Four-in-a-row winners set to be honoured

Mullingar Shamrocks will honour the club’s senior footballers who won four-in-a-row during a golden period in the 1990s, at their upcoming Dinner Dance on December 5, in the Mullingar Park Hotel.

The senior team won the Paddy Flanagan Cup in 1992, ‘93, ‘94 and ‘95 in an unprecedented period of dominance by the proud Mullingar club, which has served the community for 72 years.

In 1992, Mullingar Shamrocks defeated Athlone, 0-14 to 0-4, at Páirc Chiaráin, Athlone.

The following year, Rosemount were put to the sword, 0-13 to 0-4, at Castletown Geoghegan, which became the new home of senior finals with Cusack Park under renovation.

In 1994, Mullingar Shamrocks dismissed Tyrrellspass, 1-14 to 0-9, and in ‘95 the quadruple was complete following a 0-18 to 1-7 victory over Rosemount.

The team who won the fourth senior title in succession was: Dermot Ryan; Ned Moore, Brian Lawlor, Paul Aherne; Michael ‘Spike’ Fagan, John Conlon, Bill Sex; Tom Ormsby, Kevin Cahill; Eddie Casey, Kieran Ryan, Denis Corroon; Bernard Flynn, Mark Treanor, Mickey O’Reilly. Subs used: Paddy Monaghan, Eric Smyth, Aidan Lyons.

In 1993, Mullingar Shamrocks overcame Rosemount in the final at Castletown Geoghegan. It was played on September 26 and the final score was: Mullingar Shamrocks 0-13, Rosemount 0-4. St Martin’s, Moate All Whites and Tyrrellspass were defeated en route to the decider.

Mullingar Shamrocks: Dermot Ryan; Ned Moore, John Conlon, Peter Smith; Pearse Corroon, Michael Conlon, Bill Sex; Tom Ormsby, Peter Faulkner; Michael Fagan, Ciarán Ryan, Denis Corroon; Paul Aherne, Bernard Flynn, Michael O’Reilly. Sub used: Mark Treanor.

In 1992, Athlone were defeated, 0-14 to 0-4.

Mullingar Shamrocks '92 winning team: Dermot Ryan; Ned Moore, Michael Conlon, Peter Smith; Pearse Corroon, Bill Sex, John Conlon; Tom Ormsby, Peter Faulkner; Michael Fagan, Kieran Ryan, Denis Corroon; Bernard Flynn, Eddie Casey, Michael O’Reilly. Sub used: Sean Hynes.

The 1994 team, which defeated Tyrrellspass, 1-14 to 0-9, kept a great run going.

1994 side: Dermot Ryan; Ned Moore, Michael Conlon, Peter Smith; Kevin Daly, Paul Aherne, John Conlon; Tom Ormsby, Bill Sex; Michael Fagan, Kieran Ryan, Denis Corroon; Bernard Flynn, Mark Treanor, Michael O’Reilly. Subs used: Aidan Lyons, Eddie Casey.

Remarkably, Richie O’Donoghue finished his first term as Mullingar Shamrocks’ senior manager by leading the club to its first three-in-a-row senior football championships. He became manager in 1985 and managed Shamrocks in 32 Westmeath senior championship games winning 28 including six senior titles in ten years (1985-1994).

The four-in-a-row of senior championship wins was achieved with Gerry Nohilly as manager, and Paddy Dunne and Tom Hunt as selectors.

A total of 10 players played in all four finals: Dermot Ryan, Ned Moore, John Conlon, Bill Sex, Michael Fagan, Tom Ormsby, Kieran Ryan, Denis Corroon, Michael O’Reilly and Bernard Flynn, the latter scoring 0-10 as the Mullingar men comfortably defeated Rosemount.

The achievement has stood the test of time and great senior teams like Garrycastle and St Loman’s, Mullingar have failed to match it in recent times. The Mullingar Shamrocks team of that golden era were considered unfortunate not to win a Leinster club title and they came closest to doing so in 1990 before the four-in-a-row run began.

That year, they won the Westmeath title, defeating Coralstown/Kinnegad, 2-7 to 2-6, and backed it up by victories over Longford Slashers and Navan O’Mahoney’s.

However, they lost controversially to Baltinglass by just a point at Newbridge, 0-11 to 1-7.