Great opportunity for St Loman’s to advance in Leinster

Gerry Buckley column

The general consensus over the past couple of weeks is that St Loman’s, Mullingar are worthy Westmeath senior football champions, albeit their victory against an up-and-coming Coralstown/Kinnegad side was by a much narrower margin than many had anticipated.

However, two points was as good as 12 points once blue and white ribbons were attached to the cup donated by the club’s legendary former player and administrator, the late, great Paddy Flanagan. And, in truth, there is no sign of any diminution in hunger in the Delvin Road outfit despite amassing seven wins (and three runners-up slots) in the blue riband competition in Lake County football since they ended a 50-year famine in 2013.

It is not being remotely disrespectful to Paschal Kellaghan’s charges to opine that despite the closeness of the scoring in the recent county final, St Loman’s are probably much better equipped for a run in the Leinster club championship than the red and white-clad outfit whose day may well come in the not-too-distant future.

Nobody in the new county champions’ set-up will need reminding that the 2017 final defeat in Portlaoise by Moorefield was a massive sucker punch at the hands of the Kildare representatives. The Mullingar blues have not come close since, but this year’s draw would suggest that a real opportunity exists to replicate the achievement of Garrycastle (2011) as Westmeath winners of the prestigious title.

That long and treacherous journey starts on Sunday in TEG Cusack Park when Paddy Dowdall’s charges take on Wexford champions Shelmaliers. The latter have been there or thereabouts in the Model County in recent years and last Sunday’s one-point win against holders Castletown Liam Mellows was their third success, all achieved in the past six stagings of the competition (2018, 2021, 2023).

Arguments can be made for having a rest period between games as against being on a roll of winning matches. No doubt, Shelmaliers celebrated their win last weekend – as all champions should. Indeed, in this scribe’s humble opinion it has become ridiculous how amateur Gaelic footballers and hurlers are tut-tutted at when they break alleged or actual alcohol bans for club and county, given that Ireland’s now-departed (don’t mention the war or New Zealand!) rugby side have been complimented for openly nibbling at a few relaxing drinks in France in recent weeks.

Despite some noteworthy inter-county campaigns this millennium, including an All-Ireland semi-final appearance in 2008 (a stage, sadly, never reached by Westmeath), Wexford football is still categorised in the dreaded ‘weaker county’ bracket by most observers. However, one of the great attractions of the club competition is that there are absolutely and categorically no gimmes in any province, and a quick glance at Westmeath v Wexford clashes down the years actually shows the Slaneysiders ahead.

There have been only three such games – Westmeath’s lowest against any of the 11 other counties (including Kilkenny). Lake County representatives have won only once, and that was away from home, leaving a dismal record of two defeats from two games at home since the competition began, as follows:

26/10/1986, Cusack Park, Duffrey Rovers 1-9 Mullingar Shamrocks 1-7

24/10/1998, Enniscorthy, Athlone 0-9 Fethard-on-Sea 1-4

27/10/2001, Athlone, St Anne’s 2-11 Garrycastle 1-9

Of course, those stats will have no bearing on Sunday’s outcome, but they are a timely reminder that those already talking about a St Loman’s v Emmet Óg Killoe quarter-final, where they would come up against their former manager Luke Dempsey (who again has brought his incomparable winning touch to another set-up) is all a bit premature.

Shelmaliers avoided what would have been a messy replay given the proximity of the Leinster championship when Paul Hearne grabbed the winning score against Castletown deep into added-time at Chadwick’s Wexford Park last Sunday, last year’s runners-up reversing the outcome of the 2022 final on a scoreline of 1-12 to 1-11.

My Wexford spies tell me that the new champions are powered by current Model County players Glen Malone (wing back) and captain Eoghan Nolan (centre half forward). Ex-stalwart Brian Malone at full forward is sure to cause the St Loman’s defence plenty of headaches, while an interesting addition to their squad in recent years is the Celtic Cross-laden former Dubs star, Eoghan O’Gara, who is nowadays sprung from the bench to great effect (his cameo role apparently decided the penultimate round).

Interestingly, three Wexford hurlers are very influential in the big ball exploits of the new champions - Simon Donohoe and Ross Banville (both in defence), and Conor Hearne (as a roving corner forward).

The Shelmaliers team (with scorers) last Sunday was as follows: Craig McCabe; Andre O’Brien, Simon Donohoe, Ross Banville (0-1); Glen Malone (0-3, 3f), Graham Staples, Conor Roche; Aidan Cash, Seán Keane-Carroll; Aaron Murphy, Eoghan Nolan (0-6, 4f, 1‘45’), Cian Doyle; Paul Hearne (1-1), Brian Malone (0-1), Conor Hearne. Subs used: Dan Campbell for Doyle, (inj., 6), Eoghan O’Gara for Murphy (55).

However, it will be a major blow to new manager Dowdall if his charges fail to negotiate this opening hurdle. St Loman’s, Mullingar haven’t always received the recognition they deserve as outstanding Westmeath champions, and it is to be hoped that supporters of other clubs in the county will join other blue and white-clad fans to cheer on John Heslin and his merry men on Sunday (throw-in 2pm).