All-Whites prepare for semi-final replay

MOATE ALL-WHITES will reignite their quest for a return to the intermediate ranks of Westmeath Gaelic football, when they face Mullingar Shamrocks in their KC Marketing Westmeath JFC semi-final replay this Sunday at Shandonagh (12noon). With Kilbeggan Shamrocks awaiting the winners in the final, after their 1-9 to 1-7 win over Milltown last weekend (see this week's Westmeath Independent for match report), Moate will be desperate to pick-up where they left off last time out, when Shamrocks held a seemingly comfortable six-point advantage with only three minutes of normal time remaining, only for Moate to somehow produce a miracle comeback to force a draw. The 65th minute conversion of a penalty by Eoghan Dalton levelled last weekend's encounter, played at Cusack Park, and rescued Moate's campaign. Dalton contributed 1-1 to Moate's overall score of 3-9 last weekend, with the other goals coming from Cian Bradley and substitute David Minnock. However, the All-Whites, senior county champions as recently as 1997, will know their overall performance must be more sustained this weekend, if they are to reach the decider against Kilbeggan. Elsewhere this weekend, Garrycastle will be interested onlookers as Mullingar Shamrocks and St Loman's do battle in their Westmeath SFC semi-final replay. Garrycastle recently saw-off Maryland in the semi-final stage, and are awaiting the outcome of Sunday's replay (to be held at Cusack Park at 5.15pm). A victory for Shamrocks will set-up the third successive county final meeting of Garrycastle and Mullingar Shamrocks (both won by the Athlone side), while Garrycastle also defeated St Loman's in the 2009 final.