Shamrocks News

28 Aug 2005 - Paul McGovern set two new team records as Shamrocks won its last match in the senior mens Queensland Gaelic Football League for the second time in a week at Willawong at the weekend.

The Shamrocks A team confirmed its League title by beating John Mitchels midweek, and now Shamrocks B also finished the league with a win as McGovern set new team records with four goals and a total score of 12 points.

Shamrocks B 5-7 (22) defeated Harps 2-4 (10) with its third highest wining margin of all-time.

Best were McGovern, Nathan Bazely, and Sam Eastwood.

McGovern, who eclipsed the marks set by Billy Rockett earlier this season, has scored a phenomenal six goals in his last two games.

The Shamrocks A team now play Sarsfields in the Queensland Championship semi final on Sunday. Souths play John Mitchels in the other mens semi final. Shamrocks ladies also play Sarsfields in their semi final.

Related links:
Scoring records

League win a world first

24 Aug 2005 - The world’s first female coach of a senior mens Gaelic football team is now the first to win a League title, after Brisbane’s Shamrocks confirmed its League status at Willawong midweek.

Pullenvale’s Jacqueline Peacock guided the Shamrocks A team 1-7 (10) to beat John Mitchels 1-4 (7) and confirm the side’s Queensland League title, after earlier in the week finishing on top of the ladder on points difference.

Jacqueline’s world-first comes after making front page news in Ireland earlier in the year when she became the first female to coach a senior mens Gaelic football team.

In recent years of ladies football, she coached Queensland to the Australasian Championship, coached two Queensland Championships, and as a player was two-time Queensland captain, best and fairest, three-time Australasian all-star, and won a World Cup.

Her Brisbane western suburbs mens team is now undefeated since June, and enters the coveted Queensland Championship competition as number one seed.

This was Shamrocks’ first League title since 1998 when coached by the great Jimmy Walsh, and its sixth League win in twenty-two years.

John Mitchels led by a point when they goaled early in the second half, but Shamrocks responded through Johnny McErlean who lobbed the goal keeper, after a fine pass from 17-year-old corner back Laurie Bere.

Best for Shamrocks were centre back Dave O’Malley, wing back Anthony Fowler, and corner forward McErlean who led the scoring with 1-1, supported by Matt Walsh on 0-2.

The win also gave Shamrocks the mens 2005 GAA Trophy, to be the first club to win both these mens and ladies less-significant titles in the same year.

Both teams had players who suffered serious injuries in the match, which was the first-ever play-off for the Queensland League title. Best wishes to all players for a speedy recovery.

Shamrocks A now advance direct to the Championship semi final on 4 September, while Shamrocks B play Harps in a block-buster play-off at 10:30am this Sunday morning.

With the B Team also scheduled to play a Championship quarter final on Sunday afternoon, that makes them the ironmen on the competition, scheduled to play four games in eight days.

Ladies eyeing the Championship

21 Aug 2005 - Shamrocks ladies will take winning form into the 2005 Championship after a record score to finish the Queensland Gaelic Football League campaign at Willawong at the weekend.

Defenders Megan White and Casey Sharpe (pictured) ironically were best as Shamrocks 5-14 (29) beat Harps 4-15 (27), in the highest ever score against the traditional power team. Trish Brown was outstanding at centre forward with 2-3.

The 29-point total matched the winning score against Harps back in May this year, and is only beaten by 32 points against a combined a Souths-Harps team in 1998.

The win also gave Shamrocks the ladies 2005 GAA Trophy.

Despite the weekend result, Harps won the League title, while Shamrocks finished second. Both teams advance direct to the Championship semi finals, with the final on 11 September at Gaelic Park, Willawong.

In the mens competition, Shamrocks A 4-17 (29) beat Shamrocks B 3-3 (12) to remain unbeaten since June, and finish the League on top of the ladder ahead of John Mitchels on points difference.

However, the Shamrocks A team now face a likely extra game to play-off against John Mitchels to decide the League title.

Neither Shamrocks A nor John Mitchels can be sure of its seeding for the Championship until the outcome of that game. In the meantime, Shamrocks B play Souths in the first round of the 2005 Championship on Sunday.

In the all-Shamrocks match at the weekend, the A team’s Matt Mayo was best scoring 2-7, along with Dave O’Malley at centre back. For the B team, midfielder Sam Eastwood was outstanding, supported by full forward Paul McGovern, corner back Robin Arman.

Shamrocks head for League title

14 Aug 2005 - Shamrocks battled adversity for a thrilling draw at the weekend, and are now in the box seat to win the Queensland Gaelic Football League for the first time in seven years.

Defenders Anthony Fowler (pictured), Dave O’Malley and Dave McNeilly were best as the Shamrocks A team 0-8 (8) drew with John Mitchels 0-8 (8), despite leading players spending time on the sidelines in a hotly contested encounter.

Shamrocks A and John Mitchels are tied at the top of the League standings, but Shamrocks enjoy a significant points-difference advantage.

Shamrocks held a two point lead midway through the second half when mid-fielder Matt Mayo was sin-binned, opening the door for decisive Mitchels aerial play.

Two-time Australasian minors Best and Fairest winner Cameron Carney then left the field unconscious with 10 minutes remaining, as Shamrocks battled hard for the result that may be enough to secure its first League title since 1998.

Paul Daly, Carney, and Shane Gormley each kicked two points apiece for the Shamrocks A team.

Only a match against sixth-placed Shamrocks B on Sunday afternoon remains, while second-placed John Mitchels play third-placed Easts Celts. Training for the two Shamrocks teams at Chelmer on Tuesday night is sure to be hotly contested.

Western suburbs supporters are now dreaming back seven years to Shamrocks legends like Stevie Talbot and coach Jimmy Walsh, who himself was a star when Shamrocks won back-to-back League and Championship doubles in 1984-1985.

Shamrocks B have dual matches this Sunday with games against Souths and Shamrocks A. With the League winner to be confirmed this week, attention then goes to three weeks of Championship play.

In the ladies match at the weekend, Shamrocks 4-6 (18) drew Souths 3-9 (18) with Renee Moynihan top-scoring with 1-2. Best for Shamrocks were Jacinta Kelly, Casey Sharpe, and Megan White.

Walsh keeps the westside top

7 Aug 2005 - Matt Walsh kept Shamrocks on top of the Queensland Gaelic Football League with a best-on-ground performance against third-placed Souths at Willawong on the weekend.

Walsh and Irish import Shane Gormley (pictured) each scored 1-3 as the western suburbs Shamrocks A team 3-12 (21) beat Souths 2-7 (13) for its fifth consecutive win.

Walsh and Gormley combined well in the forwards, while Luke Devitt led the defence in an outstanding team performance.

This Sunday, the Shamrocks ladies play Souths, Shamrocks B play Harps, while Shamrocks A have the toughest test against John Mitchels, against whom the league-leaders have suffered three consecutive losses stretching back to the Brisbane Shield.

MORE NEWS