Radisson Blu Minor Football League: Mullingar Shamrocks 1-15 St. Mary’s, Rochfortbridge 1-8

Mullingar Shamrocks had a deserved victory over St Mary’s in this minor league match played in Springfield on Tuesday evening, the final game before the Leaving Cert-Junior Cert exam breaks. The sides were level at the end of an evenly contested first-half (0-8 to 1-5) with loose marking gifting St Mary’s the softest of goals. Points from John O’Reilly, Zach Aherne and Adam McCormack secured a single point lead for Shamrocks after fifteen minutes. St Mary’s added a goal and a point to their total before Matthew Maslin (free), Trevor Keena and the Hynes cousins combined for Peter to point and level matters. Trevor Keena added an eight point for Shamrocks before the interval.

Shamrocks outscored St Mary’s 1-7 to 0-3 in the second half with Mathew Maslin scoring some superb points with his well-educated left foot. Shamrocks held a lead of 0-11 to 1-6 after fifteen minutes when Maslin began a scoring run that saw him add 1-4 to the Shamrocks total before the final curtain. His goal was created by   a great piece of fielding  followed by a defence splitting pass by John O’Reilly who excelled on the night.  Shamrocks followed this with a superb piece of combined play that ended with another Maslin point after Andrew Shaw, Zach Aherne and Dillon Matthews moved the ball from the full-back line with the swift and accurate kick passes.

Mullingar Shamrocks: Sean Óg Hynes, Mark Flynn (Andrew Shaw 0-1), Matthew Siode, Emmet Walsh; Cian Fox, Brian Reidy, Jack Kelly; Trevor Keena (0-2) & Adam McCormack (0-1), Peter Hynes (0-1), John O’Reilly (0-2), Zach Aherne (0-1); Brandon Heffernan (Dillon Matthews), Cormac Hynes (Brandon Heffernan), Matthew Maslin (1-7).

 Under-10 Blitz …

Mullingar Shamrocks played host to Ballycomoyle, St Joseph’s-Kilbeggan and Killucan on Monday evening for the Under-10 Go-Games Blitz. Springfield was covered with young and enthusiastic footballers; Mullingar Shamrocks togged out 31 players on the night and judging by some of the pictures of the action had Mickey Harte himself walked in to Springfield he would have met with a scene to gladden his heart as it seems that there was plenty of swarm tackling and defending in depth on display!