The quest for Westmeath SFC success continues apace this weekend with local clubs, Caulry and Garrycastle, contesting separate quarter final fixtures in TEG Cusack Park Mullingar.
Caulry are first into the knockout playing fray with reigning champions, St Lomans, providing the opposition on Saturday (throw in, 4pm ).
Caulry will contest this quarter final fixture in ‘underdogs’ mode as manager, Shane Curran, prepares his charges for a contest against an improving St Lomans team who tasted defeat in their opening two championship encounters but have since found a scoring rhythm, the return of talisman John Heslin being key to the Mullingar club’s fortunes.
“Our team has grown in stature during the round robin phase of this year’s championship. The players are extremely committed to the cause at hand, have shown immense resilience during certain stages of games and have numerous technical attributes,” Shane enthused.
Despite losing their opening championship fixture to Shandonagh, Caulry remained undefeated for the remainder of the group phase which culminated in an all important draw with Moate All Whites.
“In both local derbies with Rosemount and Moate All Whited when resilience and character was called upon, the players did not shirk their responsibilities to achieve the desired results and I am certain such traits will come to the fore against a seasoned St Lomans team on Saturday.
“We are ultimately in championship bonus territory now and you can sense from the prevailing positive atmosphere within the playing group that they are ready to give of their utmost for the Caulry cause this weekend.
“Caulry is a superbly run club and the players who are representing the club on Saturday are a reflection of the progressive underage work which continues to take place within the club - one which I believe has a bright future at senior football championship level for years to come,” Shane emphasised.
In the second quarter final to take place in TEG Cusack Park Mullingar, Garrycastle play Mullingar Shamrocks on Sunday (throw in 4pm ).
With just the solitary championship victory to date, Garrycastle will be hoping to advance to the semi-final but will need to call upon their reserves of experience to do so, opponents Mullingar Shamrocks topping SFC Group 2 on scoring difference following their narrow win over Shandonagh in their closing round robin contest.
