Garrycastle to meet shamrocks in county final as lomans bow out

 

Mullingar Shamrocks 1-10 St Loman’s 1-9

St Loman’s, Mullingar lost their Westmeath senior football title in Cusack Park last Sunday when they were edged out in an often-scrappy, but exciting, semi-final replay by neighbours and rivals, Mullingar Shamrocks.

Bernard Flynn’s charges were underdogs as they had been prior to the drawn encounter, but they were worthy winners last Sunday, making better use of their opportunities then the champions, for whom John Heslin was uncharacteristically wasteful from placed balls.

The losers’ manager Declan Rowley resigned in the immediate aftermath of Sunday’s reversal, but he will forever be fondly recalled on the blue side of Mullingar for guiding St Loman’s to the Flanagan Cup success last year after a 50 year wait.

Recent complaints by patrons about flaws in the admission procedures in Cusack Park are likely to come up again after last Sunday’s throw-in was delayed due to queues forming prior to the 1.30pm designated start. It was 1.40 when referee Sean Carroll got the game under way, at which point many fans had still not been admitted. In fairness, the early throw-in time had been well publicised last week.

Conditions were virtually perfect for football and the game started brightly with a great run by Denis Corroon teeing up his midfield partner Donal O’Donoghue for a delightful point in the first minute. John Heslin soon equalised from a 35-metre free as an element of niggling continued off the ball. Heslin nudged the holders in front in the sixth minute with a classy left-footed point.

Lorcan Smyth levelled the scoring from a difficult free and, after some missed chances, Shamrocks defender Aaron Purcell was black carded at the start of the second quarter.

Defences were now on top, with Donal O’Donoghue and Neil O’Toole both catching the eye at either end of the pitch. St Loman’s pounced for three unanswered points in as many minutes to lead by 0-5 to 0-2 with seven minutes remaining in the first half. The scores came via John Heslin (a 45-metre free), Shane Dempsey and Kelvin Reilly.

The men in green and white drew level in the 27th minutes when Denis Corroon’s delivery was laid off by Daragh Daly to Ciaran Curley who fired the ball low to the net past Stephen Gallagher.

The football was not of a high quality but the exchanges were keen. In the second minute of added-time, Simon Quinn scored an opportunist point from Shamrocks. John Heslin was wide from a good chance in the dying moments of the first half, leaving the scoreboard at the break reading Mullingar Shamrocks 1-3, St Loman’s, Mullingar 0-5.

Heslin showed his class early in the second half when he cleverly teed up Kelvin Reilly to find the net from point-blank range. Lorcan Smyth halved the deficit from a routine free, but a great point from Paul Sharry and a converted free by Heslin had the champions three points clear with 38 minutes lapsed.

St Loman’s had chances to increase their advantage but failed to take them. This profligacy proved costly as Shamrocks took control and rattled over five points without reply between the 45th and 57th minutes.

Goalkeeper Philip Shaw started the ball rolling by superbly converting a '45 and other scores followed via imposing full forward Daragh Daly, Lorcan Smyth (a neat right-footed point), Smyth again and Denis Corroon (a free). 

The respective number 14, John Heslin (a fine score under pressure) and substitute Dylan McDermott (a great point on the run) traded points as the clock ticked away towards the hour mark.

Paddy Fagan caught the eye notching up a loose ball in the winners’ defence before Heslin pointed a difficult free with a stipulated two minutes injury-time almost elapsed. The ensuing kick-out from Philip Shaw preceded Sean Carroll’s final whistle, leaving sharply contrasting emotions in the green and blue sides of Mullingar, with Shamrocks now preparing for a county final showdown with Garrycastle on October 26.

Man of the match
Daragh Daly (Mullingar Shamrocks). The lanky full forward was a real handful for the champions’ defence and his return to the side after a sojourn in Australia has been a huge boost for Bernard Flynn and his selectors.

Key moment
Ironically the dismissal of Aaron Purcell for a black card offence at the start of the second quarter meant a premature entry for Paddy Joyce, but the latter epitomised Shamrocks’ spirit during the rest of the contest.

Mullingar Shamrocks: Philip Shaw ('45’) 0-1; Eddie Moore, Aaron Purcell, Efe Siode; Calvin Kirwan, Eoin O’Neill, Killian Daly; Donal O’Donoghue 0-1, Denis Corroon 0-1 (f); Seanie Daly, Lorcan Smyth 0-4 (2f), Simon Quinn 0-1; Davy Gavin, Daragh Daly 0-1, Ciaran Curley 1-0. Subs: Paddy Joyce for Purcell (B/C, 17), Dylan McDermott for Seanie Daly (37), Anthony Clinton for O’Donoghue (53), Paddy Fagan for Gavin (57), Donal O’Donoghue for Clinton (B/C 60+2).

St Loman’s, Mullingar: Stephen Gallagher; Steven Gilmore, Shane Flynn, Neil O’Toole; Gerry Grehan, Paddy Dowdall, Gary Glennon; Tommy Lambden, Jason O’Toole; David Whelan, Kelvin Reilly 1-1, Eoin Price; Paul Sharry 0-1, John Heslin 0-6 (4f), Shane Dempsey 0-1. Subs: David Morgan for Lambden (h-t), David Windsor for Dempsey (inj. 39), Conradh Reilly for J O’Toole (43), Jason O’Toole for Grehan (inj. 50), Gareth Hickey for Glennon (57).

Referee: Sean Carroll (The Downs).

*See next's Westmeath Independent for an in-depth preview of the Westmeath SFC final between Garrycastle and Mullingar Shamrocks.