Saturday Night at the Movies: The beginning of the Golden Age of Mullingar Shamrocks Football and the next generation ...

The main show again courtesy of Ollie Gallagher goes back to when the Golden Age of Mullingar Shamrocks football began with the 1986 and 1987 county final victories against The Downs and Moate All-Whites. In 1986, The Downs were defeated (1-11 to 2-5) in the final by a Shamrocks team that lined out as follows: Stephen Fagan; Richard McKenna, Gerry Nohilly, Paddy Dunne; Patsy Fagan, Kevin Daly, Peter Smith; Tom Ormsby (0-1) and Peter Faulkner; Michael Fagan (1-2), Mark Kelly (0-5), Denis Corroon; Sean Hynes (0-2), Michael O’Reilly and John Corroon (0-1).

In 1987 Shamrocks retained the senior county title for the first time in the club’s history. St Malachy’s were beaten by 2-12 to 1-5 in the first round and just 0-7 points were conceded in the next three matches as Tyrrellspass (2-10 to 0-4), Athlone (0-9 to 0-1) and Moate (0-6 to 0-2) were comfortably defeated to bring the Flanagan Cup back to Springfield. Shamrocks lined out in the final as follows: Tom Hunt; Richard McKenna, Gerry Nohilly, Paddy Dunne; Peter Smith (0-1), Kevin Daly, Michael Fagan (0-1); Tom Ormsby (0-1) and Peter Faulkner (Patsy Fagan); Michael O’Reilly (0-1), Mark Kelly, Denis Corroon; Sean Hynes (0-1), Jim O’Shea and John Corroon (0-1).

These matches can be found at https://youtu.be/eju26QH8eUg

Today's opening act at https://youtu.be/jHWV3ODGcq4 features the 1992 Under-16 Football Final in which Mullingar Shamrocks captained by Mark Treanor defeated St Loman's 2-9 to 1-8 scoreline with Eric Smyth turning in a man of the match performance in what was a superb game of football played on 12 December 1992. In the pre-match interview Michael McHugh was optimistic about the future of Westmeath football. The subsequent decade justified the optimism and some of those involved in the great days of Westmeath football featured in this game. Many Mullingar Shamrocks senior stars of the future were on display also in this game as the players added the Under-16 medal to their Under-14 and Under-12 medals won in previous years as they reversed a 0-14 to 1-6 League final defeat to St Loman's a few weeks earlier.

Mullingar Shamrocks: David Maxwell; Eddie Whelehan, Aidan Lyons, Noel Gavin; Paddy Rouse, Michael Egan, Colin Purcell; Eric Smyth (0-3), Shane Colleary (1-0); Ciarán Garry (1-0), Brian Morley (0-1), Aidan Lyons; Niall Murtagh, Mark Treanor (0-3) and David Walls (0-2). Panellists: Willie Cornally, Ken Daly, Donough McTiernan, Conor Cosgrove, Colin Rock and Tyrone Brunton.

And we have a special showing tomorrow night of one of the most CONTROVERSIAL matches in Mullingar Shamrocks history.

Fógra: Noel Gavin was the youngest player on the field.

Fógra Éile: Ciarán Garry was the leading scorer in the championship and scored 9-15 in 6 matches. Tye Adamson please note.

Fógra Specialta: The Mullingar Shamrocks Notes in the week before the final began by congratulating Pearse Corroon and Maeve Dolan on their recent engagement. Where did they go?