Minor Football Championship: Mullingar Shamrocks 0-7 St Loman’s 0-9.

St Loman’s emerged as deserving winners in this Minor championship match played in Lakepoint Park. Local boasting rights were at stake as both teams were safely through to the knock-out stages of the championship. The all-running, free scoring Mullingar Shamrocks play we witnessed against Tubberclaire was notably absent on this occasion as Shamrocks played much of the game on the back-foot and if we saw great attacking play on our last outing on this occasion excellent defending was required to keep St Loman’s forwards and attackers at bay.

Óisin O’Hara, Ross Killalea and Mark Tunney (free) pointed in the opening ten minutes when the game was halted as St Loman’s player Seán Daly accidentally suffered a serious knee injury. We wish Seán a speedy recovery. After a 25-minute break play resumed and two good saves by St Loman’s goalkeeper Callum Dolan prevented a Shamrocks goal. Owen Doran did well too and a timely advance prevented a St Loman’s goal. This save began a move that ended with Gavin Pierce scoring Shamrock’s opening point after 15 minutes. Nathan Sleator pointed for Loman’s before Gavin Pierce added a second point for Shamrocks after a big run by William O’Reilly. Callum Rigney closed the gap to the minimum but points by Mark Tunney (free) and Callum Rigney extended St Loman’s lead to three points at the break (0-6 to )-3).

Another Tunney free extended the lead (0-7 to 0-3) after play resumed but a great spell by Shamrocks brough the sides level after 15 minutes with points by Gavin Pierce (0-2), [0-1] and Matthew Ryan. A great finger-tip save by Eoin Doran kept the game alive as the vital touch was enough to deflect a blistering shot on to the crossbar and the rebound was safely collected and cleared. Unfortunately, that was the end of the Shamrocks scoring for the evening and a pointed free by Daniel McCann and a fine point from play by Seanaí Bracken secured the boasting rights for St Loman’s.

Mullingar Shamrocks now play Millmore Gaels (away) in the quarter-final on Monday 12 September with the winners playing Tubberclair in the semi-final on Saturday 24 September. St Loman’s qualified directly for the semi-final and await the winners of Moate All Whites and Athlone.

Mullingar Shamrocks: Eoin Doran; Adam Glynn, Gary Brannigan, Peter Finch; Tadhg Sheridan, William O’Reilly, Nathan Cornally; Shane Ormsby, Matthew Ryan (0-1); Callum Rigney (0-1), [John Ryan}, [0-1], Luke Raeside; Donnacha Maguire (Matthew Shaw), Luke McCabe (Alex Sheerin), Gavin Pierce (0-4).

Panellists: Mohammed Mohammed, Hugh O’Sullivan, John Shaw, Matas, Jack Guilfoyle and Billy Walsh.