Minor Football A quarter-final: Mullingar Shamrocks 1-6 Millmore Gaels 0-8

Matches are never easily won in Milltown, and this was no exception as Mullingar Shamrocks secured a deserved victory over a physically stronger Millmore Gaels. This was a victory earned through hard work and great teamwork and focussing on the basics of tackling and ball retention and making the most of the scarce scoring opportunities. However, the performance of the fullback line deserves to be recognised as Adan Glynn, Gary Brannigan and Peter Finch set the standard for their colleagues. Gary Brannigan’s perfectly executed shoulder-to-shoulder tackle on a Millmore Gaels attacker was worthy of a place in any coaching manual. The tackle turned defence into attack and began a move that created a great chance at the opposite end which unfortunately was fluffed. The initial tackle deserved better.

Peter Ballesty from an early free stroked Millmore Gaels ahead and Patrick Kiernan added a second from play; a great save by Ivan Smith foiled Callum Rigney’s goal attempt before John and Matthew Ryan combined to create an opportunity for Riano who kicked a great point from a difficult angle. Ivan Smith again foiled Callum Rigney’s quest for a goal. A Shane Ormsby point engineered from a 45 by Matthew Ryan and Donnacha Maguire brought the sides level. Prompted by Paul Christie, Matthew kicked short to Donnacha whose long and high delivery was fielded and pointed by Shane. Two typical Gavin Pierce points secured the interval lead for Shamrocks (0-4 to 0-2) and another great Ivan Smith save prevented Pierce from adding a goal to his collection.

After a low scoring first half the early minutes after the restart featured something of a mini scoring blitz. A Jack Duncan point narrowed the gap and when Conor Martin gathered from the restart and pointed the sides were level. The Shamrocks response was almost immediate and John Ryan and Shane Ormsby interchanged a series of passes that ended with Shane shooting to the Millmore Gaels net for the crucial score of the game. Millmore Gaels responded with a point from Adam Keegan and after seven minutes of the second half the scoreboard read 1-4 to 0-5 in favour of Shamrocks. This ended the scoring burst and tackling and turnovers became the order of the evening. A Gavin Pierce point following a pin-point Tadhg Sheridan pass provided Shamrocks with an 0-3 lead that wasn’t to survive. Peter Lynn pointed for Millmore Gaels and a second point reduced the Shamrocks lead to the minimum. A Riano point provided Shamrocks with some breathing space, but this was balanced by a Peter Lynn effort that whizzed over the crossbar. Following the restart, referee Damien Maher blew the final whistle and a hard-earned semi-final place against Tubberclair was secured by the minimum margin (1-6 to 0-8).

Mullingar Shamrocks: Eoin Doran; Adam Glynn, Gary Brannigan, Peter Finch; Tadhg Sheridan, William O’Reilly, Nathan Cornally; Shane Ormsby (1-1), Matthew Ryan; Callum Rigney, Riano (0-2) Luke McCabe (Alex Sheerin); Donnacha Maguire (Luke Raeside), John Ryan (Matthew Shaw), Gavin Pierce (0-3). Panellists: Mohammed Mohammed, Hugh O’Sullivan, John Shaw, Matas, Jack Guilfoyle, Matas Puida, Conor Heffernan, Dylan Carey (injured) and Billy Walsh.