Our Minor football team has been operating somewhat under the radar this season as far as social media appearances are concerned. However, the team has delivered some very good performances and Derek Sheridan and his management team have developed a side capable of competing with the best in the top division. The replacement of 15 quality players from the 2025 title winning team was never going to be easy but the return of Ted Aherne from injury was a considerable bonus. All 15 have transirioned to adult football. A number of players, especially Com Clinton and Tom McCaul made the transition from Under-16 level. Unfortunately, a few more of those competing at Under-16 level suffered season long injuries. 

Our performance against The Downs on Thursday evening, especially in the second half, was probably our best all season.   Playing against the wind, Shamrocks got off to a very slow start in the first quarter and we conceded 1-2 in the first three minutes. A great Rory Kilmartin point began a mini-recovery – a product of a great team movement with Rory providing the finishing touches. However, after 15 minutes The Downs held a 1-7 to 0-2 lead.

The second quarter told a different story, we picked off a few nice scores and on the stroke of half time scored a great goal courtesy of Colm Clinton. Ruairi Kilmartin, Ted Aherne, Ryan McNamee, Hugo Corroon, Rory McCaul and Colm Clinton delivered the points. At the break the scoreboard read 1-8 to 1-6 in favour of The Downs. 

Our second half performance was outstanding as we outscored The Downs 2-9 to 1-4. Hugo Corroon was outstanding and contributed 1-4 to the total. Ted Aherne’s free taking was good, his general play was better and he kicked three points in the half; Colm Clinton added another 1-1 to his first half total with Daragh Ryan also kicking a point. 

All our players performed really well including the six substitutes introduced with MJ Burke making his Minor championship debut in the year that Westmeath won the Delaney  Cup, the trophy named after his great-grandfather and several great-grand uncles.  

The exceptional work rate was the key factor in the second half with  some great scores taken during this period and 3-12 of the 3-15 was scored from play. It is worth noting that we also scored 5-12 against Shandonagh - the bulk of this from play also.

Tom McCaul delivered his usual excellent restarts and his presence in midfield to contest The Downs restarts added an extra dimension to the Shamrocks package. The defence as a whole was very solid with Zac Coyne’s having his best game of the season. His late block down of what looked like a certain goal recalled the effort of Conor Gormley for Tyrone against Armagh in the All-Ireland some years ago! Ted Aherne and Rory McCaul were very strong in mid-field with Hugo and Colm the leaders of the attack and hitting 3-7 between them.  

Our Round 2 game from a few weeks ago which was called off by the Referee following a injury to a Coralstown/Kinnegad player just before half-time has been re-scheduled for Sunday next, 23rd August in Springfield at 12 Noon. This is our last Group Game before we move to the knockout stage.

Mullingar Shamrocks: Tom McCaul; Sean Hickey, Oisin Gavin, Zac Coyne; Daragh Ryan (Charlie Murtagh), Ryan McNamee (MJ Burke) [0-1],Keelan Reilly (Liam Heffernan); James Davitt (Padraig Regan), Rory McCaul (0-1); Ruairi Kilmartin [0-1] (Luke Kelly), Hugo Corroon (1-5), Colm Clinton (2-2); Zach Masterson, Ted Aherne (0-4). 

Rian Sheerin (Dylan Byrne).