Tang go top as Moate suffer narrow defeat

A late Paul Conway goal gave Tang a crucial victory over St Mary's, Rochfortbridge, in Monday evening's third series of matches in the Westmeath Intermediate Football Championship Group 1. The former Westmeath county star actually netted both Tang's goals in the 2-12 to 1-14 triumph over Rochfortbridge, but the all-important goal arrived late in the game with proceedings delicately poised. Tang are now in a great position to qualify from Group 1 to the knockout stages having amassed a maximum six points from the opening three games. Rochfortbridge are one of three teams currently on four points along with Ballynacargy and Kilbeggan Shamrocks, the latter of whom saw off Moate All-Whites at Lakepoint Park on Monday evening. The 1-7 to 0-9 loss leaves Moate in a precarious position as they have now lost all three of their opening group games. Only Milltownpass currently lie below Moate in the Group 1 standings after Kilbeggan's Emmet Dalton scored the decisive goal in Monday's clash at Lakepoint Park. Elsewhere in Group 1, Ballynacargy inflicted a heavy defeat of 4-17 to 2-8 on struggling Milltownpass last Sunday. In Group 2 of the intermediate championship, Rosemount slumped to a third straight defeat to leave their status at this level in an ominous condition. Ballinagore took advantage of Rosemount's shaky start to the campaign by beating them by a single point (1-9 to 0-11) in Athlone last Saturday, and Rosemount are now the only team in Division 1B with zero points from three games. That game followed Tubberclair's 1-11 to 2-5 win over Ballymore at the same venue (see page 30). Tubberclair have now claimed three straight wins and are joint top of Division 1B alongside Castletown-Finea/Coole/Whitehall (the latter are ahead on scoring difference). In the senior football championship, Garrycastle and Mullingar Shamrocks continue to set the pace in Division 1A thanks to weekend victories over Bunbrosna and Castledaly respectively. The latter match had a controversial ending after Castledaly were denied a late free which would have squared the match and almost certainly earned the champions a point (see page 31). Dessie Dolan notched 3-3 in Garrycastle's 5-14 to 0-5 romp over Bunbrosna (see page 32), while Maryland stayed in touch of a place in the knockout stage by beating Killucan by seven points at Cusack Park last Sunday (see page 34). In Group 1B, Athlone's unblemished start to the campaign came unstuck against Tyrrellspass on Sunday (see page 33), but Athlone played quite well and are still on course to qualify from the group. However, Tyrrellspass' win lifted them to the summit of Group 1B with three wins from as many games. Also in Division 1B, The Downs' miserable start to the campaign continued after a single point defeat to fellow strugglers St Malachy's, while Coralstown-Kinnegad and St Loman's played out a cracking match at Cusack Park. Mark Gorman was the hero for Coralstown-Kinnegad, grabbing a hat-trick of goals, as they rallied from behind to eventually snatch a 4-9 to 3-11 win. C/K are now two points ahead of St Loman's in the bid to claim one of the three qualification places for the knockout phase. The next round of both the senior and intermediate championships is scheduled for the week ending Sunday, August 2.