Shamrocks swoop for late winner in thrilling minor football decider

Mullingar Shamrocks 2-13, St Loman's, Mullingar 1-13

A thrilling game in Lakepoint Park GAA grounds on Thursday night last was decided by the very final kick of the ball, as local rivals Mullingar Shamrocks and St Loman’s went head to head in the minor football Division 1 league final, giving all in attendance a glimpse of everything that is good in the game of football.

Played in good spirit and sportsmanship, this was a game laced with quality and was the typical game of two halves, with St Loman’s dominating the opening 30 minutes and the visitors holding sway in the main after the break. However, both teams showed great skill and teamwork throughout, and obviously are being coached extremely well, and indeed many in attendance might have actually relished 30 minutes of extra-time.

But Shamrocks and Killian Mooney had other ideas and with the clock showing 33 minutes played, the wing forward smashed home the winning goal, giving St Loman’s no time to recover and the title was heading back down the Delvin Road to Springfield.

St Loman’s started much brighter and Ross Tully opened the scoring with a fine strike from a great run, but Ted Aherne and Ronan Byrne replied with two excellent points for Shamrocks to gain the advantage. It would be the only time in the half they would lead as St Loman’s took over, with Tully denied by the crossbar only for Conor Maleady to point the rebound, and Eoin Meehan kicking a monster two-pointer.

Aherne pulled one back for Shamrocks, but it was mere respite as the Blues upped the ante considerably, with a super goal from Mikee Weir and points from Conor Caffrey. They added two more from Meehan (one free) as they established a seven-point advantage and looked as if they could score at will, but a ‘45’ from Aherne and a free from Killian Mooney left the score 1-7 to 0-5 at the short whistle. And in truth the home side probably should have led by more.

It didn’t take long for the St Loman’s to increase that lead as almost from the throw-in, Conor Maleady pointed, and despite a two-point free from Aherne to stem the tide, Sean Byrne kept five between the sides five minutes into the second half. A hectic 60 seconds ensued, though, as a high hanging Mooney shot from long-range somehow managed to find its way into the net. When the same player added to his tally with a point from the kickout, only one divided the sides.

Sean Plunkett seemed to have calmed the St Loman’s nerves with a lovely individual point, but back came Shamrocks again with a wonderful score from Hugo Corroon before equalising with a superb long-range strike from Rory McCaul. Moments later Ted Aherne pointed a second two-pointer free and suddenly Shamrocks held sway as we headed into the final quarter.

Conor Casey reduced the margin to one with an excellent point, but on the break Aherne negated that with another eye-catching point, and as the game headed to the final minutes, St Loman’s battered at the Shamrocks defence. Eventually Sean Plunkett fly-kicked over after Meehan was denied, and then the latter was fouled and levelled with the free himself in the 32nd minute.

As we steeled ourselves for extra-time Mullingar Shamrocks had different ideas. Again that man Aherne went for the winner only for it to drop to Mooney, who had no intention of fisting over the bar, and slotted the winner to the net with an unstoppable shot. Immediately the final whistle blew to the delight of the Mullingar Shamrocks faithful and the dismay of the home support.

Afterwards, Coiste na nÓg secretary Barry Kelly presented the shield to a boisterous and ecstatic Mullingar Shamrocks team captains Ty Masterson and Ted Aherne.

Scorers - Mullingar Shamrocks: Ted Aherne 0-8 (2 two-pt frees; 1 ‘45’), Killian Mooney 2-2 (1f), Rory McCaul, Hugo Corroon and Ronan Byrne 0-1 each.

St. Loman’s: Eoin Meehan 0-4 (one 2 pt; 2f), Mikee Weir 1-0, Conor Maleady and Sean Plunkett 0-2 each, Ross Tully, Conor Casey, Sean Byrne and Conor Caffrey 0-1 each.

Mullingar Shamrocks: Tom McCaul, James Ryan, Ty Masterson, Zak Coyne, Charlie Foy, Ben Sheerin, Jack Toal, Criostoir Ormsby, Rory McCaul, Killian Mooney, Padraig Casey, Paul Keating, Hugo Corroon, Ted Aherne and Ronan Byrne. Subs: Tommy Daly for Toal (44 mins), Gareth Sweeney for Keating (59 mins).

St. Loman’s Mullingar: Seamus O’Brien, Tom Weir, Cillian Traynor, Hugo Sleator, Ross Tully, Sean Brennan, Conor Casey, Mikee Weir, Sean Hayes, Conor Maleady, Sean Byrne, Conor Caffrey, Sean Plunkett, Eoin Meehan and Robert Hogg. Subs: Beau Greene for Maleady 42 mins, Cian Matthews for Caffrey 48 mins, Sam McNally for Traynor 59 mins

Referee: Declan Nugent (Maryland).

Man of The Match

Ted Aherne (Mullingar Shamrocks). There were several candidates on both sides, but Ted Aherne gets the verdict after a fine performance.