This was an important win for Mullingar Shamrocks on one of those Irish day’s where we apparently get all four seasons in one package.  It began in glorious sunshine, blue skies with a strong wind blowing towards the Dalton Park end. It ended in hailstones and rail and wind that was bitterly cold. Anyway, back to the game which like the weather had plenty of variety that one might expect at this early stage of the season. 

  The teams shared six points in the opening quarter with repeated patterns of play. Karen Hegarty pointed after fine combined play by Sarah Geoghegan and Jodi Aherne, Caoilinn Elliffe replied almost immediately with a like score for St Joseph’s. Karen pointed for a second time, on this occasion  finishing  a move that began deep in defence with Mairéad Newman and was progressed by Chloe Smullen; Sile Kearney  replied with a point at the other end.  Chloe Smullen scored the third point with Karen and Mairéad doing the preparatory work on this occasion. Caoilinn Elliffe responded for St Joseph’s and after 15 minutes the sides were level at 0-3 each. Shamrocks were living dangerously  at this stage as they had failed to take advantage of a significant breeze. 

Two goals proved to be the vital scores of the morning and were ultimately important in deciding the destination of the league points. The first was scored by Holly McCormack who collected a Sara Geoghegan pass at the Clubhouse sideline and soloed through and shot to the St Joseph’s net. Karen Hegarty intercepted the restart and dispatched the ball to the St Joseph’s net for a second time. Caoilinn Elliffe pointed for St Joseph’s a score that was balanced by a Karen Hegarty free after a foul on Mairéad before Sile Kearney evaded some tackles and blasted the ball past  Katie Kelly tp reduce the gap to just two points. Shamrocks responded in style and Jodi Aherne won possession and soloed through to score a fine individual goal, Susanna Buckley, who excelled on her brief return  from her inter-county duties, pointed. Karen Hegarty pointed from long range to complete a move that began as a 45 and Chloe Smullen pointed twice to bring the score in Jim Rock’s notebook to  3-8 to 1-4 in favour of Shamrocks. 

St Joseph’s dominated the second half possession but had difficulty converting this dominance to scores thanks to great defending by Shamrocks and erratic shooting.  Caoilinn Elliffe pointed twice and Elanor Conway once to reduce the deficit (3-8 to 1-7). A great interception by Alessia Hassett was transferred to Chloe Smullen who engaged with one of her trademark solo runs which split the St Joseph’s defence before Chloe transferred to Karen Hegarty who slammed to the net for Mullingar Shamrocks only score of the half. Karen is flying since her inter-county retirement and speaking of inter-county matters  Mairéad Newman has been playing superbly since her exclusion from the inter-county scene, an indication, no doubt, of the strength in depth and quality of the players in Westmeath. Mullingar Shamrocks had one more  goal scoring chance but Chloe Smullen was deprived of an early candidate for goal of the year when St Joseph’s goalkeeper Emer Killian brilliantly saved Chloe’s spectacular mid-air volley. St Joseph’s scored 1-3 before the final whistle, the goal coming close to the end, as Shamrocks defended bravely and survived to win on a 4-8 to 2-10 scoreline. In the final minutes Shamrocks lost Megan Fagan to injury which we hope is not serious and we wish Megan a speedy recovery. 

Mullingar Shamrocks: Katie Kelly, Rosie O’Grady, Melek Fagan (Ella Briody), Eve Hynes; Sinead Sweeney, Chloe Swarbrigg, Susanna Buckley (0-1); Mairéad Newman, Jenna Kelly; Jodi Aherne (1-0) [Seoidin Thornton), Karen Hegarty (2-4), Aideen Langtry (Zara Corroon);  Chloe Smullen (0-3), Sarah Geoghegan (Alessia Hassett), Holly McCormack (1-0).