Castletown Geoghegan face big challenge against Thomastown
Westmeath senior hurling champions Castletown Geoghegan are preparing to welcome Kilkenny’s Thomastown to TEG Cusack Park on Sunday (1.30pm) for a Leinster club SHC quarter-final clash.
Thomastown recently won the Kilkenny county title and will be travelling to Mullingar as strong favourites. John Donnelly, along with brothers Stephen and Robbie, featured prominently in a 0-18 to 0-7 win over O’Loughlin Gaels in the Kilkenny decider.
Thomastown’s meteoric rise is impressive. They won the All-Ireland Intermediate hurling title only last year and not many would have given them a strong chance of challenging the best in Kilkenny at the first attempt, but they have shown serious quality.
Alan Mangan, the manager of Castletown Geoghegan, is hopeful that his team can take advantage of the home setting and match the Kilkenny champions. He will have to plan without Naoise McKenna, but his talented side impressed in the Westmeath final and they will feel good returning to TEG Cusack Park on Sunday.
Thomastown brought commitment and raw intensity to the Kilkenny final and they are clearly a team well up for the physical challenge.
The Westmeath final was postponed a week after the first game was abandoned due to poor weather and fading light: the second day brought a huge crowd of around 5,000 to TEG Cusack Park as the gates were thrown open and free entry was permitted. In Kilkenny, the senior decider attracted 9,500 supporters which illustrates the level of interest in a passionate hurling county.
If Castletown Geoghegan are to pull off the shock of all shocks, they will need to keep tabs on the aforementioned Donnelly brothers, whilst also ensuring that they get a decent supply to the talented forwards in their own ranks. David O’Reilly and Niall O’Brien are two quality forwards, while the diminutive Jack Gallagher can cause problems for any defence.
At the opposite end, Liam Varley, Aonghus Clarke and Johnny Bermingham offer strength, quality and experience. The Black and Ambers’ midfield sector is generally a busy one and it will be vital that Peter Clarke and Shane Clavin are prominent.
It’s a free shot for Alan Mangan and his talented troops after winning a 15th Westmeath senior title a couple of weeks ago and they will aim to be as competitive as possible and still in with a chance with ten minutes remaining. If they are, anything can happen.