Moate CS and Athlone CC to begin Leinster campaigns

Moate Community School and Athlone Community College begin their Leinster Colleges SF 'A' championship campaigns this Friday. Athlone CC will face Ardscoil na Trionóide, Athy in Athlone IT on Friday (throw-in 1pm). This game had been scheduled for Kiltoom but will now take place in AIT. ACC will be hoping to carry their recent good form into the championship - having won the North Leinster SF League before Christmas, beating St Mel's College, Longford in the final. In 2008, Athlone CC memorably won the Leinster title, thus becoming the first Westmeath team to win the title since 1983. Moate CS were only a step away from the final last year, losing out to Colaiste Eoin in the semi-finals, and they open their campaign at Rosemount on Friday (1.30pm) against St Benildus College, Dublin. The Moate CS v St Benildus game was originally listed for Moate, but it has since been switched to Rosemount. The Marist College, meanwhile, are among the teams given byes to the next round (last 16), along with fellow Westmeath outfits Coláiste Mhuire, Mullingar and St Joseph's, Rochfortbridge. Leinster Colleges SF "A" Round 1 Fixtures - Friday January 11th; Hawkfield, Newbridge (1.00pm) Patrician, Newbridge v St. Mary's C.B.S., Carlow St. Sylvester's GAA (1.00pm) Malahide C.S. v Dundalk Colleges Rosemount GAA (1.30pm) Moate C.S. v St. Benildus College Athlone IT (1pm) Athlone C.C. v Ardsc. Na Trionoide, Athy Naomh Barrog GAA (12.30pm) St. Fintan's H.S., Sutton v Knockbeg College *See this week's Westmeath Independent for a detailed preview of the Leinster Colleges SF 'A' championship - including views from each of the three local schools and details of their panels.