Pierce on top form as Shamrocks progress

Mullingar Shamrocks 1-14, Killucan 0-13

By Paul Hughes

A strong display against the breeze in the first half, as well as a penalty on the stroke of half-time, ensured that Mullingar Shamrocks prevailed against Killucan at Springfield on Saturday afternoon, to reach this year’s secondary U19 Division 2 football final.

The hosts, managed by Gary Corroon, also had corner forward Gavin Pierce to thank, as he shot the lights out with four sublime second-half points from play to keep the battling Saffrons at bay.

A topsy-turvy first half saw Killucan go four behind but then score seven on the trot, and the sides were neck and neck until Ryan Kelly converted a penalty just before the short whistle, when Shamrocks led 1-8 to 0-9. However, Killucan will kick themselves over a number of missed opportunities, including a handful of first-half frees, as they struggled against the wind after the break all while Pierce’s excellence at the other end secured the win for Shamrocks.

Despite playing into an often stiff breeze and the blinding glare of the afternoon sun, Shamrocks were up by four after ten minutes thanks to fine scores from Gavin Pierce (2), Luke McCabe, and Ryan Kelly. Pierce set out his stall early on with a tremendous kick from the clubhouse side. Callum Rigney Clyne almost conjured a goal for Mullingar in the third minute when he finished off a mazy run down the left by rifling the ball off the crossbar. Had that gone in, it would have made the first ten minutes even more demoralising for the visitors. However, John Duignan’s charges regained their composure and rattled off seven points in a row. Joe Mulvaney was at the centre of the revival, kicking three fine points, including a well-taken ‘45’ after Shamrocks ‘keeper Mikey Curley fumbled a shot from Jayden Hill.

There were also scores for the lively Cormac McKeogh (0-2), Eoin Briody and Conor Leech, the latter finding his range with an outstanding kick from the right corner on 11 minutes. Three adrift, Shamrocks had their own recovery to mastermind, but achieved parity by the 24th minute thanks to consecutive frees from Ryan Kelly (2) and Luke McCabe.

On the cusp of half-time, Killucan had a slight lead when after Cormac McKeogh (Killucan) and Adam Boyle (Shamrocks) exchanged points, Jayden Hill converted a free for the Saffrons. However, the hosts grabbed the advantage in stoppage time when Boyle, after being put through by Gavin Pierce, was fouled while shaping himself up for a shot on goal, and Shamrocks were awarded a penalty. Ryan Kelly stood up and confidently slotted it to the net.

On the restart, the sides exchanged a number of wides before Pierce started to impose himself on proceedings, extending Shamrocks’ lead to four with two magnificent scores off his left boot. Killucan, not helped by the breeze, struggled to make a dent on a disciplined Shamrocks defence that lost Nathan Cornally and Dylan Franzoni to injuries. By the three-quarter mark, the hosts were six ahead (1-12 to 0-9), with Conor Heffernan driving down the middle for a point from play and Luke McCabe tacking on his third free.

Sub Jack Larkin McHugh, arguably with a goal on, finally raised a flag for Killucan seconds after McCabe’s free but Pierce’s magical left boot again obliged for Shamrocks, leaving them nicely poised with ten minutes to go.

From there, the Saffrons started to come into the game a bit more, with points from Calum (2) and Cormac McKeogh reducing their arrears to a single goal with three minutes to go. In the 53rd minute, sub Cian Weir almost had a goal when his low drive was knocked wide, and Killucan had no joy with the resultant ‘45’.

Nerves crept in for Shamrocks as Killucan piled on the pressure in search of that elusive goal, and a speculative 58th minute lob from Cormac McKeogh could have led to disaster for the hosts had Mikey Curley not intercepted. A late Killucan free, driven low, was also cleared off the line. A minute into stoppage time, it was Gavin Pierce who again stood up to the plate for the hosts, kicking a terrific insurance point to send them into the Division 2 decider against Rosemount/Castledaly amalgamation side Cill Óige.

Scorers - Mullingar Shamrocks: G Pierce 0-6, R Kelly 1-3 (1-0 pen, 0-2f), L McCabe 0-3f, A Boyle and C Heffernan 0-1 each. Killucan: Cormac McKeogh 0-4, J Mulvaney 0-3 (1 ‘45’), Calum McKeogh 0-2, C Leech, E Briody, J Hill (free) and J Larkin McHugh 0-1 each.

Mullingar Shamrocks: Mikey Curley; Nathan Cornally, Adam Glynn, Ben Egan; Dylan Franzoni, Dylan Carey, Callum Rigney Clyne; Shane Ormsby, Ciarán Kiernan; Adam Boyle, Conor Heffernan, Donnacha Maguire; Gavin Pierce, Luke McCabe, Ryan Kelly. Subs used: William Reilly for Cornally (inj., h-t), Rory Hickey for Egan (49), Jordan Awunah for Franzoni (inj., 43), Tom Hickey for Boyle (60+2).

Killucan: Ciarán Kavanagh; Charlie Johnson, Seán McGee, Ryan Murphy; Oisín Flanagan, Matthew Shaw, Adam Smyth; Calum McKeogh, Dylan Duffy; Eoin Briody, Winston Larkin McHugh, Joe Mulvaney; Cormac McKeogh, Jayden Hill, Conor Leech. Subs used: Jack Larkin McHugh for Leech (38), Aaron Flanagan for O Flanagan (38), Cian Weir for Duffy (43).

Ref: Mick Murtagh (The Downs).

Examiner's Eye on game

Man of the match

Gavin Pierce (Mullingar Shamrocks). A real talent, Pierce kicked 0-6 from play, including four sublime second-half scores to consolidate Shamrocks’ slender half-time lead.

The key moment

Shamrocks were on the ropes for a good 20 minutes of the first half but were buoyed by Ryan Kelly’s well-taken penalty on the stroke of half-time.