Mullingar men find an extra gear to claim league title

ACFL Division 1 Final

Mullingar Shamrocks 2-31, Garrycastle 3-20

By Rodney Farry

Mullingar Shamrocks won their first ACFL Division 1 title in 15 years by defeating Garrycastle after extra-time in a high scoring encounter in Cusack Park on Saturday evening.

David Martin’s men showed admirable resolve to see off the challenge of a dogged Garrycastle side that looked to have all of the momentum going into extra-time after a point from veteran John Gaffey at the death levelled proceedings. The youthful Shamrocks team, which included three members of the Coláiste Mhuire team that won the Hogan Cup in March in its starting 15 and another three on the bench, dug deep and completely dominated the first half of extra time outscoring their opponents 1-6 to 0-3 to provide some much-needed breathing space as the game drew to a close.

The first 60 minutes was the quintessential game of two halves with Shamrocks dominating much of the first period, while Garrycastle were the better team in the second half. Indeed, if it had not been for some wayward shooting, Gary Dolan’s charges could easily have won. The Shannonsiders hit 12 wides in regulation time, and they will know that their finishing and shot selection will have to improve if they are to have any say in this year’s championship.

With Dean Moore and Alex Sheerin to the fore, Shamrocks were much more economical hitting only five wides during the same period, although they did hit a number of shots short into the arms of Garrycastle keeper Michael Moore.

The lively Killian Mooney opened Shamrocks’ account in the first minute with a well struck two-pointer, however Garrycastle quickly restored parity with overs from Eoin Mulvihill and Oisin Mulvihill. As the first half progressed, the initiative swung Shamrocks’ way with the Hogan Cup winning youngsters Tye Masterson and Cristoir Ormsby seeing plenty of the ball. Masterson put his side ahead in the tenth minute. when he fisted the ball over the bar. For the next 20 minutes it was all Shamrocks with the Springfield men scoring nine points without reply, including a superb two-point effort from Denis Corroon with the outside of his right foot that would have graced any final.

By the time referee Eoin Gorman signalled that there would be three minutes of time added on at the end the first half, misfiring Garrycastle had gone 17 minutes without scoring and were trailing by 11 points. Michael Monaghan and the rest of the Garrycastle attackers saw little of the ball in the second quarter, but the corner forward breathed life back into his team’s challenge when he planted the ball into the back of the Shamrocks net in the 31st minute after his initial effort was well saved by Adam Buckley. A pointed free from the ever dangerous Alex Gardiner further reduced Shamrocks’ lead to leave the score at half-time: Mullingar Shamrocks 0-15, Garrycastle 1-05.

Garrycastle began the second half on the front foot and cut the deficit further with two points in as many minutes from the increasingly influential Gardiner and Oisin Mulvihill. Shamrocks responded with a brace of points from Dean Moore and a two-point free from goalkeeper Alex Buckley to extend their lead to nine points with 40 minutes on the clock.

Now with a foothold in the middle third, Garrycastle continued to ask questions of the Shamrocks’ defence and were rewarded for their efforts when a speculative high ball by James Dolan into the danger zone appeared to have been flicked past Buckley and into the Shamrocks’ net by Eoin Monaghan despite the best efforts of Efi Siode. Wearing their black second kit, Shamrocks once again responded with a brace of points from Mooney and Moore.

As the game entered the final quarter, Garrycastle enjoyed their best period of the match. A point from Gardiner and a two-pointer from James Dolan cut Shamrocks’ lead to five with almost ten minutes on the clock. After hitting three wides in a little over two minutes, Garrycastle’s forwards regained their composure just when they needed to most. Points from Eoin Monaghan and Gardiner were quickly followed by an expertly struck two point free from Conor Cosgrove to leave the bare minimum between the teams. When Gaffey fired the ball over the bar in the 62nd minute to bring the game to extra time, it was the least the Garrycastle players deserved for their second half efforts.

At this stage, it looked ominous for Shamrocks who only scored six points in the second half and were losing most of the individual battle across the park.

When Gardiner, who finished the match with eight points, gave Garrycastle the lead for the first time at the start of extra time, it looked as if the pre-match favourites would push. The Shamrocks players, however, had other ideas and somehow found an extra reserve of energy despite hot conditions. A pointed free from Moore was quickly followed by a ‘45’ from goalkeeper Buckley and an over from substitute Donal Lane.

It was now Garrycastle’s turn to chase shadows. On 67 minutes, Efi Siode’s perfectly weighted pass found Alex Sheerin all alone near that 20m line. The young forward took a few steps forward before firing the ball into the top right-hand corner of Michael Moore’s net. Shamrocks extended their lead out to six points courtesy of another over from Moore.

Gardiner scored straight from the restart, but this was cancelled out by the first of substitute Paul Keating’s two points in extra time. Shamrocks’ midfielder Brian Guerin, whose influence grew the longer the game progressed, opened his account with a fisted point in the 69th minute, but when Cosgrove fired the ball over the bar near the end of the first half of extra time, the chances of Garrycastle mounting another comeback did not seem that outlandish given the topsy turvy nature of the preceding 70 minutes.

After working so hard to regain their lead, Shamrocks were not going to relinquish it easily. Trevor Keena was one of a number of substitutes who help turn the tide in Shamrocks’ favour in extra time. In the 72nd minute he dispossessed a Garrycastle defender before offloading to Ormsby, who quickly released the ball to his overlapping midfield partner Guerin who fired a low shot past Moore to put eight points between the sides.A goal from Cosgrove on 75 minutes gave the Garrycastle fans some hope, but a point from Keating a minute later kept the scoreboard ticking over for Shamrocks. Gardiner continued to ask questions of the Shamrocks defence deep into extra time and closed his team’s account with another well taken score in the 76th minute. As the game entered its final minutes, the industrious Moore fired over yet another score before another young Shamrocks’ substitute, Gavin Pierce, hit a two-pointer with his first touch of the match seconds before referee Gorman blew for full time.

The manner in which Shamrocks came back in extra time augurs well for the challenges that lie ahead, particularly with Shane Ormsby set to return to the fold after his intercounty duties came to an end at the weekend. Whether Martin’s youthful charges have what it takes to challenge for the top honour in Westmeath football remains to be seen, but the team is certainly on an upward trajectory.

Garrycastle can take positives out of their performance too, but they will know that they have to sharpen up in attack before their championship campaign kicks off with a clash against Coralstown-Kinnegad.

Scorers - Mullingar Shamrocks: Dean Moore 0-8 (2f), Alex Sheerin 1-4, Killian Mooney 0-5 (1tp), Brian Guerin 1-1, Adam Buckley 0-3 (1tp, 1’45’), Denis Corroon (tp), Paul Keating, Gavin Pierce (tp) 0-2, Tye Masterson, Dillon Matthews, Cristoir Ormsby and Donal Lane (0-1) each.

Garrycastle: Alex Gardiner 0-8 (2f), Conor Cosgrove 1-3 (1tp), Eoin Monaghan 1-1, Michael Monaghan 1-0, Eoin Mulvihill, Oisin Mulvihill, James Dolan (tp) 0-2, John Gaffey and Rory McGowan 0-1 each.

Mullingar Shamrocks: Adam Buckley; Efi Siode, Adam Glynn, Dillon Matthews; Brendan Reilly, Tye Masterson, Dylan Franzoni; Brian Guerin, Cristoir Ormsby; Denis Corroon, Alan Cashman, Alex Sheerin; Killian Mooney, Dean Moore, Davy Gavin. Subs: Trevor Keena for Alan Cashman (43 mins), Paul Keating for Davy Gavin (56 mins), Ben Sheerin for Dillon Matthews (58 mins), Donal Lane for Killian Mooney (59 mins), Nathan Gavin for Dylan Franzoni (65 mins), Gavin Pierce for Denis Corroon (74 mins).

Garrycastle: Michael Moore; Fergal McKiernan, Jack Donohue, Gary McCallon; Eoin Mulvihill, John Gaffey, Cathal Mannion; Cian McCarthy, James Dolan; Oisin Mulvihill, Conor Cosgrove, Bill Kelly; Michael Monaghan, Eoin Monaghan, Alex Gardiner. Subs used: Mark McCallon for Fergal McKiernan (24 mins), Conor McKiernan for Bill Kelly (h/t), Rory McGowan for Eoin Monaghan (58 mins), Diarmuid Murtagh for Oisin Mulvihill (injury time), Fergal McKiernan or Cian McCarthy (61mins), Bill Kelly for John Gaffey (64 mins).

Referee: Eoin Gorman (St Mary's Rochfortbridge).