This was the most important result of a very busy few days in the club as the victory secured senior status for 2025.A loss to Garrycastle in their home venue on Thursday night and possible relegation from senior ranks would have entered the equation. The team responded brilliantly to the challenge and the players produced their best display of the season to win a rare victory against Garrycastle in their home ground. Mullingar Shamrocks attacked from the start and Susanna Buckley and Emma Morris pointed in the opening minutes but were rocked in the sixth minute when Shannon Mulvihill goaled with one of those dipping shots that goalkeepers hate. Susanna Buckley responded with a point but minutes later the Shamrocks defence was dismantled for the second time and Amelie Henson scored Garrycastle’s second goal. After ten minutes of dominance Mullingar Shamrocks trailed by 2-0 to 0-3. This was the last occasion the defence was exposed and some heroic defending over the next 50 minutes kept the goal-scoring chances to a minimum. Melek Fagan, Siobhan O’Donnell, Sophie Hegarty and Annmarie O’Reilly defended fiercely; Chloe Swarbrigg found time to move upfield and landed two points. A great Katie Kelly save prevented an Elaine McGovern goal and a brilliant block-down by Sinead Sweeney foiled Amelie Henson. Karen Hegarty and Elaine McGovern swopped points, Shannon Mulvihill and Grace Halligan pointed frees before Anna Jones and Karen combined to engineer Shamrocks’ opening goal. Anna’s quickly taken free was popped to Karen who blasted to the net for a vital goal (2-3 to 1-5). Grace Daly equalized and Chloe Swarbrigg moved up-field and pointed to give Shamrocks a half-time lead of 1-7 to 2-3.
A Rachel Cheevers point extended Shamrocks lead following the restart and this was followed by points from Anna Jones (0-2) and Karen Hegarty. Grace Halligan pointed for Garrycastle and a great run by the dangerous Lorraine Duncan ended with a point by Clodagh McCahey (2-5 to 1-12). The next score was crucial and began deep in the Shamrocks full back line. Melek Fagan made a brilliant tackle to recover a ball she had loaned to a Garrycastle forward. Melek broke from defence and found Anna Jones who soloed past several players and found Karen Hegarty who was pulled down for a penalty. Cliodhna Murtagh brilliantly saved Anna’s kick but Anna collected the rebound and blasted the ball to the net despite Cliodhna’s efforts to keep it out. A foul on Grace Daly (one of many of the night as Grace tortured the Garrycastle defence with her ability on the ball) and the resultant free was quickly taken by Susanna Buckley who found Chloe Swarbrigg, in her attacking centre-back mode and Chloe scored her second point of the night (2-13 to 2-5). Grace Halligan pointed a free but Chloe Smullen had a matching score – a great effort from play. Grace Daly and Chloe Smullen combined but Chloe’s shot was well saved by Clodhna Murtagh. Sarah Dolan and Grace Halligan completed the scoring for Garrycastle before another episode of combined play produced the final score of the night - a Karen Hegarty goal. The move began with good defending and a save by Katie Kelly and involved Melek, Anna Jones, Grace Daly, Chloe Smullen and eventually Karen who shot to the net. At the final whistle, the scoreboard read 3-14 to2-8 and senior status was guaranteed for 2024. There were a lot of happy Shamrocks players and supporters in Garrycastle on Thursday evening as the attached pictures illustrate.
Mullingar Shamrocks: Katie Kelly; Melek Fagan, Siobhan O’Donnell, Sophie Hegarty; Sinead Sweeney (Jenna Kelly), Chloe Swarbrigg (0-2), Annmarie O’Reilly; Anna Jones (1-4), Rachel Cheevers (0-1); Emma Morris (0-1), Mairéad Newman, Zara Corroon (Chloe Smullen 0-1); Grace Daly (0-1), Karen Hegarty (2-2), Susanna Buckley (0-2) [Holy McCormack].
