Shamrocks up and running with easy win over weakened Clonbullogue

SHAMROCKS certainly won't be and shouldn't be reading much into their run away first round Senior Football Championship win over a weakened and off the pace Clonbullogue in Mucklagh on Sunday afternoon.

Tullamore Court Hotel Senior Football Championship Group 2 Round 1

Shamrocks 4-18

Clonbullogue 1-4

A club with serious ambitions of getting into the title mix, Shamrocks' win looked impressive on first examination and it was a satisfactory result and overall display. However, any watching mentors from their opponents won't have seen anything to frighten them either or be pressing any panic buttons ahead of facing them – even if the scoreline suggests otherwise.

It was a good win and they did what they had to do but didn't play that well in the first half and it was really in the closing quarter that they opened up full daylight at a stage when all resistance had left a very vulnerable Clonbullogue side.

The first focus for Shamrocks was to win this game, not to make any slip ups against a side that were missing too many players to have even an outside chance – county midfielder Jack McEvoy was suspended after getting red carded in a challenge game a few weeks ago. He will also miss their must win parish derby against Bracknagh in the next round while the loss of Ruari O'Neill was also a cruel blow. O'Neill has a groin injury and his importance to Clonbullogue is considerable as he is the fulcrum of their attack while Peter Byrne and Peter Bennett were all on a long injury list.

Even with a full team, Shamrocks would be expected to win this with a few points to spare and in these circumstances a defeat would be a complete disaster.

It has been a dispiriting weekend for the parish neighbours of Bracknagh and Clonbullogue. Bracknagh managed just six points, one from play, in their defeat by Tullamore on Saturday evening and Clonbullogue fared no better here, scoring just 1-4 and also getting just one point from play – a 39^th minute score from Joe Foran.

The winners of their game will make the quarter-finals but both were a mile off top level championship pace this weekend. In fairness to Clonbullogue, they just couldn't afford so many absentees and all their eggs were really in Keith O'Neill's basket. He was excellent at times but Shamrocks knew if they stopped him, they would win and they did this effectively, starving him of ball for long periods and quickly closing him down when he did get on the ball.

It was a pity that Clonbullogue were down so many. They fulfilled a long held ambition by winning senior “B” and getting to senior last year but were down to many good players to put their best foot forward and give a good account of themselves in this.

Shamrocks weren't great in the first half. They dominated play and controlled the game but their attacking play often let a bit to be desired. The game should have been over as a contest after fifteen minutes and a 0-6 to 0-1 lead at that stage in no way reflected the amount of ball they had in advanced forward territory. The wasted chances and should have got at least one goal – Alan Heffernan drew a very good save from Cian Corcoran while the back in action Kieran Dolan had a great chance blocked in the 18^th minute.

As often happens in these cases, Clonbullogue got back into it against the run of play when Sean Mooney fouled Keith O'Neill and the Offaly star slotted home the penalty in the 22^nd minute. Suddenly the gap was only two points, 0-7 to 1-2 but even with that, there was no real cause for Shamrocks concern and we knew they had another gear.

Their work rate and intensity levels were not quite right for a lot of the opening twenty minutes or so but they slipped from third into fourth gear coming up to half time. Alan Heffernan got a 28^th minute goal and a 1-9 to 1-2 interval lead was always going to a winning one for Shamrocks.

Clonbullogue continued to battle in the third quarter, even though their chances of victory were as close to nil as you will get in a football match. They were 1-12 to 1-3 behind when Paddy Dunican punched a 47^th minute goal, Jack Bryant unselfishly popping the ball across when he could have taken it on himself, and Clonbullogue's heads finally dropped after this.

Dunican, the Offaly senior goalkeeper but playing at corner forward here, got a carbon copy of that goal in the 52^tnd minute, Alan Heffernan the provider this time and Shamrocks did as they wished late on. The points flowed over and Johnny O'Toole-Greene, back at home after a few years abroad, put the seal on a solid display with an injury time goal but when Shamrocks' joint managers Brian Kinnarney and John Monaghan sit down to analyse this game in the coming weeks, they would probably be better to spend their time on the first rather than the closing quarter.

MATCH ANALYSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

Kieran Dolan (Shamrocks): Nigel Dunne showed terrific opportunism in the Shamrocks' attack, showing his vast experience and scoring six of his ten points from play. There was a huge amount of ball going in and it was set up for Dunne to make hay on a day when Jack Bryant got a lot of possession but didn't have his shooting eye in, apart from a late two pointer.

Shamrocks built a powerful foundation from the back. Sean Mooney was excellent in the first half when Clonbullogue were competitive, apart from conceding the penalty, while Shane O'Toole-Greene and Padraig Cantwell became increasingly prominent as the game wore on.

Scott Delaney did a lot of very good work at midfield but it boils down to a choice between David O'Rourke and Kieran Dolan. O'Rourke is developing into a real force of nature, a very good reader of the game and with the physicality to win all sorts of ball and drive out with it. He was superb here but Kieran Dolan gets the nod on this occasion.

There is a touch of sentiment in this decision but only a small bit and it is also on merit. It is Dolan's first championship game since he suffered a brutal knee injury against Ferbane three years ago. He has had to do serious work to get back, a lot of it on his own, and the desire he has shown to play football can be held up as an example to all young players. He had a great first half here in particular when he read the game well, broke ball intelligently, attacked at pace, scored a point, got in for a goal chance and linked very well with colleagues. He defended solidly throughout and while he tired a bit late on, he could afford it at that stage and will get better and better with games – this player deserves a long injury free run and hopefully he gets it.

There wasn't many positives for Clonbullogue to grasp. Keith O'Neill did what he could and Cian Corcoran did very well in goals before going off after a heavy knock but they were well and truly outclassed.

THE SCORERS

Shamrocks: Nigel Dunne 0-10 (4f), Paddy Dunican 2-1, Johnny O'Toole-Greene and Alan Heffernan 1-0 each, Scott Delaney and Jack Bryant (1 2p) 0-2 each, David O'Rourke, Shane O'Toole-Greene, Kieran Dolan 0-1 each.

Clonbullogue: Keith O'Neill 1-2 (goal from a penalty, 1 '45' and 1f), Jamie Guing (1f) and Joe Foran 0-1 each.

THE TEAMS

SHAMROCKS: Sean O'Toole; Sean Mooney, David O'Rourke, Adam Keyes; Shane O'Toole-Greene, Padraig Cantwell, Kieran Dolan; Scott Delaney, Johnny O'Toole-Greene; David O'Toole-Greene, Alan Heffernan, Dan Heffernan; Jack Bryant, Nigel Dunne, Paddy Dunican. Subs – Darragh Bryant for Dan Heffernan (45m), Gary Hutchinson for Keyes (54m).

CLONBULLOGUE: Cian Corcoran; Ryan Dempsey, Ian Curry, Diarmuid O'Neill; David Dempsey, Harry Judge, Tommy Dempsey; Jamie Quinn, Lee Dempsey; Martin Judge, Joe Foran, Cian O'Neill' Jamie Guing, Keith O'Neill, Daryl Quinn. Subs – Eoghan Kinsella for Judge (HT), Shane O'Brien for David Dempsey (HT), Aaron Allen for Corcoran, inj. (46m), Darragh Hickey for Jamie Quinn ((53m), Martin Judge for Tommy Dempsey (55m), Martin Feeney for Lee Dempsey (55m).

Referee – Eamon O'Connor (Ballycommon).

REFEREE WATCH

Refereeing games is not an easy task now and Eamon O'Connor had to deal with a lot of comments and suggestions from the sideline. It steered clear of abuse which was good but there was a cascade of wannabee referees all over the place. This has been very noticeable at games this weekend and clubs need to rein it in – referees also have the scope to give a 13 metre frees for comments by mentors and it would not be a bad thing if this was used more as it would certainly stop it.

Linesman Sean O'Donoghue also had plenty of people telling him about three man breaches during the second half and they were wrong on a few of the occasions. He did miss one Clonbullogue breach early in the second half alright when he was discussing something with a Clonbullogue mentor but again, it is not always helpful to have a few people roaring at an official about a breach. It might draw attention to one but the people shouting are regularly mistaken and the linesmen and officials have a lot to do, including following the play.

In general, the three man rule is enforcing itself as clubs don't want to get caught out and linesmen and umpires do need to be vigilant with it but clubs need to curtail the way they are interacting with officials in both codes and at all grades.

Eamon O'Connor refereed this very well. He got the vast majority of decisions correct and there were no issues.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Alan Heffernan's 28^th minute goal was important as it gave a more realistic reflection of the way play was going and Shamrocks effectively had the points in the bag at half time.

VENUE WATCH

Shamrocks have done a lot of work in Mucklagh in recent years and their facilities were looking very well. They had loads of help to ensure the fixture was well hosted and managed the traffic very well. They looked after the requirements of all people very well, including the teams, match officials and media and a lot of clubs are making great efforts to do that this year.

The home and away arrangements is working very well in all championships and the only negative is that there is an expectation among some home supporters that they shouldn't have to pay into their home venue. This is happening everywhere and while County Board officers are on hand to help out and oversee in a lot of venues, they are fully aware of supporters being allowed in free at venues in most games. It is hard on home clubs to charge some people but this is the only issue that needs to be addressed with home venues – the majority of supporters will get their tickets online in advance.

WHAT'S NEXT

Clonbullogue welcome Bracknagh in a pivotal parish derby next Sunday while Shamrocks make the short journey to O'Connor Park to face Tullamore on August 30.

STATISTICS

Wides: Shamrocks – 9 (4 in first half); Clonbullogue - 4 (3 in first half).

Yellow cards: Shamrocks – 1 (Sean Mooney); Clonbullogue – 1 (Jamie Quinn).

Black cards: 0

Red cards: 0