in Tormey's were instrumental in creating team spirit before football Nirvana was achieved. Coralstown-Kinnegad were hot favourites to collect the title and at the interval led by 0-6 to 0-2 after enjoying the benefit of a significant wind advantage with the Shamrocks points scored by Noel Dempsey from a difficult free and the second in the twenty-third minute when Noel Dempsey sent Fergus Conlon through to score. John Fleming had 0-3 from frees for Coralstown-Kinnegad and Larry Giles, Kevin Leech and Rory Kenny had a point each. The second half featured just three scores but two of them were big three pointers for Shamrocks. John Fleming pointed another free and with eight minutes remaining the Kinnegad side led by 0-7 to 0-2 and looked good for a victory despite having squandered a number of chances. Bob Marren then intervened to earn his place in Mullingar Shamrocks folklore: 'a clearnace by Tommy Kelly in goal came out low, Bob Marren was on hand to first-time the ball to the net for a well taken score' the Westmeath Examiner reported. And there was more. Shamrocks attacked again 'and when the ball went low in the goal area Noel Nugent pounced to get there first and send the ball to the net'. A goal each from two midfielders and an unlikely but spirited victory was snatched from the jaws of defeat as the final seven minutes remained scoreless and at the final whistle the scoreboard read Mullingar Shamrocks 2-2 Coralstown-Kinnegad 0-6. The Mullingar Shamrocks team that included six members of the 1988 minor title winning team was Mick Noone; Dermot Monaghan, Michael Conlon (Joe Moran), Paddy Monaghan; Paddy Boyce (Glen McMahon), Pearse Corroon (Capt), J. P. Crowley; Bob Marren (1-0) and Noel Nugent (1-0); Mick Green, Noel Dempsey (0-1), Derek Farrell; Ivan O'Connor, Fergus Conlon (0-1) [Barry Kelly], John Fagan. Notice 1: The present PRO discovered the result of this match in Seoul of all places from one Patsy Fagan ... both were attending the Olympic Games in the Korean capital. Neither was competing.