Shamrock's great season comes to a shuddering halt

Sometimes score lines tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth and unfortunately for the ladies of Mullingar Shamrocks this result on Saturday in Springfield was just one of those occasions.Outplayed, outmuscled and outscored they were second best to St. James side that made the long journey from Ramsgrange who simply tore the Shamrocks to shreds from an early stage and who pressed home their advantage whenever in possession.Shamrocks were no match for a far slicker and coherent St. James but in fairness to them they kept up the fight right to the final whistle and despite the heavy loss played some good football of their own.Although they can have little complaint with the end result the large band of Shamrocks supporters were baffled by some of the refereeing of Ciaran Groome and his liberal interpretation of the rules of the game but that aside they were a well beaten team long before the final whistle. They simply could not control St. James's full forward Catherine Doyle who finished with a personal tally of 3-7 and was undoubtedly the class act on show. In truth she would be an addition to any male team let alone a ladies' side and her ability to find the ball and then make use of it had the Shamrocks defence chasing shadows at times.In the end a fine season for the girls in green came to an ignominious end but they will reflect on their county title and the fact that they will play Senior Football next year so perhaps this was a game too far.The opening exchanges were dominated by the Wexford ladies and after a couple of poor misses they got on the score board when impressive wing forward Sonia Murphy picked off a lovely point and seconds later Doyle started her one woman demolition mission when she pounced on a defensive mistake to rifle the ball to the net for a super goal.Murphy added another point to that tally when found by a wonderful Doyle pass and in the blink of an eye there were 5 points between the sides.Emma Morris missed a good chance to haul one back but after some poor misses by both sides the same player did get Shamrocks on the board when she pointed a 21 yard free. Another Morris conversion hauled the lead back even further but two quick replies from Doyle nullified that.Sonia Murphy then soloed right through the heart of the Shamrocks defence for a super score and another from Doyle put 7 between the sides. Nadine Conway got one back for Shamrocks but two more from Murphy and another from Doyle put the Wexford side 1-9 to 0-2 ahead at the half time whistle and in truth it was little more than they deserved.Doyle got the first point of the second half for St. James's but the game seemed to turn when after a marvellous Shamrocks move Lisa Burke hit the post when it looked as if it was going in and then St. James keeper Martina McDonald Whitty saved superbly from Karen Hegarty. Morris did get a point from a free but Maeve Kehoe nullified that moments later although it looked like a foul on Shamrocks' Jean Kenny in the build up. Elaine Faughan kept the pressure up with a good team score but all that work was undone when Doyle slotted in two goals in rapid succession, each as good as the other and it really finished the game as a contest.Two more converted frees from Doyle extended the lead further and then sub Sadie Murphy picked off another although the Shamrocks mentors questioned the validity of those frees and in truth they had a point. They became more agitated when their most impressive forward Karen Hegarty was completely upended by an awful trip tackle and there was no censure at all for the perpetrator, a truly bizarre decision.It seemed to only inspire Shamrocks and after a converted free and then a fine solo effort from Emma Morris, Karen Hegarty got the score she deserved when she pointed a super solo effort. The game then became scrappy to say the least and again some of the refereeing decisions were baffling, for both sides as the contest began to peter out to its inevitable conclusion. Morris pointed another fine individual effort before Hegarty burst through and set up Nadine Conway to rifle the ball to the net for a well deserved goal. Jean Kenny then came on the attack but looked fouled and yet the play was allowed continue for Kellie Mullen to pick off a score for St. James's and the final point came from the same player when persistent attack paid dividends with a lovely score that mirrored the difference between the sides and St. James's ran out very comfortable winners.Shamrocks will know that they can play better than this but they seemed slightly overawed by the occasion and in a non contact sport they were out fought, sometimes dubiously it must be said. Lorna Morris had a super game at the back while Lisa Burke, Emma Morris, Nadine Conway, Hegarty and Carol Finch were others to impress but alas they failed to reach the heights of previous days. Sonia Murphy and Catherine Doyle were the chief executors for St. James and between them they scored 3-12 of their tally and indeed many male players would have struggled to hold these two and they thoroughly deserve to be in a Leinster final after this display. For Shamrocks its now Senior football for 2010 and the hard work begins again.ScorersSt. James's: Catherine Doyle 3-7, Sonia Murphy 0-5, Maeve Kehoe 0-2, Kellie Mullen and Sadie Murphy 0-1 each.Shamrocks: Emma Morris 0-6 4 frees, Nadine Conway 1-1, Karen Hegarty and Elaine Faughan 0-1 eachShamrocks: Gemma Leahy, Lorna Morris, Lisa Begley, Emily Turkington, Linda Gilmartin, Niamh Spellman, Jean Kenny, Elaine Faughan, Aoife O'Brien, Emma Morris, Lisa Burke, Aine Melody, Karen Hegarty, Carol Finch, Karen Hegarty sub: Karen Butterly for Begley 51 minsSt. James: Martina McDonald Whitty, Cait Heard, Stephanie Foley, Brid McDonald, Lisa Heard, Breda Doyle, Cait Tubrid, Roisin Donoghue, Aisling Murray, Sonia Murphy, Maeve Kehoe, Kellie Mullen, Brid Kehoe, Catherine Doyle, Patrice Foley Subs: Sadie Murphy for Murray and Aisling Colfer for Brid Kehoe 42 mins, Grainne Ryan for Catherine Doyle 48 mins, Niamh Kennedy for Cait Heard 51 mins, Carmel Wallace for Maeve Kehoe 55 minsReferee: Ciaran Groome (Offaly).