Mullingar Shamrocks crush poor effort from The Downs
Monday night football came to Cusack Park, and to be honest, on this display it should remain an American football preserve.This senior football championship game was poor in the extreme at times and Shamrocks were worthy winners. But it was the lack of passion or heart from their local rivals that was most disappointing. One always associates The Downs with steely determination but it was sadly lacking on Monday night and when one considers that this could have put them in the frame for a playoff place it makes it all the more remarkable. Shamrocks for their part were thorough and effective without ever being brilliant and the score line could have been even more emphatic if they had taken two glorious goal chances when they opened up The Downs defence. Shamrocks are now guaranteed a playoff spot while for The Downs it's down to results on the last weekend but on this display they will struggle greatly.Ironically it was The Downs that got the opening score when Shane Power pointed after two minutes but a Fiachra Spellman free and then a lovely point from Simon Quinn put Shamrocks ahead. Tommy Cleary levelled matters with a trademark point and The Downs took the lead again when John Smyth hit a beauty. Donal Donoghue and Ciaran Curley combined to set Quinn up for a nice score and Quinn put the Green and Whites ahead with a superb score from a very narrow angle. Quinn then found Conor Twomey with a short free and the midfielder made it three in a row for Shamrocks. Shamrocks were on a roll now and Quinn added a fisted point when a goal was definitely an option to put three between the sides. The Downs needed a score badly and Noel Molloy obliged with a wonderful score from distance and they went in at the break just a single point in arrears when Barry Conroy pointed a free after some poor defence by Shamrocks but that was the end of the scoring in what was an instantly forgettable first half where neither side showed any signs of being in the hunt for the Flanagan Cup.Shamrocks certainly upped the ante at the start of the second half and Quinn was again the instigator as he burst through a porous Downs defence and should have rattled the net but chose to put teh ball over the bar instead. Quinn added another free moments later and one could sense that teh momentum was swinging considerably in Shamrocks favour and when Ciaran Curley put 4 between teh sides with a lovely solo effort the signs were ominous. It was all Shamrocks at this stage and they began to power on but a Cleary pointed free stopped that momentum momentarily until that man Quinn pointed a 45 metre free.Lorcan Smyth added another monster free to put five points between the sides and at this stage it was damage limitation for the Black and Ambers. Fiachra Spellman and Conor Twomey then combined to set Lorcan Smyth up for a great point that really settled the affair but Shamrocks were not finished yet and Cian O'Leary saw his goalbound shot saved by Ciaran McCormack in The Downs goal only for Spellman to pick up the pieces and settle for a point when another goal was on. Aonghus Smyth then got in on the act when he scored a wonderful point from long range that put eight points between the sides and showed the gulf in class between them on teh night. Anthony Clinton did have the ball in teh Downs net but he was called back for over carrying and the game just kind of drifted to its inevitable conclusion and Greg Crowley got a consolation for The Downs with a point almost on the stroke of full time but it was too little too late and Shamrocks sailed home with plenty in hand.The Downs were poor on the night and they will know that more than anyone and but for some fine football from goalie McCormack, Ben Hogan, Crowley and Tommy Cleary then this could have been a massacre. For Shamrocks its job done and Quinn, Mark Irwin, Gareth Doyle and the Curley brothers, Michael and Ciaran were excellent and with many players due back from the USA they may yet have a say in the destination of the Flanagan Cup.Scorers: Mullingar Shamrocks - Simon Quinn 0-7, 2 frees, Lorcan Smyth (1 free) and Fiachra Spellman (1 free) 0-2 each, Aonghus Smyth, Conor Twomey and Ciaran Curley 0-1 each. The Downs: Tommy Cleary 0-2, John Smyth, Barry Conroy 1 free, Noel Molloy, Greg Crowley and Shane Power 0-1 each.Mullingar Shamrocks: Phillip Shaw, Eddie Moore, Aaron Purcell, Mark Irwin, Michael Curley, Donal O'Donoghue, Aonghus Smyth, Conor Twomey, Gareth Doyle, Anthony Clinton, Lorcan Smyth, Simon Quinn, Fiachra Spellman, Ciaran Curley, Cian O'Leary. Subs: Gary Corroon for O'Leary 56 mins, Adam Corroon for Spellman 58 minsThe Downs: Ciaran McCormack, Niall Nolan, Mark Dalton, Declan Lynam, Conor Carley, Ben Hogan, Stephen Cleary, John Smyth, Brendan Murtagh, Barry Conroy, Noel Molloy, Greg Crowley, Tommy Cleary, James Conroy, Shane Power. Subs: Sean O'Leary for Carley 36 mins, Stephen Devine for James Conroy 48 mins, David McDermott for Lynam 53 mins.Referee: Damian Maher, Ballynacargy.