Moorefield 2-9 Mullingar Shamrocks 1-6
Moorefield were far from flattered by their six-point winning margin against Mullingar Shamrocks in a sunny but cold TEG Cusack Park on Sunday afternoon.
Ironically, the home team started brightly and were two points clear with six minutes on the clock, courtesy of a Denis Corroon free and a neat score from play by Tye Adamson. But with the Mullingar men ahead 0-3 to 0-2, the Kildare champions pounced for their first goal in the 16th minute, the outstanding Adam Tyrrell finding the net in style.
When the same player doubled his goal tally in similar circumstances in the 25th minute, his side already looked assured of a Leinster quarter-final berth against Portlaoise and they stretched their lead to 2-5 to 0-4 by half-time.
A dull third quarter produced only two points, both to Moorefield from open play via Tyrrell and Eanna O'Connor. Mullingar Shamrocks came right back into contention against the run of play by scoring an unanswered 1-2 between the 48th and 54th minutes. The points were scored by Corroon and Paddy Fagan before a foul on Kieran Gavin resulted in a penalty which was converted by Dean Moore. However, two late frees from Eanna O'Connor wrapped up a comfortable win for the holders, who had David Whyte dismissed in added-time after picking up a black card to go with his earlier yellow.
Moorefield: T Corley; L Callaghan, L Healy, A Sweeney; K Murnaghan, A Durney, J Murray; D Flynn, A Masterson; C O'Connor, A Mullins, E O'Connor (0-3, 0-2 frees); R Sweeney (0-1), A Tyrrell (2-4, 0-1 free), N Hurley Lynch (0-1). Subs: D Whyte for Murray (23 mins), M McDermott for Hurley Lynch (39), I Meehan for Sweeney (45), E Heavey for Tyrrell (47), R Moore for Masterson (50), S Dempsey for E O'Connor (60+3).
Mullingar Shamrocks: P Shaw; E Moore, K Gavin, K Daly; P Joyce, M Curley, E Siode; D Corroon (0-2, 0-1 free), D Daly; S Quinn, P Fagan (0-1), A Cashman; T Adamson (0-2, 0-1 free), D O'Donoghue, D Moore (1-1, 1-0 pen, 0-1 free). Subs: B Flynn for Joyce (h-t), A Purcell for Cashman (37 mins), C Curley for Adamson (39), B O'Reilly for D Daly (50), R Corroon for Fagan (60+3).
Referee: D Gough (Meath).
