Moate set for return to top grade of club football
Moate All Whites will play their first Westmeath SFC match since 2004 when they face Killucan in the opening round fixtures at TEG Cusack Park this Saturday (throw-in 5pm).
Moate dropped down to the intermediate grade with a relegation play-off defeat to Ballymore in 2004.
They subsequently went down to junior level, winning a Leinster junior crown on their way back up the ranks. And last year, Moate defeated Tang to win the Westmeath intermediate title for the first time in their history.
Another stand-out Westmeath SFC fixture in the local area is, of course, the latest instalment in the Garrycastle v Athlone rivalry. The neighbouring clubs will meet in Tubberclair on Sunday evening.
The teams also met in the opening round last year with 2019 champions Garrycastle emerging as convincing victors.
Last year’s championship was a more cut throat affair which featured three-team groups. However, with four teams out of six to qualify for the knockout stages from Section A (the so-called ‘strong groups’) in both the senior and intermediate championships, there is considerably more wriggle group this year.
That said, both sides will be keen to secure a victory. As far as this observer can recollect, the last time Athlone defeated Garrycastle in a senior championship fixture was back in 2001.
Last year, Athlone went on to reach the semi-finals where they lost out to Tyrrellspass, while Garrycastle were dethroned by The Downs at the quarter-final stage.
Meanwhile, Caulry’s first senior championship game under the management of former St Brigid’s and Roscommon goalkeeper Shane Curran will be against Shandonagh. Only two teams will qualify from Section B so the pressure is on from the start here.
It’s the same situation for Rosemount (now under Ian Bradley from Rochfortbridge), who will face Mullingar Shamrocks in their opening assignment at Hogan Park, Moate.
Elsewhere, reigning champions St Loman's Mullingar open their campaign against The Downs, who pushed the Blues close in last year's semi-finals.
The Moate v Killucan and Garrycastle v Athlone games will be streamed live on Iarmhí TV, as well with the clash of St Loman's and The Downs.
Tyrrellspass - who suffered the bitter disappointment of a fourth county final defeat since 2013 last year (all the hands of St Loman's) - face Coralstown/Kinnegad in their opening game.
In the Westmeath Intermediate FC, the pick of the opening round games is the meeting of Castledaly and Tang.
Castledaly were demoted from the senior ranks last year (having remained senior since winning the intermediate title in 1994). Interestingly, James Galvin, who lifted the Flanagan Cup as Castledaly captain in 2008, is part of the Tang management team alongside Michael Tumelty.
As Castledaly and Tang are in Section A, both will be expected to advance to the knockout stages, but their opening round clash may offer pointers to their prospects down the line. Castledaly are now managed by Finea native Enda Sheridan, who has Athlone’s Eoin Jordan assisting him.
Last year’s Westmeath junior champions Tubberclair will be looking to get off to a winning start against Kilbeggan Shamrocks (now managed by Rosemount’s Paddy Malynn).
Ballymore and Maryland will meet teams who were semi-finalists last year in their opening encounters. Milltownpass provide the opposition for Ballymore on Saturday evening, while Maryland will take on St Malachy’s on Sunday.
Following their victory over Killucan in the much-delayed 2020 Junior 2 FC final last weekend, Coralstown/Kinnegad’s second team will compete in this year’s Junior 1 FC. They will meet their Garrycastle counterparts on Sunday (see upcoming fixtures below).
Westmeath GAA Fixtures
Friday, August 6
Writech Intermediate FC - Section B: Ballynacargy v St Mary’s Rochfortbridge, 7:30pm, Shandonagh, Jim Rock.
Clarke's Bar Junior 1 FC - Section A: St Loman's Mullingar v Athlone, 7:30, Tang, Paul McCaughey.
Clarke's Bar Junior 2 FC - Section A: Moate All Whites v Caulry, 7:30, Kilbeggan, Rob Cornally.
Clarke's Bar Junior 2 FC - Section B: Shandonagh v Delvin, 7:30, Killucan, Michael Moran. The Downs v Mullingar Shamrocks, 7:30, Lakepoint Park, Kieran Daly. Killucan v Multyfarnham, 7:30, Kinnegad, Mick Gordon.
Saturday, August 7
Shay Murtagh Precast Senior FC - Section B: Moate All Whites v Killucan, 5pm, TEG Cusack Park, Barry Kelly (Iarmhí TV).
Shay Murtagh Precast Senior FC - Section A: The Downs v St Loman's Mullingar, 7:30pm, TEG Cusack Park, Brendan Keena (Iarmhí TV).
Writech Intermediate FC - Section A: Ballymore v Milltownpass, 6:30pm, Rochfortbridge, Keith O’Brien. Tang v Castledaly, 6:30, Páirc Chiaráin, Ken Daly.
Writech Intermediate FC - Section B: Tubberclair v Kilbeggan Shamrocks, 6:30, Caulry, Enda Kelly.
Clarke's Bar Junior 1 FC - Section B: St Paul’s v St Joseph’s, 6:30, Tyrrellspass, Alfie Devine. Ballinagore v Bunbrosna, 6:30, Milltown, Barry Nea.
Sunday, August 8
Clarke's Bar Junior 1 FC - Section A: The Downs v Mullingar Shamrocks, 11:30am, Kinnegad, Gary Hurley. Coralstown-Kinnegad v Garrycastle, 11:30, Rosemount, Declan Nugent.
Clarke's Bar Junior 2 FC - Section A: Loughnavalley v Rosemount, 12:00, Milltown, Ken Gunning.
Shay Murtagh Precast Senior FC - Section A: Garrycastle v Athlone, 6:30pm, Tubberclair, Pat Fox (Iarmhí TV). Coralstown-Kinnegad v Tyrrellspass, 6:30, TEG Cusack Park, Alan Coyne.
Shay Murtagh Precast Senior FC - Section B: Caulry v Shandonagh, 3:30, TEG Cusack Park, Niall Ward. Rosemount v Mullingar Shamrocks, 6:30, Moate, Mick Murtagh.
Writech Intermediate FC - Section A: Maryland v St Malachy’s, 6:30, Ballymore, Barry Pierce.
Writech Intermediate FC - Section B: Milltown v Multyfarnham, 6:30, Ballynacargy, Shane Maher.
Clarke's Bar Junior 1 FC - Section B: Castletown-Finea/Coole/Whitehall v Ballycomoyle, 6:30, Clonmellon, Sean Carroll.
TG4 All-Ireland LGFA Intermediate Championship Quarter-Final: Clare v Westmeath, 2pm, Tuam, Garryowen McMahon.
Tuesday, August 10
(All games 8pm, first named team at home)
Junior B FC
Section A: Tyrrellspass v Tubberclair, Declan Nugent; Tang v Caulry, Des McEnery.
Section B: Coralstown-Kinnegad v Milltownpass, Sean Carroll; Killucan v St Mary’s Rochfortbridge, Michael Moran.
Section C: Ballynacargy v St Loman's Mullingar, Mick Gordon.