Minor Football (Div. 2) Quarter-final: Mullingar Shamrocks 5-14 Western Gaels 0-10
Mullingar Shamrocks progressed to the semi-final of the 2021 minor championship with a comprehensive victory over Western Gaels. The foundation for this victory was laid down in the opening quarter at the end of which Shamrocks led by 2-3 to 0-1. Conor Fagan scored both goals: the first a penalty converted after Conor himself was fouled as he raced through on goal: the second was a simple tap-in after Luke McCabe did all the hard work soloing along the end line to create the goal scoring opportunity. Conor, Rian Adamson and Shane Ormsby added points.
The Shamrocks scoring rate dropped during the second quarter; Shane Ormsby (0-2), Rian Adamson and Conor Fagan scored points as Western Gaels also added four to their total with some fine scores by Shane Keena to leave the interval score reading 2-7 to 0-5. The sides scored just two points each in the third quarter with John Ryan and Conor Fagan responsible for the Shamrocks points. A superb Shane Ormsby 50-metre pass sent Conor Fagan through on goal but on this occasion the Western Gaels goalkeeper made the save. Two early points on resumption by Luke McCabe and Tom Hickey weakened the Western Gaels resolve and before the final whistle Luke McCabe, John Ryan and Robert Habimaa added goals to guarantee the victory. Robert's goal began with a Conor Fagan mark. Robert is a relative newcomer to the Shamrocks ranks and as a keen basketball player, he may have a great future in Gaelic football. After all, Mick O’Dwyer, the Bomber Liston and Kieran Donaghy all believe that a basketball education is one of the best possible schooling grounds for a Gaelic footballer. And they know more than most about the sport.
Mullingar Shamrocks: Eoin Doran; Enda Keating, Conor Kelly (Robert Habimaa, 1-0), Rory Hickey; Ben White (Tadhg Sheridan), Ben Egan, Cian McGrath (William O’Reilly); Shane Ormsby (0-2), Tom Hickey (0-1); John Ryan (1-2), Rian Adamson (0-3) [Adam Boyle], Ciarán Kiernan (Nathan Cornally, 0-1) ; Luke McCabe (1-1), Daragh Hughes, Conor Fagan (2-4).
