A Win and a Loss in Junior Championship

Junior Football I: Mullingar Shamrocks 7-23 Coralstown-Kinnegad 2-9.

This victory against Coralstown-Kinnegad was as welcome as it was unexpected. At the end of the opening quarter, Shamrocks had established a 1-5 to 0-1 lead thanks to a Trevor Keena goal in the opening minutes and points by the O’Reilly brothers, Kenneth (0-2), John (0-1), Brian Farrell (0-1) and Andrew Shaw (0-1). Shamrocks continued to dominate and at the interval the lead was extended to 3-9 to 0-5 with Trevor Keena and Andrew Shaw adding the goals and before the final whistle Trevor completed his hat trick and added two points as well. But this was Brian Farrell’s day as he enjoyed one of those perfect football evenings where every attempt at a score from all distances and angles turned into a white flag. Before the evening was over Brian kicked 0-9 and set a very high standard for himself for future outings. Expectations will be great. Alan Cashman made a welcome return from a long-term injury and Marc Eivers continues to regain fitness from his injury; both were in flying form on Saturday evening.

Mullingar Shamrocks: Seán Óg Hynes; Emmet Walsh, Matthew Siode, Tomass Turks; Niall Hardiman, Eamonn Breslin, Jack Kelly (0-2); Alan Cashman, Marc Eivers (0-2); Andrew Shaw (1-2), Kenneth O’ Reilly (1-5), John O’Reilly (1-1); Brian Farrell (0-9), Gary Corroon (1-0), Trevor Keena (3-2).

Junior Football II: Mullingar Shamrocks 1-9 Killucan 3-12.

Mullingar Shamrocks turned in a good performance in this Junior II Championship match played in Kinnegad on Sunday morning with several players making a return to the football pitch after a considerable absence. The sides were level at 0-5 each at the interval with a couple of good goalscoring chances spurned; in the second half Killucan’s greater fitness proved to be decisive and at the end of the hour the scoreboard read 3-12 to 1-9.

Mullingar Shamrocks: Robbie Boyle; Ritchie Daly, James Shaw, Daniel Chukwuemeka; Niall Hannigan, James Grogan, Edro Siode; Padraig McKenna, Ciarán Looby; Mark Shaw, Daithí Mairtín, Peter Collins; Pearse Madden, Shane Colleary, James Devine. Replacements: Vinney Timoney, Cian Fox.