Big occasion on Sunday as St Loman's host Wexford champions
Lakepoint Park, Mullingar will play host to the rescheduled Leinster Club SFC quarter-final between St Loman’s and Castletown of Wexford on Sunday (3.30pm).
It comes after Tuesday’s game was postponed due to dense fog. Met Éireann had issued a Status Yellow warning for Tuesday and the postponement means that the winners of Sunday’s tie will have just a week to recover before the semi-final against an experienced St Mary’s, Ardee side. It promises to be a big occasion for the Mullingar club.
St Loman’s captain John Heslin has stressed that his side will be focusing on one game at a time as they target a big run in this year’s Leinster club championship.
“If you focus on titles, you kind of trip up over your own feet,” he remarked following his side's fine victory over Dunshaughlin of Meath at Pairc Tailteann, Navan.
“We came to get the win, to put in a performance, and it’ll be the same again next time out. You have to get the bodies right as well, get the recovery in. Premier League players find it hard to play week after week. So we have to get the bodies right, recover, get the food in, do ice baths, get the work schedule correct and get the body correct, get them right to put in another performance.”
St Loman’s last reached the Leinster final in 2017, and lost in dramatic circumstances to Kildare’s Moorefield, who recovered from being six points adrift.
“There are still things to work on,” said Heslin. “If you come away thinking you’re great lads, then that will be your downfall.”
Castletown secured their second Wexford Senior Football Championship title in three years, defeating Gusserane 0-9 to 0-6 in tough conditions at Chadwicks Wexford Park on Sunday, October 27. Overcoming an early deficit and the dismissal of Jonathan Bealin on a red card in the first half, Castletown capitalised on Gusserane’s missed scoring opportunities to pull ahead after the break.
The resilient Gorey side adapted well to both the rain and wind, and tightened their defence, with standout performances from Danny Gardiner and Colin Kennedy. Despite facing pressure from Gusserane, who narrowed the margin to 0-7 to 0-6, Castletown held their composure in the final minutes. There were crucial scores from Brendan Halpin and substitute Gavin Kelly, who pointed in the fifth minute of injury time as they took the Seamus Keevans Memorial Cup for the 13th time.
Sunday's conditions could well be testing as rain is forecast and Paddy Dowdall's St Loman's side will need to be wary of the threat posed by the Wexford champions.
The Castletown team that won the Wexford title was: Darragh Brooks (0-1 ’45); Joe Ahern, Danny Gardiner, Ross Cody; Frank Roche, Colin Kennedy (joint-capt., 0-1), Killian Pierce; Rory Heffernan, Joe Gardiner (0-1); Jack Higgins (0-1), Conor Carty (0-1), Donnacha Holmes; Jonathan Bealin (0-1), Robbie Brooks, Brendan Halpin (0-2 frees). Subs: Gavin McNulty for J. Gardiner, Gavin Kelly (0-1) for Holmes, Marcus Wallace for Cody, (inj.).
The winners of Sunday’s tie face St Mary’s, Ardee in the semi-final on November 23 and if St Loman’s overcome the Wexford champions, they will secure a home game in TEG Cusack Park. Dublin champions Cuala, who defeated Naas, meet Tullamore in the other semi-final.
Naas, who hosted the quarter-final, had previously contested Leinster finals in 2021 and 2023 and produced a good performance, but the strength and quality of Austin O'Malley's Cuala side underlined just why they are favourites to win the provincial title: O'Callaghan brothers Niall (1-5) and Con (0-3) lead a formidable looking outfit.