Rosemount suffered Leinster Intermediate football final heartbreak following a thrilling decider against St Colmcille’s at Pairc Tailteann on Saturday (November 26 ).
The Meath champions shaded a pulsating game, 0-13 to 1-9 at the Navan venue.
Ben Brennan rifled the winning score for St Colmcille’s, who led by 0-8 to 0-5 at half time.
The Royals’ inter-county star Graham Reilly was influential for St Colmcille’s, but Rosemount improved in the second period.
David ‘Dude’ McCormack’s 38th-minute goal injected Rosemount’s challenge with momentum, while Boidu Sayeh also notched some fine points. St Colmcille’s, however, finished strongly with Brennan nailing the last-gasp free.
Despite the defeat Rosemount can reflect on a satisfactory campaign and they will be a welcome addition to the senior ranks of Westmeath football in 2017.
“It has been a fabulous year for Rosemount,” selector Martin Byrne said in an interview with Midlands Sport 103.
“Since last January the boys have worked so hard and in fairness they gave everything they had, we couldn’t ask for anything more from them. They got the lucky breaks in the middle of the field and they got the point to win it. The boys worked very hard, we are very proud of them. Hopefully they will build on this to go on to win a Senior Championship.
“I thought when we went a point up with five minutes to go that the tide had turned. We let one or two balls slip at midfield and they turned us over twice and that is what won it. We got turned over twice, we will learn from that, next year it won’t happen.
“We didn’t capitalise after the goal, we missed too many chances, easy chances.”
Byrne is hopeful that Rosemount can be a competitive force in the senior grade.
“The aim at the beginning of the year was to get out of the Intermediate Championship. It is very hard won in Westmeath.
“We achieved that goal, to get back up to senior where we belong. This will be a learning experience for the lads. Next year they will push on to try to do well in the Senior Championship.”
