New league campaign to kick off under new rules
The Westmeath ACFL competitions kick off this weekend and it will be the first chance for supporters to see the new Gaelic football rules in competitive club action.
On Friday night, there will be a repeat of last year's Westmeath SFC final between St Loman's Mullingar and The Downs. St Loman's eventually won last year's county final via a penalty shoot against a Downs outfit which came agonisingly close to lifting the Flanagan Cup.
St Loman's are also the defending league champions, having defeated Coralstown/Kinnegad in the 2024 Division 1 decider.
Meanwhile, Garrycastle will host Mullingar Shamrocks on Friday night (throw-in 8pm). Garrycastle secured promotion last year, also defeating Caulry in the ACFL Division 2 final. The men in green and red went on to win the Westmeath intermediate title and were extremely unlucky not to reach the Leinster intermediate final.
Athlone will also begin their league campaign on Friday away to a Shandonagh team relegated from the senior championship ranks last year.
There are two Division 1 games on Saturday afternoon - Caulry vs Coralstown/Kinnegad and Tyrrellspass vs Moate All Whites.
The Division 2 fixtures include Milltownpass vs Tubberclair, Rosemount vs Mullingar Shamrocks, Tang vs Milltown and Ballymore v St Mary’s, Rochfortbridge.
In Division 3, a local derby between St Joseph's and Kilbeggan Shamrocks is among the games down for decision. Castledaly will host Coralstown/Kinnegad's second team on Sunday, while Maryland travel to Bunbrosna on Saturday (see fixtures below).
Interestingly, Garrycastle will host local rivals Athlone in the second round of Division 1 fixtures on Friday week, February 28 (throw-in 7.45).
Westmeath GAA fixtures
(First named teams at home in all fixtures)
Friday, February 21
ACFL Division 1 Round 1: Garrycastle v Mullingar Shamrocks, 8pm, Pat Fox; St Loman’s Mullingar v The Downs, 8pm, Alan Coyne; Shandonagh v Athlone, 8pm, Enda Kenny.
ACFL Division 2 Round 1: Milltownpass v Tubberclair, 8pm, Barry Kelly.
ACFL Division 7 Round 1: Ballinagore v Loughnavalley, 8pm, Declan Forde.
Saturday, February 22 (all games 2pm)
ACFL Division 1 Round 1: Caulry v Coralstown Kinnegad, Niall Ward; Tyrrellspass v Moate All Whites, Barry Pierce.
ACFL Division 2 Round 1: Rosemount v Mullingar Shamrocks, Brendan Keena; Ballymore v St Mary’s Rochfortbridge, Enda Kelly; Killucan v St Loman’s Mullingar, Sean Carroll; Tang v Milltown, John Gallagher.
ACFL Division 3 Round 1: Kilbeggan Shamrocks v St Joseph's, Michael Gordon; Bunbrosna v Maryland, Ken Gunning.
ACFL Division 7 Round 1: Ballynacargy v Caulry, Eoin Cawley;
Camogie - National League Division 1B - Westmeath v Down (venue TBC).
Sunday, February 23
ACFL Division 3 Round 1: Moate All Whites v Multyfarnham, 11.30am, Cathal Boland; Castledaly v Coralstown/Kinnegad, 11.30, Joe Fallon.
ACFL Division 4 Round 1: Ballinagore v Rosemount, 11.30, Michael Galvin; Ballynacargy v St Loman’s Mullingar, 11.30, Eoin Gorman; Tyrrellspass v Garrycastle,, 11.30 Derek Heffernan; St Mary’s Rochfortbridge v Castletown-Finea/Coole/Whitehall, 11.30, Shane Carroll.
ACFL Division 5 Round 1: Athlone v Killucan, 11.30, Des McEnery; St Paul’s v Milltown, 11.30, James McGrath.
ACFL Division 7 Round 1: Garrycastle v Maryland, 11.30, Eoin Jordan; Bunbrosna v Ballycomoyle, 11.30, Michael Moran.
Allianz Football League Division 2: Westmeath v Cavan, 2pm, TEG Cusack Park, Derek O'Mahoney (Tipperary).
Lidl Ladies NFL Division 2: Galway v Westmeath, 2pm, Tuam Stadium, Gus Chapman.
Tuesday, February 25 (all games 8pm)
ACFL Division 3 Round 1: The Downs v St Malachy's, Eoin Gorman.
ACFL Division 4 Round 1: Shandonagh v Caulry, Barry Nea.
ACFL Division 5 Round 1: Tubberclair v Mullingar Shamrocks, Vinny Cox; Milltownpass v Castledaly, Ken Daly.