County Senior Football Championship, Section B: Mullingar Shamrocks 4-6 Rosemount 0-4.
Like Mark Twain’s death, rumours of Mullingar Shamrocks demise have been greatly exaggerated judging by the result of this senior championship match in Moate on Sunday evening as Shamrocks defeated Rosemount on a 4-6 to 0-4 scoreline. Early days but this was a great morale boosting victory after a pointless league campaign.
Fielding just six of the team that started the 2018 county final there was much to admire about this victory, particularly the performances of those who were making their championship debut. The experienced players weren’t bad either. The debutants and the experienced came together in the fullback line and this was where the victory foundation was laid down. Dillon Matthews making his first senior championship start was a revelation at corner back whilst Eddie Moore in the other corner turned in a typical wholehearted performance defending and attacking in typical Eddie fashion. In the centre, Kieran Gavin was magisterial in his reading of the game, his handling, and his distribution. Kieran also found time to attack and played a key part in our first goal. Zach Aherne, Jack Gillen and Ryan Blundell also made their senior championship debut, Seanie Daly experienced senior championship action for the first time since 2017 and Ciarán Curley also made a welcome return to senior championship action. And it was great to see Jordan Warde back in action after a knee injury received early in the season. Billy Flynn too has been plagued with injuries over the past few years but was flying on Sunday evening transitioning from defence to attack as the occasion demanded. The hard running of Patrick Fagan also posed problems for Rosemount.
Rosemount’s Seán Pettit was the first to score from a mark but points by Ross Corroon and Daragh Daly established a Shamrocks lead that was never subsequently lost. Shamrocks opening goal was scored in the thirteenth minute with Dillon Matthews began the move that led to our first goal winning good possession in the full back line before passing to Kieran Gavin who was fouled as he advanced into midfield. Kieran’s quickly taken free was won by Ciarán Curley under pressure who delivered to Denis Corroon. Denis soloed through the Rosemount defence and delivered the final pass to Lorcan Smyth who palmed the ball to the net for the score that sent Shamrocks into the first water break leading by 1-2 to 0-1. Shamrocks failed to score during the second quarter that saw Billy Flynn spend some time in the sin bin for a black card offence. Pettit and Ben Cox pointed frees as Shamrocks ended the half leading by 1-2 to 0-3.
Shamrocks controlled the second half starting with a superb left footed point from Lorcan Smyth in the opening seconds and two minutes later Ross Corroon pointed his second free. Andy McCormack kicked Rosemount’s only point from play after eight minutes which proved to be their last score of the evening. Ross Corroon pointed again and within a minute a long delivery from Ross was collected by Ciarán Curley who showed great composure and all his experience as he slotted the ball past Eoin Carberry to establish a 2-5 to 0-4 lead for Mullingar Shamrocks at the end of the third quarter.
Ross Corroon added another pointed free to his collection after a foul on Billy Flynn at the start of the final quarter. A foul on Seanie Daly as he raced through on goal earned Plunkett Maxwell a black card and Mullingar Shamrocks a penalty which was blasted to the net by Ross. There was one more highlight as Shamrocks’ substitute Zach Aherne marked his senior championship debut by scoring the most spectacular goal of the evening. Billy Flynn cut through the Rosemount defence before passing to Aherne who blasted an unstoppable shot past Eoin Carberry to bring the final score to 4-6 to 0-4 in favour of Mullingar Shamrocks.
Mullingar Shamrocks: Philly Shaw; Dillon Matthews, Kieran Gavin, Eddie Moore (Ryan Blundell); Brendan O’Reilly, Pearse Corroon, Efe Siode; Daragh Daly (0-1) [Jack Gillen] and Patrick Fagan; Seanie Daly (Zach Aherne, 1-0), Denis Corroon, Billy Flynn; Lorcan Smyth (1-1) [Dean Moore], Ciarán Curley (1-0) [Jordan Warde], Ross Corroon (1-4).
