By Finian Coghlan

MULLINGAR 45

PORTARLINGTON 7

With possibly the best 15 they turned out all season, Mullingar 1^st XV brought the big style to the carpet on Sunday when they ran in seven tries and showed what could just be possible with a little bit of cohesion and no Multy could do for a season.

I’m sure Henno won’t mind playing second fiddle on this issue but by far the greatest gift the All-Ireland finalists showed Mullingar RFC was the dazzling display of young Sean Rock, who marked his notable debut for the Scarlet and Dove Greys with a delicious try and the promise of a hape more.

Like Arthur before him, his slight of physique belied his tenacity and he was like a troublesome wasp in the faces of some of the hairier he’s likely to face, but it was water off the duck’s back to the gossin, as he thrived in the space his more experienced teammates opportuned him.

But he was far from the only monster, as the returning Alex Moran, the evergreen Quinn, the Brabagant and the horse that is Liddy enjoyed their finest afternoon of the season. Quinn was first to spot a gap inside two minutes, and when he broke through in midfield and flashed right through Butler, Maxwell and Gantly, Brabazon was on the end of the lovely hands for the opener. Happy days we thought, until the 16^th minute when the collective nod-off landed again and Portdarlington sucker punched them with a quick tap and drive through for the only lead they had all day. Two minutes later, Mullingar were lucky not to be done with an intercept, but that was to be their last fright. Henno was next to go close when he was held up after an Alex Moran break on the half hour, but this pressure was to pay a few phases later when Liddy backed himself on a tap penalty just five out and his stretch was enough for a lead they held to half time.

First minute of the second half and Stewie Flynn pinged a doozie right to the corner.

Cillian Kavanagh had a huge rob and the flashed ball should have been strolled in but for a little bit of rubber bosom on Gantly. No matter. Kavanagh did it again on their clearance lineout and Mullingar were back in striking. A super release from Rock to Flynn who found Brabazon on an unstoppable line and he sauntered through for his second of what was now turning into a comfortable afternoon. The visitors tried bringing some needle, but it wasn’t enough.

In the 57^th minute Alex Moran again got some go-forward ball, and the pace of the recycle allowed Maxwell in for the bonus point. Despite his hattrick down there, Eoghan Moore was very quiet on Sunday until the hour mark when Liddy opened him up at some pace down the left touchline. Though he was snaffled it looked like he had let off Brabby for his hattrick, only for the ref to ping him back for a marginally forward pass. But this was the way Mullingar were going.

In the 69^th minute Quinn made another great break with Glennon on one shoulder and Rock on the other, but his looper to the gossin just misjudged his oncoming pace, and another one got away. The big fella, however, made up for this minor misadjustment only a minute later when he got on the tail steerage of a pushover.

Straight from the kick off Liddy made a huge gain and again tried to give the debutant his cherry-breaker but Rock knocked on with the line a-begging.

Then, with just four remaining Quinn went and did it again. After a mighty Maxwell break he fed the heft in some space, before he threw an enormous dummy to the accompanying Darragh Lambe and waltzed into the corner for his second. It looked like job done, but they hadn’t got the kid his score just yet. From the kick-off Quinn took it out of the sky and fed Maxwell. He made yards, before Liddy and Brabazon did their bit before popping to the effervescent Rock in support, and this one he held on to for a debut try under the sticks.

Forthcoming fixtures

Mullingar are free now for a fortnight until the arrival of Co Carlow on March 4, before they go to Cill Dara a week later for their final game of the season.

Team: 1.Johnny Moran, 2. Henry ‘Henno’ Reilly, 3. Ben Glennon, 4. Alex Moran, 5. Daryl Quinn , 6. Cillian Kavanagh, 7. Alex Midic, 8. Paul Maxwell, 9. Sean Rock, 10. Stewie Flynn,  11. Donal Liddy , 12. Alan Brabazon, 13. Eoghan ‘Ganto’ Gantly, 14. Eoghan Moore, 15. Johnny Butler. Subs used: . Darren ‘Daz’ Brady, Ross Tormey Paddy Daly, Darragh Lambe.

Scorers:

Tries:  Brabazon (2), Quinn (2), Liddy, Maxwell, Rock.

Cons: Flynn (5).

Try scorers (18.2.18): Eoghan Moore, Nikki Feery , Donal Liddy (8) Ruth Daniels, Paul Maxwell, Daryl Quinn (4), Ellen Taite, Paddy Daly, Alan Brabazon (3) Darren Brady, Muireann Scally, Dara Gorman, Katie Layde,  Niamh Kennedy, Darragh Lambe (2), Darach Geraghty, Ben Glennon, Cillian ‘Fish’ Daly, Danny Purcell , Darren Loughrey, Alan Donoghoe, Colin Fallon, Robbie Cooney, Ross Tormey, Joe Moran, Sarah ‘Smurf’ Murphy, Aislinn Layde, Sean Rock.