Senior Football Championship Quarter Final: Mullingar Shamrocks 1-7 Athlone 1-7.
‘Awful Stuff’ the man beside me announced into his mobile phone at half-time as he informed the outside world about latest football developments; the awfulness might have increased in the second-half but in championship football quality isn’t the priority. Victory is the objective and failing that survival is paramount. We survived on Saturday and have a second chance of victory on Wednesday night at Tubberclare in what will be a first for Mullingar Shamrocks when we make our senior championship debut under lights.
Scores were absent during the early stages and almost ten minutes had elapsed before the umpires were bothered to raise a flag; the first was a fine Seanie Daly free into the wind at the Dunnes’ Store end. Two minutes later John Connellan equalised, also from a free kick. Nine minutes later Ciarán Curley added a point to finish a move that was initiated by a poor kick-out from the Athlone goalkeeper. Tye Adamson with a fine strike into the wind added a third point; Kieran Gavin had a big part in this score after winning possession when the odds were heavily stacked in favour of the Athlone player; Ciarán Curley and Donal O’Donoghue also played a part in releasing Tye to score. Denis Corroon used his power to hold possession from a Micheál Curley pass to add to Shamrocks first-half account, a score that was neutralised by Alan Gaughan. Daniel Reid added an Athlone point from play and only the combined efforts of Eddie Moore and Philly Shaw prevented John Connellan from goaling. Denis Corroon from a free had the final score and with a lead of 0-5 to 0-3, the situation from a Shamrocks perspective was good.
Shamrocks position improved dramatically at the start of the second-half when a side-line kick from Denis Corroon was punched to the net by Kieran Gavin, the one that won the possession and began the move that produced the side-line kick. ‘Gav is the one with the football nous’ another man explained; this football nous was seen to good effect a few minutes later at the other end of the field when a superb piece of Gavin fielding dealt comfortably with a potentially dangerous high-ball dropping from the heavens. John Connellan struck a fine point on the run but Seanie Daly responded for Shamrocks after Patrick Fagan, who was unlucky throughout with his scoring attempts, did the spadework (1-6 to 0-4). Alan Gaughan pointed, John Connellan pointed a free and then with the Mullingar defence missing in action, John Stapleton ran through the middle to score an unchallenged goal and level the match (1-6 to 1-6). The introduction of Daragh Daly to full-forward five minutes from the end paid immediate dividends. Sometimes the simple way is best and a high ball into the square resulted in a foul on Daragh and Denis Corroon pointed Shamrocks ahead one last time. The next high ball also rang the alarm bells and was just scrambled clear.
A free against Patrick Fagan for over-carrying initiated a series of events that included a free awarded against a Mullingar defender, the ball moved closer to goal after dissent and a red card for Paddy Joyce. John Connellan pointed the resultant free to level the match. The move that led to this point was particularly disappointing from a Shamrocks point of view as Athlone were allowed move the ball from deep in their own defence unchallenged until Eddie Moore got across the pitch to make a challenge and Paddy Joyce the interception. Athlone won possession from the kick-out but Eddie Moore once again made the dispossessing tackle and began a final attack which ended when Seanie Daly’s final attempt drifted wide.
Mullingar Shamrocks: Phillip Shaw; David Coyne, Aaron Purcell, Eddie Moore; Brian Melody (Effie Siode), Micheál Curley (Keith Moore-temporary blood substitute), Killian Daly; Seanie Daly (0-2) and Kieran Gavin (1-0); Tye Adamson (0-1), Paddy Fagan, Paddy Joyce; Denis Corroon (0-3), Donal O'Donoghue (Ross Corroon), Ciarán Curley (0-1) [Daragh Daly].
