Rosemount captain Enda Boland lifts the Peter Geraghty Cup after their Westmeath IFC final win last year.

Westmeath club football championships finally set for kick-off

 

It's a far later start than usual - but the Westmeath senior and intermediate football championships finally kick off this weekend.


In a change from previous years, no SFC or IFC fixtures were played before Westmeath were knocked out of the All-Ireland SFC. 


There is a new format in place this year in both competitions. Four teams will qualify from Group 1 (the 'stronger' group) in each case, with just two teams from Group 2 advancing to the knockout stages. 


The action begins this evening (Friday) with the local derby meeting of Ballymore and Milltown in the Westmeath IFC at TEG Cusack Park (7.30pm). Ballymore and Milltown join forces at underage level under the Millmore Gaels banner, so both sets of players should know each other well.


In the Westmeath IFC, the meeting of Tubberclair (finalists last year and in 2015) and St Malachy's (who were relegated from the senior grade last year) is probably the tie of the round. 


The meeting of Tang and Shandonagh is also an intriguing clash. Tang have been the 'nearly men' of the intermediate scene for some years, whilst Shandonagh have been boosted by recent underage success. 


Moate All Whites, now under the tutelage of Ambrose McGowan, will be looking to improve on last year's disappointing showing. They open their campaign against Ballinagore, who claimed a surprise win over the Moate men last year.


In the Westmeath SFC, Rosemount are preparing for their first SFC game in 17 years as they face Coralstown-Kinnegad on Saturday evening, while Caulry will take on The Downs as part of the same double bill. 


Maryland will face Castledaly Maryland in Tang tomorrow evening (Saturday), with the clash of Tubberclair and Malachy's the curtain raiser.


Hogan Park in Moate will host a double header on Sunday evening, with Athlone taking on Killucan and Garrycastle facing Tyrrellspass. The other SFC game in the opening round is the meeting of county champions St Loman's and their close neighbours, Mullingar Shamrocks. 


Meanwhile, in the Clarke's Bar Westmeath JFC games played last night (Thursday), Garrycastle claimed a 5-15 to 0-7 win over Rosemount. Also in Group 3 of the JFC, Tyrrellspass defeated Athlone 2-12 to 0-12. In Group 4, St Loman's Mullingar got the better of Killucan (4-8 to 1-8), while The Downs overcame Shandonagh (3-14 to 2-9).


*See this week's Westmeath Independent for preview of this weekend's Westmeath SFC games. 


Westmeath GAA Fixtures


Friday, July 21


Writech IFC Group 2 Round 1

Milltown v Ballymore, 7:30, TEG Cusack Park, Jim Rock.


Clarke's Bar JFC Group 2 Round 1

Delvin v Loughnavalley, 7:30, Shandonagh, Paul McCaughey.


Saturday, July 22


Shay Murtagh SFC Group 2 Round 1

Coralstown-Kinnegad v Rosemount, 5:30, TEG Cusack Park, Des McEnery; The Downs v Caulry, 7:00, TEG Cusack Park, Barry Kelly; Castledaly v Maryland, 7:00, Tang, Brendan Keena.


Writech IFC Group 1 Round 1

Tubberclair v St Malachy's, 5:30, Tang, Damien Maher.


Writech IFC Group 2 Round 1

Bunbrosna v Castletown-Finea/C/W, 7:00, Ballynacargy Patrick McGauran.


Clarke's Bar JFC Group 2 Round 1

Ballycomoyle v St Joseph's, 5:30, Ballynacargy, Alan Coyne.


Sunday July 23


Shay Murtagh SFC Group 1 Round 1

Killucan v Athlone, 5:30, Moate, Niall Ward; Garrycastle v Tyrrellspass, 7:00, Moate, Pat Fox; St Loman's Mullingar v Mullingar Shamrocks, 7:00, TEG Cusack Park, Declan Nugent.


Writech IFC Group 2 Round 1

Ballinagore v Moate All Whites, 1:00, Ballymore, Michael Gordon.


Writech IFC Group 1 Round 1

Shandonagh v Tang, 2:30, Ballymore, Gary Hurley; Milltownpass v St Mary's, 5:30, TEG Cusack Park, Michael McAdden.


Clarke's Bar JFC Group 1 Round 1

Multyfarnham v Kilbeggan Shamrocks, 11:30, The Downs, Barry Nea; St Paul's v Ballynacargy, 1:00, The Downs, David Hannon.