Westmeath Senior Football Championship: Mullingar Shamrocks 1-11 Tang 2-9

A disappointing result in Moate on Sunday afternoon as Tang crossed the finishing line with the minimum margin to spare and collected the two valuable championship points on offer. The group of death has now become more deadly for Shamrocks and four successive wins are now almost certainly essential if we are to make the knock-out stages of the championship. It won’t be easy as Garrycastle and Athlone were also first round losers with ourselves- the three clubs that won senior championships regularly once upon a time. Another defeat and an entirely different proposition enters the equation.

Shamrocks dominated the first quarter and kicked the opening three points courtesy of two Denis Corroon free kicks and a fine effort from play by Zach Aherne. Tang cut the deficit with points by Sean Rock and Shane Hanley in the thirteenth and fourteenth minutes. Conor O’Brien and Adam Neary exchanged points as Lorcan Smyth, who was doing a lot of good work in midfield, was forced to retire with an injury. Denis Corroon with another pointed free extended the Shamrocks’ lead and from the restart a great save by Owen Coghlan foiled Denis’s shot for goal. Tang made maximum use of the let-off and added points by Shane Hanley and Aidan Burke brought the sides level at the interval.

Shamrocks pressed on after the interval with scores by Denis Corroon and Dean Moore but on each occasion Tang matched the Shamrocks’ efforts with scores by Aidan Burke and Shane Coughlan. A powerful interception by David Gavin created an opportunity for Paddy Fagan who pointed and this time the Tang response was more significant as an unhindered Jack Keenan finished to the net to secure a lead for Tang that was never subsequently lost. Adam Neary knocked over a free and at this stage Tang retained possession and played with great composure winning all their restarts over the 70 minutes of play. They were patient on the ball, played it around in the middle of the field and waited for an opportunity to pounce. Football is now a bit like a game of chess and Shane Coughlan was the one that made the master move. Tang retained possession and suddenly Coughlan was racing through on goal and shot past Eoin Doran for Tang’s crucial second goal in the thirteenth minute (2-8 to 0-8).

Jordan Warde pointed from play almost immediately, a score that began a Shamrocks revival. A great move involving Ollie MacNamara, David Gavin and Conor O’Brien created an opportunity for Jordan Warde who shot to the net to reduce the gap to two points. Denis Corroon pointed a free but Tang remained composed and a good Eoin Doran save prevented a third goal. Jack Keenan kicked a fine point and another Denis Corroon pointed free reduced the deficit to the minimum but despite our best efforts the equalizer was beyond our reach. The championship points were secured by Tang.

Mullingar Shamrocks: Eoin Doran; Ryan Blundell (Mark Flynn), Efe Siode, David Coyne (Dillon Matthews); Killian Daly, David Gavin, Brendan O’Reilly (Conn O’Hanlon); Denis Corroon (0-7), Lorcan Smyth (John O’Reilly); Zach Aherne, Paddy Fagan (0-1) [Ollie MacNamara), Emmet Walsh; Dean Moore (0-1), Conor O’Brien (0-1), Jordan Warde (1-1).