Warde goal swings dour game in Shamrocks’ favour

Mullingar Shamrocks 1-14

Garrycastle 2-6

A mightily relieved Mullingar Shamrocks side had three points to spare over old foes Garrycastle in an uninspiring Westmeath Senior Football Championship game at TEG Cusack Park on Sunday.

Wet conditions contributed to a poor game and it was 2-5 to 0-5 in Garryastle’s favour at the break.

That six-point lead looked good in the circumstances, but Garrycastle managed just a solitary point in the second half, while Mullingar Shamrocks scored 1-9.

The crucial goal came from Jordan Warde, a scrambled effort three minutes into the second half, and from there Mullingar Shamrocks always seemed the more likely as momentum swung in their favour.

In what was a tetchy encounter with a lot of off-the-ball tussling, Garrycastle finished with 14 men after Jack Donoghue picked up a yellow card to go with the earlier black card he had received in the first half.

Garrycastle are still searching for that elusive victory after three rounds and are in real danger of relegation, while Mullingar Shamrocks will look to secure a quarter-final as they move into second place in Section B, along with Moate All Whites.

Cruising

This was no classic: it was an intense, arduous affair. Garrycastle played superior football in the first half and goals from James Sheerin and Eoin Mulvihill gave them a platform. Sheerin fisted home at the second attempt when the ball was delivered from the right after four minutes, while Eoin Mulvihill finished off their second major, after Cathal Mannion did the spade work with 19 minutes on the clock.

The former champions looked to be cruising and Sean Brennan (from placed balls) and Mickey Greene were among the scorers as they established a healthy lead: when Mulvihll goaled they led by 2-4 to 0-3 and Mullingar Shamrocks looked in trouble.

However, the second half saw the Mullingar side take control. After Warde scrambled home that crucial goal (following good work by Conn O’Hanlon), the game turned in their favour and Garrycastle were always going to struggle with 14 men. Patrick Fagan chipped in with a vital score and Denis Corroon showed all his experience to notch crucial frees as the Mullingar resurgence gathered momentum.

The outstanding Efe Siode, who has been a tireless defender for Shamrocks, contributed greatly, too, getting forward to score a point in the 54th minute, while Jordan Warde converted a mark. Dean Moore got in the scoring act, too. Brothers, Brendan and John O’Reilly (sons of former great Mickey O’Reilly) combined for a point in added time.

It wasn’t a game for the purists, but that will not bother the victors. Garrycastle, though, have a mountain to climb after three defeats.

Scorers: Mullingar Shamrocks: J Warde 1-2 (0-1m), D Corroon 0-4 (4f), P Fagan 0-3, D Moore 0-2, E Siode, A Cashman and J O’Reilly 0-1 each. Garrycastle: S Brennan 0-3 (2 ‘45s’; 1f), E Mulvihill and J Sheerin 1-0 each, C Mannion (f), M Greene and B Kilkenny 0-1 each.

Mullingar Shamrocks: Eoin Doran; Marc Eivers, Efe Siode, David Coyne; Killian Daly, David Gavin, Conn O’Hanlon; Denis Corroon, Patrick Fagabn; Lorcan Smyth, Dean Moore, Alan Cashman; Oliver McNamara, Cojonor O’Brien, Jordan Warde. Subs: Brendan O’Reilly for Coyne (44), Zach Aherne for Smyth (45), John O’Reilly for Cashman (55), Dillon Matthews for O’Hanlon (57).

Garrycastle: Sean Brennan, Doron Harte, Jack Donoghue, Gary McCallon, John Gaffey, Bill Kelly, Eoin Mulvihill, Justin Barrett, Cillian Redmond, Eoin Monaghan, Michael Greene, James Dolan, Cathal Mannion, James Sheerin, Mark McCallon. Subs: Jason Nugent for Greene (34), Ben Kilkenny for Redmond (43), Fergal McKiernan for Sheerin (55), Brian Ruane for Monaghan (57).

Ref: Mickey Dan Murtagh (The Downs).