With three rounds of fixtures now completed in the group phase of this year’s Westmeath senior football championship, both Section A and Section B are starting to take particular shape, local GAA clubs looking towards their remaining contests as they aspire to maintain interest in the prized Flanagan Cup silverware.
Having tasted defeat to Caulry in the second round of Section A fixtures, Garrycastle were determined to make amends against St Lomans in TEG Cusack Park Mullingar on Saturday evening. Competitive throughout the opening half, Garrycastle trailed by two points at the interval and managed to attain scoreboard supremacy momentarily in the second period, but a black card to Mark McCallon proved detrimental to the cause, a late goal from the reigning senior football champions ensuring a four point victory for the Mullingar club.
Rochfortbridge was the venue on Saturday evening for the Section A contest between Caulry and Coralstown/Kinnegad. Played in wet conditions, Coralstown/Kinnegad were to the scoreboard fore from the throw in and two swift goals ensured the north Westmeath club held a 10 point lead at the shrill of the half time whistle. The Mount Temple/Baylin club did rally for periods in the second half but the interval deficit was too much to retrieve, Coralstown/Kinnegad securing a deserved victory.
Following the completion of three Section A fixtures, Caulry currently hold a quarter final berth, with the prospect of a return to Section B looming for Garrycastle. However, there is much football to play and placings may well change after the fourth round of games to be played the weekend of August 12.
Meanwhile, in Section B, following two successful outings, Athlone faced the challenge of Killucan in Kinnegad on Sunday evening. A victory for the county’s most successful club would have placed Athlone in a very strong position for quarter final qualification, but Eoin Jordan’s charges were defeated by the minimum in what was an even contest over the duration.
Athlone have dropped from the automatic qualification placings in Section B and play Tyrrellspass in their next fixture, the outcome of this particular contest certain to determine Athlone’s future championship interest.
With much expected of Moate All Whites in Westmeath SFC 2022, it has been a disappointing experience to date for the 2020 intermediate football champions. With just one point garnered to date, defeat to Tyrrellspass being the club’s most recent experience, their task now is to maintain their senior championship status, a local derby with Rosemount certain to attract much neutral interest when Section B round four fixtures commence.
Rosemount, for their part, have yet to taste victory in this year’s championship, a minimum loss to Tang on Friday night in Castledaly denting morale, but there is still hope for the black and amber, as a victory over Moate will place the Fr O’Growney based club above their rivals with one fixture remaining to play.
The victory for Tang may prove pivotal to their cause with Killucan and Moate All Whites the remaining opposition for the 2021 intermediate champions.
