Junior Football Championship: Mullingar Shamrocks 4-10 Tyrrellspass 1-7.

When the Mullingar Shamrocks team emerged from the dressing room for this match, the injured Gary Corroon remarked ‘I played football with some of those boys in ‘94. Imagine that’. ‘Yeah and I was in fourth class’ Donal O’Donoghue claimed. Yes, it was that kind of night and with injuries, a suspension, promotion to senior ranks and examinations combining to stretch our resources to near breaking point, a number of the veterans of last Sunday’s Lá na gClubanna carnival were encouraged to take the field one more time. As a result Eric Smyth, Micheál Burke, Shane Colleary, Paul Aherne and Ritchie Daly lined out in this championship match v Tyrrellspass. Dermot Curley, played v Tubberclare, and is too young to be included in this group of venerable veterans.  Shamrocks began in sprightly fashion and established a 1-5 to 0-0 lead after seventeen minutes courtesy of three fine pointed frees from Ross Corroon, a point each from Seán Maguire and Brian Melody and a great volleyed goal by Ross Brady. This was a very impressive period of play by Shamrocks during which the ball was moved fast, support play was excellent and scoring opportunities were converted. James Grogan and Pearse Corroon dominated mid-field and Ross Corroon controlled the centre of the defence. Shane Colleary, who was flying at full-forward, then powered through the Tyrrellspass defence to score a second goal before Tyrrellspass opened their point-scoring account. Ross Brady scored his second goal, Brian Melody his second point before another veteran John Corcoran closed the first half scoring with a great pointed free. Half Time: Mullingar Shamrocks 3-6 Tyrrellspass 0-3.  Paul Aherne marked his interval introduction by pointing two frees, Micheál Burke, who gave a top-class display throughout, added another; these were balanced by 0-3 from Tyrrellspass.  Micheál Burke and Alan Kevin pointed before Ross Brady completed his hat-trick of goals to complete a man-of-the-match performance for Shamrocks. In many ways it was the perfect trio of goals; the first came from a brilliant right-footed volley when the ball rebounded from the cross-bar; the second came when Ross burst through the Tyrrellspass defence and blasted a left-footed shot to the roof of the net; the third came when he dived full-length to finish a great Shamrocks move by heading the ball to the net. Younger people might be shocked to hear that if he did this in the past he might have well been banished forever from the GAA. This move began with a smashing Oisín Dolan fair- shoulder tackle that won back possession for Mullingar.

Another performer of note was goal-keeper D. J. Fedronas who was playing his first match for Shamrocks in adult football and the last action of the night featured D. J. and John Corcoran who was Tyrrellspass’ outstanding player. The last play featured a really brilliant penalty save by D. J. from Corcoran’s penalty who shot low and hard to the bottom corner of the net but D. J.’s lightning reactions and a strong hand produced a wonderful save but the rebound broke kindly for Corcoran who goaled. D. J. had a fine game and organised his defence impressively and confidently, handled superbly and kicked well throughout the game. It was easy to see why D. J. is the Westmeath minor football goalkeeper.

Shamrocks:  D. J. Fedronas; Kyle Maguire, Robert Ryan, Mickey McKnight; Brian Melody (0-1) [Paul Aherne 0-2], Ross Corroon (0-3), Neil Hannigan; James Grogan and Pearse Corroon; Eric Smyth (Ritchie Daly), Dermot Curley, Micheál Burke (0-2); Seán Maguire(0-1) [Oisín Dolan], Shane Colleary (1-0) [Alan Kevin 0-1]and Ross Brady (3-0).