St Lomans Mullingar Club Notes 16/09/2024:
Village Barn Ladies Senior Championship:
St Lomans Mullingar 3-18 Mullingar Shamrocks 1-03
Our senior ladies ended their group stage on a high last Saturday, with a resounding win over neighbours Mullingar Shamrocks in Springfield. The sides began with a point each, Vicky Carr and Anna Jones getting the scores for their respective teams. Ciara Blundell briefly had the blues in front before a goal at the far end for Shamrocks.
After this though it was very straight forward for the blues who hit an unanswered 2-09 before the interval with Vicky Carr, Lucy McCatan, Shannon Breslin, Caoimhe Kilmurray, Ciara Blundell and Katie Kilmurray all pointing in this period. Katie Kilmurray and Shannon Breslin both netted before half-time to see the game all but over at the interval.
The second half was more one-way traffic in favour of the visitors with Carr, Blundell, McCartan and Katie Kilmurray all adding to their tallies. The home side briefly responded with points from Karen Hegarty and Anna Jones. The away side finished strongly though and rubbed more salt in the wounds with 1-03 consecutively in the last ten minutes.
Kilmurray, McCartan and Blundell were all on target, as well as substitute Meabh O’Hara who managed to get the blue half of Mullingar the final goal of the night to seal a twenty-one-point win. A facile victory for Ciaran Kilmurray’s side who progress to the semi-finals as group winners. The saints will face The Downs in two weeks’ time with date, time and venue yet to be confirmed.
A fantastic campaign thus far for our senior ladies. However, they now face the one team who have defeated them this year in The Downs who beat Lomans by eight points earlier in the summer. The blues have a wretched record against The Downs and know a much better performance would be needed against them to potentially progress to a first senior final since 2017. The other semi-final sees Milltown face St Mary’s Rochfortbridge, with four strong teams left it really is anybody’s to win.
On the night itself it can be hard to pick out players as was the one-sided nature of the contest. However, Lara McCartan and Muireann Scally were excellent at the back. Shannon Breslin, Katie Kilmurray and Ciara Blundell all did the damage up top. Not the first time it was Kilmurray who stood head and shoulders among the rest, ending up with 1-05 on the night, even with a bit of harsh physical treatment from some of the Shamrocks defenders. On a final note, it was brilliant to see the three goals all coming from girls still playing at minor grade or younger and is a credit to our academy.
Team; Jane McKenna, Aileen Martin, Muireann Scally, Lara McCartan, Katie Dunne, Megan Ennis, Ellen Kilmurray, Caoimhe Kilmurray (0.03), Vicky Carr (0.03), Laura Murphy, Lucy McCartan (0.03), Ciara Blundell (0.03), Sandra McGrath, Shannon Breslin (1.01), Katie Kilmurray (1.05). Subs used; Annie Kilmurray, Meabh O’Hara (1.00), Keelie Mulderry, Eve Scally, Paige Matthews, Shauna Traynor.
Clarkes Bar Junior Championship Quarter Final:
St Lomans Mullingar 2-16 Ballycomoyle 3-06
Last Saturday evening in a wind swept Ballyncargy our junior men faced Ballycomoyle in the junior championship quarter final. Thrown in was delayed due to the first quarter final between Mullingar Shamrocks and St Joseph’s going to extra-time, where Joseph’s narrowly came out on top. The Blues had the aid of a strong breeze at their back and managed to hit the first five scores of the match.
David Morgan and Tristan Graham pointed in between a Chris Gilbert treble to put their team in the driving seat. Ballycomoyle got off the mark for a point but the saints responded with a goal at the far end, Daniel McCann managed to manufacture some space, and his low shot found it’s way into the net for the first of five goals of the day.
The teams exchanged a pair of points afterwards with McCann and Gilbert adding to their tallies. Further points from Cillian Plunkett and Eoghan O’Keefe gave the saints a strong cushion before Ballycomoyle were awarded a lifeline. Tommy Doyle’s shot was judged to have been blocked by a foot, referee Brendan Keena point the spot with no hesitation and the resulting penalty was converted leaving six points between the teams at the interval.
The second period brought about a lull in the scoring with significantly less scores in the third quarter. In the first twenty minutes it was just two points apiece with Lomans scores coming from McCann and Tadhg Kenny. Chris Gilbert briefly increased the lead with a placed ball but Tommy Doyle managed to bundle the ball into the net the other end to set up a nervous finish. A point a moment later for Ballycomoyle meant it was back to a one score game with eight minutes left on the clock.
However, Tristan Graham popped up with two vital scores at the opposite end to give Adam Carroll’s side a much-needed cushion. The game was all but sealed when Daniel McCann found Tadhg Kenny with a beautiful pass. Kenny, lively as ever, thought quickly and found substitute Thomas Meehan with a quick-free kick and Meehan rounded the goalkeeper before roofing the ball into the back of the Ballycomoyle net.
McCann capped a man of the match performance with two phenomenal scores to finish. Ballycomoyle got a late consolation goal at the far end as a long ball went past Rory Matthews inadvertently off one of the Lomans defenders. However, it wasn’t to matter as the saints ran out seven-point victors. Ballycomoyle were fortunate to finish the match with fifteen the full complement after some very high challenges, including one on Mark Tunney, who luckily escaped unscathed.
On the night it was an impressive final quarter from the Mullingar side who showed great character after conceding the second goal, particularly against the wind. Gerry Grehan, Riley Sheahan defended valiantly. Tristan Graham was superb going forward and ended up with three points. Ryan Jones’ nous was key in the middle of the park. Chris Gilbert performed well, as did Mark Tunney but it was the match winner Daniel McCann with 1-06 that was the difference between the teams.
Well done to Adam Carroll and his team who now face CFCW in two weeks’ time on a weekend of semi-finals. Date, time and venue are still to be confirmed.
Team; Rory Matthews, Gerry Grehan, Sean Kelly, Riley Sheahan, Shane Mulderry, Conor Regan, Tristan Graham (0.03), Ryan Jones, Cillian Plunkett (0.01), Daniel McCann (1.04, 0.02f), Eoghan O’Keefe (0.01), Chris Gilbert (0.05, 0.03f), Mark Tunney, David Morgan (0.01), Tadhg Kenny (0.01). Subs used; Thomas Meehan (1.00), Tom Dorr.
Fixtures:
Sunday 22nd September
Minor Boys Championship Semi-Final:
St Lomans Mullingar vs Mullingar Shamrocks at 12pm in Springfield
Club Lotto:
Draw Date: Monday 9th September
This week’s jackpot: €4,500.00
Numbers drawn: 1,14,21,26
No Jackpot winner
Lucky dip winders (€50 each): Gary Kiernan and Orla Cleary
Next week’s jackpot: €4,600.00
Next Week’s Draw Date: Monday 16th September
Remember it could be you!
