Westmeath football championships ready for the off

IT’S that time of year again when local Gaels get ready for another year of thrills and spills in the Shay Murtagh Precast Westmeath SFC - and there’s plenty to whet the appetite on the opening weekend of the campaign.

Arguably the highlight of this weekend’s fare (in this part of the county anyway) is the meeting of Castledaly and Garrycastle in Section B in Tubberclair on Sunday (3.30pm).

A repeat of the 2008 final - when Castledaly won their first and to date only Westmeath SFC title - the fixture will see the meeting of two new managers.
Former Clare manager Micheal McDermott is now at the Garrycastle helm as the green and reds attempt to regain the title, having lost last year’s final to Mullingar Shamrocks (after a replay).

Castledaly also have a new manager in Eddie Bouabbse, the St Malachy’s club-man who has previous managerial experience in Offaly with Ballycumber and Erin Rovers.

Elsewhere, Athlone will be looking for a winning start under former St Brigid’s manager Noel O’Brien, whose team face newly promoted Castletown-Finea Coole/Whitehall in their opening Section A match at Kinnegad on Sunday (6.30pm), while Maryland open their Section A schedule against The Downs at Cusack Park on Saturday (5pm).