Westmeath Senior Football Championship: Mullingar Shamrocks 0-19 Maryland 1-8

Shamrocks finished convincing winners against 14-man Maryland in a rather tame affair in Tang. While Maryland did open the scoring in the third minute, they had to wait until the 25th minute to get their second point. Seanie Daly levelled the game on six minutes with a well taken free. The dismissal of Calum McCormack after fourteen minutes ended any real chance Maryland had of causing an upset. With Shamrocks dominating all over the field it was not surprising that they led nine points to two by the 25th minute. Shamrocks mixed the good with the bad during this period. But, so dominant were they that defenders Killian Daly and Aaron Purcell were able to add a point each.  However, in a two minute spell before the interval, Kieran Martin scored a good point and Maryland followed this up with a goal, after a poor defensive error, and added a further point. It was now a two point match. In injury time Shamrocks added a brace courtesy of Dylan McDermott and a very good effort from Denis Corroon.   An interesting feature of the first half was the positioning of Kieran Gavin at full forward.  Shamrocks led at half time 0-11 to 1-4.

Shamrocks opened brightly in the second half but wasted two good scoring opportunities. Kieran Martin opened the scoring with a very well taken free against the slight breeze. Paddy Fagan then kicked on and landed three excellent points from play between the fifth and fourteenth minutes. The final quarter of the game saw Shamrocks run out easy winners while adding a further five points to their total. This was a comfortable win on the night but, Shamrocks know that stiffer opposition awaits.  Eddie and his management team will have learnt much from the game.

This group is now developing into a real group of death with Killucan unbeaten and The Downs, Shamrocks and Maryland on four points with Castledaly and Garrycastle on two points each. All teams still have a chance of making the play-offs as the margin for error gets less.

Mullingar Shamrocks: Philly Shaw; David Coyne, Effie Siode, Aaron  Purcell (0-1); Micheál Curley,  Killian Daly (0-1), Tye Adamson; Seanie Daly (0-4) and Daragh Daly; Dylan McDermott (0-2) [Brian Melody], Denis Corroon (0-4), Patrick Fagan (0-4); Donal O’Donoghue (Paddy Joyce 0-1), Kieran Gavin, Ciarán Curley (0-2).