St Lomans Mullingar Club Notes 22/07/2024:
Shay Murtagh Senior Championship:
St Lomans Mullingar 1-15 Athlone 2-08
Our senior men began their defence of the Flanagan cup last Friday night on a humid evening in TEG Cusack Park. The blues came into the game as favourites after a stellar league but were under no illusions of how tough the fixture would be. Athlone stayed up in their first year in division 1 and qualified for the knockout stages of last year’s championship, so the Shannonsiders were never going to be pushovers. The sides traded blows each with three scores each in the opening ten minutes. It has to be said the score-taking was superb early on.
The saints three scores came courtesy of placed balls from Sam McCartan and Ronan O’Toole along with an excellent point from play via Peter Foy. Athlone’s three scores came from Cillian Lynn and Stephen O’Connor’s frees, along with a long-range monster point from Ray Connellan. The Mullingar side opened up a lead in the second quarter with four consecutive points. TJ Cox opened his account, Foy added to his tally as did O’Toole with a pair of frees. O’Connor and Lynn replied for Athlone but Danny McCartan had the last word of the half with a well-taken score to leave Paddy Dowdall’s men three clear at the interval. The Saints were guilty of wastefulness in the opening half and really should have had a five or six point lead, with four shots hitting the upright.
Ronan O’Toole got the first score of the second half with a mark but moments later Eoin Jordan’s side walked right through the middle of the blues’ defence. The move culminated in Daniel Reid having a simple palm goal into an empty net to leave the minimum between the sides. Sam McCartan responded straight away for the Mullingar men with a double, one from play and one well-executed free. Once again though Athlone split the Lomans defence and Cillian Lynn found the net to level the game. The teams went on to trade a pair of scores each with Cox and substitute Shane Dempsey doing the damage for the defending champions.
With the sides level and only ten minutes on the clock, the decisive moment came. Sam McCartan pounced on a loose pass and despite being cynically hauled down he managed to lay the ball off for Conor O’Donoghue. The substitute then raced forward with Danny McCartan and TJ Cox either side of him. O’Donoghue released the ball at the perfect time to TJ Cox who lashed home a rocket to give his side the advantage. The sides exchanged points again with O’Toole adding to his tally. TJ Cox had the last word with an excellent point after a long spell of possession to make it a two-score game and effectively end the tie as his team ran out four point winners.
On the night there were a couple of stand-out performers. Peter Foy was particularly good in the first half. Ronan O’Toole was his assured self and stepped up on the scoring front in the absence of John Heslin. TJ Cox was excellent and looked sharp in front of goal, ending the night with 1-3, his goal was the winning of the match. All in all, Sam McCartan was probably the most consistent player over the course of the game with some superb frees, direct running and started the move for the goal (all of this from wing back).
A hard-fought win for the defending champions who found themselves level going down the home straight. On a negative note you could say the blues left plenty of scores behind and were caught napping defensively at times. On a positive note, you could say they won despite playing poorly and responded very well to conceding both goals. The most important thing is getting two points on the board and starting the campaign with a win. Their attention now turns to Tang next Saturday at 7pm in Ballymore, where Lomans will look to make it two from two.
Team: Jason Daly, Oisín Hogan, Darragh O’Keefe, David Whelan, Enda Gaffney, Jack Geoghegan, Sam McCartan (0.03, 0.02f), Sean Flanagan, Kevin Regan, Rory Sheahan, Ronan O’Toole (0.05, 0.01m, 0.03f), Peter Foy (0.02), Danny McCartan (0.01), Fola Ayorinde, TJ Cox (1.03). Subs used; Shane Dempsey (0.01), Kelvin Reilly, Conor O’Donoghue.
Clarke’s Bar Junior Championship:
St Lomans Mullingar 2-09 Coralstown Kinnegad 1-05
Our Juniors got off to a wining start last Sunday with a good win over newly promoted Coralstown Kinnegad in Lakepoint Park last Sunday morning. The visitors scored a very early goal but after that the home side were well in control. 1-07 from Daniel McCann and a goal from Tadhg Kenny went a long way to sealing the victory. Next up is a local derby next Friday night against Mullingar Shamrocks in Springfield.
Team; Rory Matthews, Ethan Browne, Nathan Lally, Riley Sheahan, Seanai Bracken, Ciaran Smyth, Tom Dorr, Cillian Plunkett (0.01), Ryan Jones, Shane Mulderry, Chris Gilbert, Tristan Graham, Daniel McCann (1.07), Tadhg Kenny (1.00), Mark Tunney. Subs used; David Morgan (0.01), Conor Regan, Tristan Johnson, Jack Tyrrell, Adam O’Connor, Thomas Meehan.
Under 20 Championship:
St Lomans Mullingar 2-09 Mullingar Shamrocks 1-09
Last Tuesday evening our under 20 side bean their campaign as they welcomed neighbours Mullingar Shamrocks to Home Instead Lakepoint Park. Despite the group stage of this competition having no major significance (each team guaranteed a quarter final), the match was played at championship pace and fiercely competitive as local derbies tend to be. Lomans went into this competition as runners up in 2023 and Shamrocks as division two winners in the previous year.
Shamrocks had an early goal chance and the blues had the crossbar to thank for preventing an early goal for Alex Sheerin. After that, the home side took control, outscoring their opponents four points to one in the opening quarter. Daniel McCann began with a pair of points, Ryan Kelly replied for the visitors before the saints extended their lead through Mikey Weir and Eoghan Meehan. Donnacha Maguire responded for the away side, but once again the gap was widened with a McCann free and Ross Clinton opening his account. Another Kelly free for the springfield side, left the deficit at three going into the break.
The sides traded scores at the beginning of the half with Ross Clinton and Cillian Plunkett on target for the home side, Kelly also keeping his team in touching distance with a pair of frees. Then an inch perfect pass from Seanaí Bracken found Tadhg Kenny, who rounded the keeper coolly and found the net to give his team breathing space. The teams once again exchanged scores with Bracken on the score sheet for blue half of Mullingar. During this time, Lomans had several chances to kill off their opponents but were wasteful in front of goal, which was almost their undoing
Three points from the superb Ryan Kelly brought the lead down to four. Then a poor turnover in the Lomans defence saw a goal for the visitors’ Alex Sheerin with the aid of a deflection. Kelly levelled proceedings moments later with only his team’s second point from play and suddenly the game was level and all the momentum with the green half of Mullingar. Then in the dying moments, a mazy run and shot from Seanaí Bracken saw Barry Nea award the saints a penalty for a foot block. Cillian Plunkett could have been forgiven for settling for his point, but Plunkett found the net with aplomb. This turned out to be the decisive score as the hosts ran out three point winners.
At the final whistle there was a sense of relief, Lomans almost surrendered a result in a game they were comfortable in. There’s no doubt the hosts were the better team on the night but at the same time they were reliant on a somewhat fortuitous penalty at the death to eke out a win. It goes to show that a certain ruthlessness and killer instinct is needed at times. All in all though a good result, if somewhat irrelevant in the grand scheme of things, next up is Caulry away on Tuesday 23rd of July.
On the night there were many impressive individual performances. First off Ryan Kelly for Mullingar Shamrocks was outstanding and was responsible for eight points, out of his team’s 1-09 and kept his team in it throughout. Ciaran Smyth and Seanaí Bracken were excellent in defence, Smyth for his excellent defending and Bracken for his direct running, both were influential throughout. Cillian Plunkett was superb in midfield and is improving with each game.
Up front Thomas Meehan and Tadhg Kenny were excellent and stretched the Shamrocks defence throughout. Daniel McCann also had a good impact. Special mention also to the minors, Mikey Weir and Sean Plunkett who acquitted themselves very well at this level. In terms of man of the match, you could take your pick between Smyth, Bracken and Cillian Plunkett. Just for the decisive penalty, Plunkett shades it very marginally.
Team; Callum Butler Dolan, Nathan Sleator, Riley Sheahan, Tom Dorr, Seanaí Bracken (0.01), Ciaran Smyth, John Casey, Cillian Plunkett (1.01), Mikey Weir (0.01), Sean Plunkett, Daniel McCann (0.03, 0.01f), Thomas Meehan, Eoghan Meehan (0.01), Ross Clinton (0.02), Tadhg Kenny (1.00). Subs used; Byron Graham, Oisín O’Hara, Robbie Cleary, Aaron Smyth, James Kelly, Sam McNally.
Fixtures:
Thursday 25th July
Junior B Football Championship
St Lomans Mullingar vs Milltownpass at 7.30pm in Milltownpass
Friday 26th July
Clarkes Bar Junior Championship:
St Lomans Mullingar vs Mullingar Shamrocks at 7.30pm in Springfield
Saturday 27th July
Shay Murtagh Senior Championship:
St Lomans Mullingar vs Tang at 7pm in Ballymore
Best wishes to all our teams, tickets are avaible via our social media and the Westmeath GAA app. All games will be available via the Whats The Scor App for anybody unable to attend. All support is greatly appreciated as we kick off our championship once more.
Club Lotto:
Draw Date: Monday 15th July
This week’s jackpot: €3,700.00
Numbers drawn: 3,17,22,24
No Jackpot winner
Lucky dip winders (€50 each): Mary Plunkett and Simon Foran
Next week’s jackpot: €3,800.00
Next Week’s Draw Date: Monday 22nd July
Remember it could be you!
Condolences:
St Lomans Mullingar wish to extend our deepest condolences to the Murtagh family following the passing of Willie Murtagh, Collinstown, Co.Westmeath
We also wish to extend our sympathies to the Murray family following the passing of Darren Murray, Greenpark Meadows, Mullingar, Co.Westmeath
Ar dheis de go raibh a n-anamacha
