Lots of smiles in Springfield tonight (Thursday) as Mullingar Shamrocks Senior LGF team performed superbly and collected the valuable championship points against Killucan that secured a place in the knock-out stages of the Village Barn Senior Football championship in what was a fine advertisement for the LGF game. It was another great team performance by Shamrocks with some great episodes of combined play that helped secure a score of 7-14. We don’t know when our Senior team knocked up such an impressive total in the past with seven players getting their names on the scoresheet. It was also the third successive win for the team and we have to go back to the Covid-era of 2020 and the Intermediate championship days to find a similar sequence of victories.
This is a very dedicated panel of players who have battled against the odds over the years. Jenna Kelly provided the ultimate example of this dedication when she arrived in Springfield after 13 hours of flying ready to take up her normal mid-field position. Jenna’s day began in New York with a flight to Atlanta, Georgia. This was followed by a flight across the Atlantic to Dublin and home to Mullingar for an hour or two of sleep before Jenna donned the Number 8 jersey and turned in her normal hard-working mid-field display before retiring a few minutes from the end. In the history of Shamrocks no player has travelled as far for a game and it should be noted that Jenna returned especially for the match.
Shamrocks attacked from the start and split the Killucan defence and created a goal scoring opportunity for Mairéad Newman but unfortunately for Mairéad the goalpost intervened to prevent the score. The opportunity began with an extraordinary piece of skill from Anna Jones when she picked the ball from the ground at full pace. It was a text book example of how to execute the skill. Killucan availed of the let off but their initial attack ended with Maria Kelly shooting wide. The Shamrock restart by Holly McCormack was good, Susanna Buckley won possession and released Chloe Smullen. Chloe linked with Karen Hegarty who found the back of the net for the opening goal. This pattern of working scores from the restarts was repeated on several occasions during the game. Méadbh Monaghan who was ever-dangerous for Killucan pointed the first of her four first half frees a score that was balanced by a similar score from Anna Jones. The free ended a movement that began with a brilliant piece of play by Annemarie O’Reilly to win possession deep in defence (Why has this player never played for the Westmeath LGF Senior team?). Honor MacNamara gained possession from the Killucan restart and split the posts. Méadbh Monaghan added a second Killucan point and again after a series of plays from the restart, Chloe Smullen pointed. A point by Karen Hegarty created by a big Mairéad Newman turnover was followed by Honor MacNamara’s second point created by a superb Chloe Smullen run down the right wing and a great cross-field pass from Chloe. Méadbh Monaghan’s third pointed free was answered by an Anna Jones point. The score-from-the- restart history was repeated when Méadbh Monaghan pointed for the fourth time. This time a great bit of fielding by Anna Jones released Honor MacNamara who set up Susanna Buckley for point number 7 for Shamrocks. Shamrocks continued to attack and when Anna Jones’ shot for goal was well saved by Laura Doyle, Mairéad Newman was on hand and finished the ball to the net. Laura Doyle again deprived Anna Jones of a goal saving Anna’s left footed effort. This time Killucan broke out and moved the ball swiftly to Ellen Shaw who shot past Holly McCormack for Killucan’s opening goal. A six-point swing just before the interval could have been a setback (Padraig wasn’t happy to say the least!) but Chloe Smullen pointed twice before the interval – the first again from the restart after Mairéad Newman did the hard work; the second after Melek Fagan worked even harder and refused to concede possession deep in the Shamrocks half. Sian Weir-Hall pointed from play before the break with the scoreboard reading 2-9 to 1-5, a fair reflection of the opening 30 minutes.
Shamrocks restarted in style with points from Karen and Zara Corroon to extend the lead and when Karen Hegarty’s sky scraper of a shot eluded Laura Doyle the lead was extended to 12 points (3-11 to 1-5). Killucan refused to surrender and Méadbh Monaghan hit three points – the third mid-way through the half proved to be Killucan’s final score. Anna Jones pointed from play and then converted a penalty as Shamrocks women played some of their best football of the evening. Chloe Smullen, who had one of her finest games in the Shamrocks Senior jersey, pointed and a fine piece of fielding by Holly McCormack and a great pass by Grace Daly sent Anna Jones through for her second goal. Holly’s handling was impeccable on the night and she then showed her shot sopping ability with a fine penalty save from Ellen Shaw. There was also a fine reflex save at this stage. Holly’s restarts were instrumental in initiating several attacks and drew this tribute from one of the small band of dedicated Shamrocks supporters: “She’d give her sister a run for her money”. Zara Corroon added her second point and the game finished with goals from Chloe Smullen (with the final pass delivered by Karen) and Karen with Karen’s chance created by Chloe Swarbrigg who ran half the length of the field before delivering the final pass.
The final score of 7-14 to 1-8 was a bit rough on Killucan who played very well for most of the game. A number of wides in the first half didn’t help their chances and the fine goalkeeping of Holly McCormack was also significant in keeping their total under control.
Mullingar Shamrocks: Holly McCormack; Siobhán O’Donnell, Annmarie O’Reilly, Eve Hynes (Sinead Sweeney); Carla Blackman, Melek Fagan, Chloe Swarbrigg; Anna Jones (2-3), Jenna Kelly (Mairéad Newman); Chloe Smullen (1-4)[Katie Matthews], Honor MacNamara (0-2), Zara Corroon (0-2); Mairéad Newman (1-0) [Grace Daly], Susanna Buckley (0-1), Karen Hegarty (3-2) [Sarah Geoghegan].
