One South Westmeath club remain in contention to claim the Flanagan Cup when the senior football championship reaches its conclusion in November.
Eight times winners, Garrycastle, eased to a semi final fixture with The Downs following a comprehensive victory over Group 2 winners, Mullingar Shamrocks, on Sunday afternoon in TEG Cusack Park Mullingar.
Goals from Tom O’Halloran, Cathal Mannion and the influential James Dolan proved pivotal as the 2019 champions eased into the semi-final of this year’s competition following their most assured championship performance to date.
To the scoreboard fore from the throw in, Gary Dolan’s charges were in the ascendancy during a contest which witnessed a five point half time lead extend to fifteen points come the final shrill of the referee’s whistle.
Garrycastle are aiming to return to the showpiece fixture and in doing so, will seek a modicum of revenge for their defeat to semi-final opponents, The Downs, in last year’s championship.
Such a realisation is most possible as Garrycastle regularly feature in the latter stages of the Westmeath senior football championship and will aim to draw on their previous experiences to ensure they have the opportunity to regain the prized Flanagan Cup next month.
The teams met in the round robin phase of the competition in early September, Garrycastle falling to a one point defeat, The Downs goalkeeper, Trevor Martin pointing the winning score from a placed ball in injury time.
Meanwhile, Caulry’s championship campaign came to a conclusion on Saturday evening in TEG Cusack Park Mullingar following a five point defeat to reigning champions, St Lomans.
Despite being in the scoreboard ascendancy at the interval, the Mount Temple/Baylin club registered just two points in the second half as an experienced St Lomans team responded to head their opponents by the minimum at the second water break, stretching their winning margin to five points at the end of the contest.
Both semi-finals are due to throw in the weekend commencing October 29 - as previously noted, Garrycastle will play The Downs, while St Lomans continue their quest to retain their championship crown with an eagerly anticipated fixture with Coralstown-Kinnegad.
