Tough defeat for Mullingar men against Glenanne

Leinster League Men’s Div 3: Glenanne 4’s 4 - 3 Mullingar 1s

(Goalscorers: Ben Epstein x1, Declan Ashley x1, Robert Delaney x1). Player of the match: Cameron Wiltshire.

The Mullingar men’s first squad travelled up to Tallaght to take on Glenanne 4s for a league fixture. Missing a number of regular starters, expectations of a tough battle were well and truly realised in tricky windy conditions at the foot of the Dublin Mountains. Mullingar started well, playing patient front foot hockey, pouncing on the home team's mistakes. This pressure was awarded following a brilliant piece of dribbling from the ever-young Tom Bowers. His run and subsequent pass found Declan Ashley's stick at the back post to give Mullingar the lead.

Glenanne replied soon after however, as a breakdown in midfield saw the home team cut through Mullingar with ease to find an equaliser after some scrappy goalmouth action. But this didn't dampen Mullingar's mood: they dusted themselves off and found another gear to put pressure on Glennane's 'D'. A laser-like pass from Ben Epstein found Robert Delaney for the deflection to see Mullingar retake the lead, which they would bring into half time.

The third quarter was the start of the real challenge as Mullingar played into a very strong wind, which made any attempts to play stylish hockey difficult, and communication over more than 5 metres almost impossible. Glenanne found their second equaliser early on after a well-worked short corner found a deflection that squeezed its way past Mullingar's keeper Conor Mount. But again Mullingar didn't drop the heads and continued to push on. Despite the conditions both teams were playing well and creating opportunities with Mount making a number of really solid saves to keep the scores level.

As the game moved into the final quarter, Mullingar won only their third short corner of the game, and first of the second half. Up came Ben Epstein from the defence to find the bottom corner with a brilliant driven effort and give Mullingar a 3-2 lead with about thirteen minutes to go.

This gave Glenanne the freedom to go for it, and the inexperience of the Mullingar team started to show as they started to be second to balls they had been first to all day, and marking got a little bit looser as players tired.

Glenanne found the equaliser a few minutes later, after some good play down the Glennane left wing worked the ball into the Mullingar 'D' and some neat passing and a couple of deflections off the defender's sticks saw the ball in the goal and Glenanne's third equaliser of the day.

This was to represent heartbreak for Mullingar, pushing on for a winner and caught too far forward: once again Glenanne's left wing proved the difference as some quick passing opened up the tracking back Mullingar defence and with a minute left, Glenanne's striker completed his hat-trick and gave them their first lead of the day to make it 4-3, a tough pill to swallow for Mullingar.

In a game in which they had to battle and played very well, the sense leaving the pitch was that they deserved something from it, but it was not to be this time.

They have to reset and refocus for a massive game next weekend as they host Pembroke Wanderers in the Intermediate Cup quarter-final. Mullingar also play North Kildare on Sunday in Wilson’s at 16:15 in a league match.

Leinster Ladies League Division 9: Our Lady’s 3’s 3-0 Mullingar 1s

Player of the match: Emma Harding.

On Saturday a weakened Mullingar ladies squad travelled to Terenure to Our Lady’s 3s. The two teams were evenly matched on the league table going into the tie.

Mullingar were without some important names including skipper Ruby Murray, for today the captain’s armband was handed over to vice captain, Jenifer Bonham.

Mullingar started well considering they only travelled with ten players but after a short while Our Lady’s started to find holes in the Mullingar defence. An Our Lady’s attack which was delt well by the Mullingar defence but unfortunately for them the umpire saw a foul which resulted in the umpire giving an short corner to the home side.

The first goal of the game came from that short corner which was executed brilliantly by the Our Ladys attacker who smashed the ball into the bottom corner.

The second quarter was a tough one for the Mullingar ladies as it was attack after attack from the home side. The Mullingar defence did well but they could only do so much and it was eventually going to end in Our Ladys getting goals. And that is exactly what happened, in fact it happened twice in very quick succession. The first goal of the two came from lovely deflection from the back post, and then straight away from the tip off Our ladies stole the ball and counter attacked and with the Mullingar ladies caught off guard by this, it was easy for Our Ladys to extend their advantage by three goals.

Surprisingly Mullingar seemed to get a second wind from somewhere. Even with the game being somewhat out of reach for the travelling team they started to play some decent hockey and challenge the our Ladys defence and even get some shots on the goal. Emma Harding came close to getting a goal when she saw her shot from a short corner painfully hit the post. The ladies soldiered on and kept the third quarter scoreless.

With the game in the bag for the Our Ladys, both teams took their foot off the gas. The possession was mostly held by the home side who didn’t rush and on ball and just kept it moving around the pitch. Neither team really challenged either of the keepers and it seemed to be both teams were hoping for the final whistle to end. This loss leaves the ladies winless in the last three games but with players due to come back they will be hoping to start winning games and get away from the relegation spots on the league table.

The ladies 1’s are in a similar position as the men’s 1’s as they find themselves playing both Saturday and Sunday next weekend. The first game being a shield cup game vs Monkstown away on Saturday. The second game which is on Sunday at home is vs Wexford who sit second in the league. Two tough games for the young Mullingar side but with a full squad they can certainly be within a fight chance to get the victories.

The Mullingar players that faced Our Ladys 3s: Sophie Marry, Leah Harding, Louise Sharpe, Therese Russell, Emer Donnelly, Joan Leonard, Jennifer Bonham, Emma Harding, Katelyn Griffin, Rachel Crowe.