A social occasion like no other awaits the Westmeath GAA community in the Mullingar Park Hotel on Friday night as a medal presentation banquet, in recognition of the recent achievements of the county’s footballers and hurlers, takes pride of place.
Players, club representatives, officers of the county committee, sponsors and invited guests will come together in a unique night of celebration, in the region of 250 hurling medals and 200 football medals being presented to over 200 players including 85 hurlers and 120 footballers.
In total, 17 sets of medals are due to be presented dating back to 2008 when Westmeath beat Dublin (0-15 to 0-10 ) in the National Football League Division 2 Final in Navan. Pride of place on the night will go to the Joe McDonagh Cup winning hurling team of 2021 (win over Kerry in final ) and the history making Tailteann Cup football champions of 2022 (win over Cavan in final ).
Football league medals for 2011 (Division 3 Final loss to Louth ), 2013 (Division 2 Final loss to Derry ), 2017 (Division 4 Final win over Wexford ) and 2019 (Division 3 Final win over Laois ) will also be presented.
Another set of football medals for presentation are the 2019 O’Byrne Cup medals when a Killian Daly captained Westmeath team defeated Dublin in Parnell Park (1-12 to 0-10 ) to win the cup for the first time since 1988.
It will be an even greater night of celebration for the hurling community as nine sets of medals have been assembled for presentation. As well as the previously mentioned Joe McDonagh Cup winners medals, hurling league medals for 2013 (runners-up to Laois in Division 2A ), 2015 (runners-up to Kerry in Division 2A ), 2018 (runners-up to Carlow in Division 2A ), 2019 (defeated Kerry in Division 2A final ) and 2022 (defeated Down in the Division 2A Final ) will also be presented.
Two sets of runner-up medals for the Joe McDonagh Cup finals of 2018 (lost to Carlow ) and 2019 (lost to Laois ) form part of the presentation agenda.In addition, two sets of Keogh Cup winners medals for 2019 (defeated Antrim in the final on penalties ) and 2022 (1st in group format ) will also be handed out.
