Are the castle on the march to more westmeath success
LAST weekend was a fairly positive one for local GAA clubs competing in the various levels of the Westmeath Football Championships.
Garrycastle claimed much of the headlines by securing a place in the semi-finals of the Westmeath Senior FC thanks to a victory against Killucan.
Having struggled to get out of their qualifying group, Dessie Dolan Snr’s side’s chances of reaching the county final were written off in many quarters. However, a spate of recent good form - which has coincided with the return to fitness of the manager’s son, Dessie - has helped the Athlone outfit set-up a semi-final against Coralstown-Kinnegad.
In the weekend’s other quarter-final match, unruly scenes at the final whistle marred the meeting of Tyrrellspass and Mullingar Shamrocks in Cusack Park. A very disappointing quarter-final failed to live up to pre-match hype last Saturday evening, with a controversial last-gasp free conversion by Ger Egan enabling Tyrrellspass to earn a replay they scarcely deserved.
Very unruly scenes followed the final whistle with referee Shane Farrell subjected to a torrent of abuse from Mullingar Shamrocks’ players, mentors and supporters.
The sides will replay tomorrow evening (Wednesday, Cusack Park, 6.15pm) in what is likely to be a hostile environment.
Caulry and Ballymore, meanwhile, drew in the quarter-finals of the Intermediate Championship on what was a day of draws in Cusack Park last Saturday. They must do it all again this Sunday at the same venue (throw-in: 1pm).
Rosemount reached the semi-finals in the same grade by defeating Milltownpass in their quarter-final meeting last weekend.
In the junior grade, Garrycastle’s B team crashed out after a defeat to St Paul’s, who now meet Moate All-Whites in the Westmeath JFC semi-finals. Kilbeggan Shamrocks also secured a spot in the junior semi-finals by beating St Loman’s B last weekend, and they will face Multyfarnham in the last four.
Those results mean all four teams in the hunt for the JFC title are sole junior clubs.
Meanwhile, Athlone and Castledaly meet in the senior relegation play-off on Sunday. For a preview of the Athlone v Castledaly match and more on the above matches, see this week’s Westmeath Independent which will be in stores on Wednesday morning.