Tubberclair win two U-15 county titles in three months

When Tubberclair won the Westmeath Under-15 Division 1 football final recently, it was actually the club's second U-15 county title in the space of less than three months.

On June 14 of this year, Tubberclair defeated Killucan in the 2020 U-15 Division 2 final (which was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic) on a scoreline of 4-14 to 3-5.

Danny Reid was the star of that victory, with a scoring total of 3-5. James Clarke was the victorious Tubberclair captain and he accepted the cup after the final which was played in Shandonagh.

And last Friday week, September 10, Tubberclair won this year's U-15 Division 1 crown, when Daire O’Connor proved to be the hero with his last-gasp goal securing victory in a pulsating contest against Mullingar Shamrocks.

There were joyous scenes when the cup was presented to Tubberclair captain Keelan Connell by John Donoghue, on behalf of the Westmeath GAA Minor Board, after the final in Ballynacargy.

Eoin Sheeran (now a Ireland U-16 soccer international) produced a player-of-the-match display for Tubberclair in the recent final. The centre half-back oozed class all through, with his fielding, running and all-round skill levels a joy to behold. His colleague Paul Keegan was outstanding in attack.

Sheeran and Keegan were also on the successful 2020 team a few months ago, and a number of other players also completed this notable double - see team lists and details of the two finals below.

2020 Radisson Blu Hotel Westmeath U-15 Division 2 FC Final

Tubberclair 4-14 Killucan 3-5

SCORERS - Tubberclair: D Reid 3-5 (1-0pen, 0-1f), T Farrell 1-0, F Duffy 0-3 (1f), E Sheeran 0-2 (1 45’), P Dolan, C Reid, P Keegan and T Burke 0-1 each. Killucan: C Leech 3-4, C McKeogh 0-1.

Tubberclair: Louis Clayburn, Cian Kenny, Kyle Fagan, Michael Kenny, Liam Staunton, Eoin Sheeran, Peadar Dolan, Conor Reid, James Clarke, Paul Keegan, Kealan Connell, Thomas Farrell, Finn Duffy, Tom Burke, Danny Reid. Subs used: Eoghan Irwin and Matthew Lynch. Rest of panel: Seamus Irwin, Caoileann Duffy, Jack O’Donnell, Daire O’Connor, Jack Gethins, Caimin Dolan, Mark Elliott, Cailin Blessing.

Killucan: Ciaran Kavanagh, Mikie Duffy, Joe Darby, Adam Smith, Adam Smyth, Callum McKeogh, Joe Mulvaney, Oisin Lestrange, Eoin Briody, Oisin Flanagan, Sean McGee, Mark Doherty, Caolan Reidy, Conor Leech, Shane Monaghan. Subs used: Winston Larkin, Jayden Hill, Cormac McKeogh and Cian Weir.

Referee: Enda Kelly (Castledaly).

2021 Radisson Blu Hotel Westmeath U-15 Division 1 FC Final

Tubberclair 1-10 Mullingar Shamrocks 2-5

SCORERS - Tubberclair: D O’Connor 1-1, P Keegan 0-4 (1f), L Clayburn 0-2, E Sheeran, K Connell (f), T Farrell 0-1 each. Mullingar Shamrocks: G Pierce 1-1 (0-1f), R Kelly 1-0, C Rigney-Clyne 0-2, C Heffernan and D Maguire 0-1 each.

Tubberclair: Sean Walshe; Caimin Dolan, Kailin Blessing, Liam Staunton; Jack O’Donnell, Eoin Sheeran, Jack Gethins; Tom Bourke, Kealan Connell; Matthew Lynch, Thomas Farrell, Daire O’Connor; Sean Whittaker, Paul Keegan, Louis Clayburn. Sub used: Daire Burke for O’Donnell. Rest of panel: Mark Elliott, Stephen O’Connor, Daniel Ganly, Sean O'Neill, Sean Keegan, James Pettit, James Connaughton, Rory Dolan, Peter Burke, Darren Kenny, Dannon O'Dowd.

Mullingar Shamrocks: Matas Puida; Adam Glynn, Gary Brannigan, Hugh O’Sullivan-Sexton; Ben McNamee, Peter Finch, Matthew Shaw; Callum Rigney-Clyne, Criostóir Ormsby; Conor Heffernan, Luke Raeside, Donnacha Maguire; Gavin Pierce, Ryan Kelly, Paul Keating. Sub used: Alex Sheerin for Keating.

Referee: JP Reynolds (Bunbrosna).