Shay Murtagh Precast Senior Football Championship, Section A: Mullingar Shamrocks 0-11 St Loman’s 0-19.

For a team in transition performance is everything as Erik ten Haag is discovering and on this account Mullingar Shamrocks personnel can have no complaints and although an eight point defeat was the ultimate result there was much that was positive in the performance of an understrength team. Denis Corroon gave an exhibition of the skills of Gaelic football and was by a comfortable margin the outstanding player on the pitch; his midfield partner Brian Farrell made his senior debut and acquitted himself well. Ollie MacNamara was a senior footballer in this game and is quickly adjusting to the demands of playing with the big men. Watch this space for future developments. Philly Shaw continues to defy the best that Westmeath forwards can fire at him and had three or four super saves to his credit. And then there was Efe Siode who was simply superb.

Sam McCartan, Ronan O’Toole and Shane Dempsey had early points for St Loman’s as two pointed frees from Denis Corroon kept Shamrocks ticking over. A great Ross Corroon point from play was followed by three-in-a-row from John Heslin before Ollie MacNamara hit a fine ‘mark’ point. A Denis Corroon pointed free reduced the deficit to the minimum before Shamrocks missed a glorious opportunity to take the lead after Efe Siode carried from deep in defence and set up Ross Corroon. Unfortunately, Ross’s effort hit the post and was eventually cleared to safety. St Loman’s responded to the escape with points from Sam McCartan (45) and a John Heslin pointed free. A Denis Corroon outside-of-the boot-pointed free ended the first half with the scoreboard reading 0-8 to 0-6 in favour of St Loman’s.

In the opening quarter of the second half. Shamrocks were outscored 0-5 to 0-2 with points by Peter Foy, John Heslin (0-2), Ronan O’Toole and Shane Dempsey adding to the St Loman’s total. A great Ross Corroon point from long range point added to the Shamrocks total and a Denis Corroon pointed free completed the Shamrocks third quarter total. Unfortunately, Ross Corroon retired injured after scoring his booming point. During this period Philly Shaw saved brilliantly and Fola almost splintered the crossbar.

In the final quarter as Shamrocks chased the game gaps appeared in the defence and St Loman’s added another six points to their total. Shamrocks responded with two points from Denis Corroon, the second a superb effort from play and in our final attack, Lorcan Smyth squeezed a shot over the crossbar to bring the final score to 0-19 to 0-11 in favour of St Loman’s.

Mullingar Shamrocks: Philly Shaw; Ryan Blundell, Efe Siode, Marc Eivers (Micheál Curley); John O’Reilly, Conn O’Hanlon Dillon Matthews; Denis Corroon (0-7), Brian Farrell; Killian Daly, Ross Corroon (0-2) [Paddy Joyce]. Alan Cashman (Lorcan Smyth, 0-1); Oliver MacNamara (0-1), Paddy Fagan, and Jordan Warde (Kenneth O’Reilly).