AIB Leinster Club SFC First Round

MOOREFIELD (KILDARE) 2-9 MULLINGAR SHAMROCKS (WESTMEATH) 1-6

By Conor McKenna at TEG Cusack Park

Moorefield advanced to face Portlaoise in the next round of the Leinster Championship, after a six victory over Westmeath champions Mullingar Shamrocks.

Moorefield took a while to get going but when they eventually fired with 10 minutes played they were simply fantastic, showing the sizeable crowd in TEG Cusack Park exactly why they were crowned Leinster Champions last term.

Mullingar Shamrocks opted to operate with a defensive system and It looked to be working in the early stages, with the half forward line being deployed as extra defenders along with one of the inside line.

Moorefield were prepared to go with a very patient build up on the other hand, aiming to pick out the excellent Adam Tyrrell who was simply magnificent, scoring 2-4 throughout the game.

It was the hosts who had the better start to the game, with a place ball effort which was followed u up with an excellent effort from Tye Adamson.

It took until the tenth minute for Moorefield to open their account and the point came courtesy of veteran star Ronan Sweeney, before Niall Hurley Lynch levelled.

Tye Adamson restored his sides advantage, but the games opening goal arrived in the 16th minute, with Adam Tyrrell finishing to the back of the net, after a long ball in from Cian O’Connor, which was a trend of Moorefield’s gameplay throughout.

Adam Tyrrell added further points for Moorefield, before the same player added a second goal which arrived with 25 minutes on the clock, with the Moorefield full forward catching Eanna O’Connor’s delivery and finding the back of the net and Tyrrell added another score before the break to leave the score-board reading 2-5 to 0-4 at half time.

Points from Adam Tyrrell and Eanna O’Connor stretched the gap to nine and at this stage the game looked as good as over.

Shamrocks responded with two further points and the Westmeath champions were given a lifeline when Kieran Gavin was fouled and Dean Moore made no mistake with the finish to reduce the deficit to four points heading into the closing stages.

Two late points from Eanna O’Connor, son of Kerry legend Jack, sealed the victory for Moorefield, who advanced to face Portlaoise in the next round.

Scorers for Mullingar Shamrocks: Dean Moore 1-1 (1-0 pen, 1f), Denis Corroon (1f), and Tye Adamson Tye Adamson (1f) 0-2 each, Paddy Fagan 0-1,

Scorers for Moorefield: Adam Tyrrell 2-4 (1f), Eanna O’Connor 0-3 (2f), Niall Hurley Lynch and Ronan Sweeney 0-1 each.

MULLINGAR SHAMROCKS: Philly Shaw; Eddie Moore, Kieran Gavin, Killian Daly; Efe Siode, Micheal Curley, Paddy Joyce; Denis Corroon, Daragh Daly; Simon Quinn, Paddy Fagan, Alan Cashman; Tye Adamson, Donal O’Donoghue, Dean Moore.

Subs: Billy Flynn for Paddy Joyce (h-t), Aaron Purcell for Alan Cashman (37), Ciaran Curley for Tye Adamson (40), Brendan O’Reilly for Daragh Daly (50), Ross Corroon for Paddy Fagan (63).

MOOREFIELD: Thomas Corley; Liam Callaghan, Liam Healy, Adam Sweeney; Kevin Murnaghan, Anthony Durney, James Murray; Daryl Flynn, Aaron Masterson; Cian O’Connor, Aaron Mullins, Eanna O’Connor; Ronan Sweeney, Adam Tyrrell, Niall Hurley Lynch.

Subs: David Whyte for James Murray (23), Mark McDermott for Niall Hurley Lynch (39), Ian Meehan for Ronan Sweeney (44), Eddie Heavey for Adam Tyrrell (47), Ryan Moore for Aaron Masterson (50), Sean Dempsey for Eanna O’Connor (63).

REFEREE: David Gough (Meath).