The men’s senior teams representing Willow Park in both the Leinster Senior and Combined Counties Leagues have been very successful. Adding to the glory over the past five years have been the Ladies team who have won the League once and the Cup twice since their formation.
The summer of 2015 was a landmark in the history of Willow as they got a ladies team up and running. Since then, aside from 2017, a trophy has been won each year as the faith of those involved in setting up the team has been rewarded. Joe Kerrigan was in charge following the formation with Robbie Shine then taking over. For the past two years Jennifer Madden has taken command having been involved from the start.
It has been a battle for supremacy with Killeigh mostly. Willow are just shading matters as cup and league battles have been won and lost. The Counties Cup was won in 2016 with the Leinster Junior Cup thrown in for good measure. The Offaly girls got revenge the following year as Willow finished runners up in both the league and cup.
Willow recovered to lift the League title in 2018 and the cup was again won the following year. A thrilling decider went all the way to penalties as Killeigh were out of luck in the shoot-out lottery. The cup offered the only chance of success for Willow this season as the league is now a straight fight between Killeigh and Mullingar Athletic.
Madden's charges lie in third spot as they retain a one point advantage over local rivals Bealnamulla. The team will still have a major say in the destiny of the league crown though as they face up to Killeigh in their final game. The Offaly team are three points behind Mullingar with the game in hand against Willow taking on great significance.
Willow will be looking to retain their cup when action resumes and the draw for the first round sees them enjoy home advantage against Bealnamulla. Should they beat their local rivals, an Offaly team awaits as Killeigh clash with Birr Town with the winner enjoying home advantage.
The League campaign proved disappointing as hopes were high at the start of the season that a second title could be earned. The previous season saw Willow finish in joint second spot alongside Bealnamulla but both were some distance adrift of Killeigh who suffered only a single defeat in the ten games played.
The last game before the lockdown saw Willow put nine past Kinnegad in early March but the result was of little significance in an inconsistent season. Reflecting that, the game before had seen the Athlone team beaten at home by Mullingar. It was a result that killed off their chances of tasting League glory. Both Westmeath teams were then level on points but Athletic were to power ahead thereafter on their way to the top of the table. Crucially, both Mullingar and Killeigh were to make their games in hand count as Willow slipped back.
The season had started back in September with a tough opener away from home against Mullingar. It was the best possible start as the away team put seven past their hapless Westmeath rivals. It was to be one of the few defeats though for Athletic as Willows bright start soon faded. Another tough test followed with Bealnamulla the visitors to DPD Park. The visitors shaded it by the odd goal in five as Willow were soon brought down to earth.
Newly formed Mountmellick were next as Willow looked to bounce back. The three points were duly collected as the new team suffered a seven one defeat. Another Offaly team was expected to be put to the sword when Birr visited in October but there was a shock in store with a home defeat. It summed up an inconsistency in Willows play that has proved costly since then as League hopes vanished.
