A Reunion to Remember
The evening began with a football game on the Astroturf where John Doran was comfortably the Man of the Match in the game in which all the ageing warriors emerged with their reputations and more importantly their muscles and hamstrings intact.
The gathering then adjourned to The Clubhouse and as the evening progressed the most talented group of footballers in the club’s history assembled for an evening of reminiscence and celebration. Men with pockets of county medals were there including 2020 captain Tom Ormsby, Michael O’Reilly, Pearse Corroon and the great Spike who have eight county senior medals in their collection. Five of the last six club chairmen were there, as well as former managers including Ritchie O’ Donoghue who led Mullingar Shamrocks to six county senior titles. It was great to see two of the great warriors of the 1990s era, John Conlon and Denis Corroon there.
The 1992 captain Michael Conlon looks as if he could still man the edge of the square and enforce law and order as he did 30 or so years ago; well done to Kieran Gavin, the 2012 captain and still good for a few more seasons, supported by Ritchie Daly who made it all possible. The father and son captain combination of Ned (1993-5) and Eddie Moore (2018) were there. Mick Green, a former captain (1986) and chairman was a welcome presence (no, he didn’t sing Cork Robin). Pearse Corroon shares the same distinction as Mick and he didn’t sing either. The great Dermot Ryan who is also a former treasurer, made the trip from Dublin. Some of the lads we hadn’t seen for a while came down to The Clubhouse, including Aonghus Smyth who was by a comfortable margin the winner of the Most Fashionably Dressed Award, although Mark McLoughlin pushed him close.
Memories of great deeds were recalled: Lorcan Smyth’s score of 2-5 in the drawn final (a club record for a final) and there was a mention of his great goal when he beat half the Garrycastle team before crashing the ball to the net in the 2011 final; Ciarán Curley’s magnificent 4-30 in the 2012 campaign was acknowledged, another club record surely? The vital importance of a recovering from injury Micheál Curley coming on to the pitch for the last quarter v Tyrrellspass and his role in helping to salvage what looked like a lost cause was recalled as were the contributions of Dónal and Denis. Comparisons were made with the 1992 championship which involved just four matches with Shamrocks beating reigning champions Athlone in their home ground in the final. Just two goals were scored in the 1992 campaign (both by Mark Kelly in the semi-final); the boys of 2012 knocked in 19 goals and chipped over 101 points in the 10 matches it took to win the title. The scoring included recovering from a 9-point second half deficit in the drawn match.
The 1992 campaign began in Cusack Park in a fiery encounter with The Downs with Bill Sex and Bernard Flynn making their championship debuts for Shamrocks; this was the start of a journey that eventually led to the four-in-a-row title wins. It was the only match played in Cusack Park.
Mugsy supplied the music on what was a speech-free night.
Fógra: Eight of the 2012 county final team lined out for Mullingar Shamrocks in the 2022 senior championship. That’s serious dedication and commitment to the cause.
