With one remaining round of group phase fixtures to be played there is still much to be decided as the knockout stage of the Westmeath senior football championship fast approaches.
Despite losing their respective encounters this past weekend, both Garrycastle and Caulry, remain in contention to secure a quarter final berth with one championship fixture remaining in Section A.
Despite holding a four point advantage in the latter stages of their game with Coralstown/Kinnegad in TEG Cusack Park on Saturday evening, Garrycastle succumbed to the challenge posed by the North Westmeath club, defeat by the minimum the outcome at the final whistle.
An evenly matched championship tie, two goals from James Sheerin and one from custodian, Sean Brennan, were not sufficient to earn Garrycastle any reward from their toil during this enthralling encounter.
Similar to Garrycastle, Caulry tasted defeat by one point in their contest with The Downs. With Senan Baker in chief scoring form, the Mount Temple/Baylin club appeared to have earned a draw as the game approached its conclusion, but an injury time score dented in game aspirations come the shrill of the final whistle.
Garrycastle play The Downs in their remaining Section A contest, while Caulry face a Mullingar Shamrocks team who have yet to taste success in this year’s senior football championship. Should both teams emerge victorious from their respective games, it will be Caulry to advance to the quarter final as a result of their victory over Garrycastle earlier in the competition.
Meanwhile, in Section B of the senior football championship, Athlone also remain in contention to secure a place in the last six of the prized Flanagan Cup competition despite the club’s loss to Tyrrellspass in Tubberclair on Sunday afternoon last.
In the ascendancy at the interval, Eoin Jordan’s charges were swiftly under pressure as the second half commenced and an experienced Tyrrellspass team (who have won all their championship games to date ), exerted their authority on proceedings as the game progressed, their two point victory ensuring a place in the knockout phase for the 2020 finalists.
Athlone, who won their first two Section B games, now play Rosemount in their final outing and will be hoping that a strong performance (plus results elsewhere going in their favour ) will lead to an elongated stay in this year’s quest for the Flanagan Cup.
Athlone’s chances will be boosted by Rosemount’s return to intermediate championship status following the black and amber’s disappointing loss to rivals, Moate All Whites, in TEG Cusack Park Mullingar on Sunday evening.
In what was essentially a play-off game to decide who would retain their senior championship status, this contest was laden with unforced errors, the fare on display certainly not one to excite the neutral in attendance.
Rosemount held Moate scoreless for the opening 20 minutes and were in the scoreboard ascendancy at half time, but failed to strengthen their stance on the game in the second half, a contentious penalty award to the victors changing the course of the contest as the Fr O’Growney based club return to intermediate championship status.
Tang, who started the championship with successive defeats, also have an opportunity to advance to the quarter final phase of the competition following victory over Killucan. Having defeated Rosemount in their previous outing the reigning intermediate champions bolstered their knockout phase aspirations with this four point success and now with senior championship status secured for 2023 have an opportunity to enter bonus territory when they play Moate All Whites in their remaining championship encounter.
The last round of senior football championship section phase fixtures will take place on the weekend of August 26.
