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Seniors clinch Shield final berth

29 April 2002 - Shamrocks secured a berth in the senior final of the Brisbane Shield by beating Souths in the Queensland Gaelic football competition at Willawong over the weekend.

Brisbane's western suburbs Shamrocks will play in their fourth Brisbane Shield final in five years thanks to a comprehensive 14-point win, 2-10-16 to 0-2-2.

Keegan McCarthy - Shamrocks best first year player last year - was best on ground by controlling the midfield, while also surging forward to score two points.

Another second year player Matt Scandrett (pictured) was also amongst the best. Stuart Meiklejohn, who moved from the backs to the forwards for the first time, scored 1 goal 2 points.

Shamrocks seniors will play the defending Brisbane Shield champions John Mitchels in the final, probably on Sunday 26th May.

The Shamrocks reserves side went down to Souths despite tireless play by Rick Finell in the midfield.

The mens teams next play on May 12 against East Celts.

Shamrocks ladies extended their worst start in team history to just one win from four games by losing by a solitary point to Souths.

Sally Cooper and Shelly Matcham were best for Shamrocks, who squandered the opportunity to win by kicking around 25 wides. A highly talented Shamrocks still enjoyed more scoring shots but lost 1-5-8 to 3-0-9.

The ladies play Sarsfields this Sunday, before starting all over again when the league proper starts the following week.

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Shamrocks thumped in top-of-the-table clash

22 April 2002 - Brisbane's western suburbs Shamrocks Gaelic Football club were swept aside in Brisbane Shield matches at Willawong over the weekend.

Shamrocks lost matches in all three divisions to the John Mitchels club, including a 19-point thumping by the defending senior mens Brisbane Shield champions in their top-of-the-table clash.

Despite good play by Matthew Ireland, David Shakovskoy and Darren Bell, and a goal from Matt Walsh, Shamrocks lost 1-2-5 to 4-12-24 to fall to second place on the ladder, behind the victors.

Shamrocks also went down to John Mitchels in the reserves mens for the first time in three years. Shane O'Rourke, from the Simonstown club in Navan, County Meath, Ireland, scored a goal for Shamrocks on debut, while John Collins was the team's best player in the 11 point loss.

In the most keenly contested match, Shamrocks ladies lost to John Mitchels by 3 points by virtue of conceding a late goal, and despite outstanding play from Shelly Matcham (pictured left) and 1 goal 3 points from Renee Moynihan.

Although the match was of very high standard, the 3-8-17 to 4-8-20 defeat dropped Shamrocks ladies to 1 win 2 losses and fourth place - the worst start to a season in team history.

They have maintained the high calibre scoring of previous years, but the 36 points conceded is also the worst in team history at this stage of the season, which suggests defence be the focus once the league season gets underway next month.

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Kells footballers save Shamrocks

15 April 2002 - Shamrocks are thanking the tiny Kilmainham Gaelic Football Club in Kells, County Meath, Ireland, after securing two close wins in Brisbane Shield matches at Willawong over the weekend.

The local club from Brisbane's western suburbs grabbed a win in the reserves against reigning Queensland reserve champions Harps thanks to a goal in the dying minutes by Saran Jackson (pictured), from the tiny Kilmainham club - the smallest in County Meath and one of the smallest in all of Ireland.

Then the Shamrocks senior team survived a scare against Sarsfields after Matt Walsh, who spent the 1999 season in Ireland with Kilmainham, scored a goal with five minutes remaining to put Shamrocks into the lead for a narrow win.

Walsh's uncle Patsy Walsh last year captained Kilmainham to the County Meath Junior B Gaelic football cup. Another Kilmainham player, Terry Reilly, last year played in Australia and set two scoring records for Shamrocks.

Shamrocks' senior team remained undefeated after two weeks thanks to their five point win over Sarsfields 1-6-9 to 0-4-4.

The team's reigning best and fairest player David Shakovskoy was again the best afield at full back, well supported by Andrew Meiklejohn and Stuart Meiklejohn.

Shamrocks reserves team beat Harps by a solitary point 2-4-10 to 1-6-9 as Rick Finnell was outstanding at centre halfback, and quality play from Tim Mapley and Ronan O'Mahoney down field. (Action pictured left)

Queensland's champion Shamrocks ladies ended their seven game winning streak, and their two game streak against powerhouse Harps, when they lost to last year's Queensland championship final opponents Harps by eight points, 0-2-2 to 2-4-10.

That was despite good play from World Cup champion Angie Doyle, rookie Amy Buchanan in goals, and Patty Preece.

Shamrocks play the strong John Mitchels club in all divisions at Willawong on Sunday. Training continues at the Jindalee Recreational Reserve, Wongaburra Street, Jindalee, every Wednesday night from 7:00pm.

Shamrocks are proudly sponsored by Irish O'Hanlons at Kenmore and East Coast Gravel.

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Scoring records.

Champion Shamrocks start with a win

8 April 2002 - Shamrocks ladies started the defense of their Queensland Gaelic Football championship with a strong defeat of East Celts at Willawong over the weekend.

The reigning Queensland champions recorded their biggest score against last year's Brisbane Shield finalists for two years by winning 8-15-39 to 1-3-6. Shamrocks enjoyed eight individual scorers.

Renee Moynihan starred with 2 goals 2 points in her comeback game for Shamrocks after 18 months off the field due to a knee reconstruction.

Moynihan was an Australasian All-star for Queensland in 2000, the same year that she won the Queensland under 18 best and fairest award. In 1999 she set two scoring records for Shamrocks, both of which still stand. This was her first match since her stunning 2000 season. See scoring records.

Bronwyn Bassett was outstanding for Shamrocks over the weekend as top scorer against East Celts with a career-high 2 goals 3 points, doubling her previous career total.

Shelly Matcham was also amongst the best on ground by controlling play from midfield, and scoring two points of her own.

Also over the weekend, Shamrocks senior mens defeated last year's championship finalists East Celts in a walkover. In the resultant trial match, former Australasian under 18 All-star Mark Smith was best on ground for Shamrocks, along with County Roscommon's Raymond Concar.

In the mens reserves match, East Celts beat Shamrocks in the season-opener for the second consecutive year, winning 4-4-16 to 0-3-3.

Brendan Scandrett enjoyed an excellent debut for Shamrocks and scored one point, while Chris Bell remained solid at halfback, in a match in which one player from each team was sent off.

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