High drama as Caulry go through and Moate bow out
There was high drama as a last-gasp penalty earned Caulry a draw with Moate All Whites at TEG Cusack Park yesterday (Sunday).
The draw was enough to send Caulry into the Westmeath SFC knockout stages for the first time in the modern era, as an unlucky Moate side were knocked out on scoring difference.
Holding a three-point lead in added time, Moate looked like they had done enough to secure victory until referee Mick Murtagh awarded a penalty for a foul on Paddy Sleator. Emmet Nally converted the penalty and the final whistle sparked jubilation in the Caulry camp and heartbreak for Moate.
There were contrasting views on the penalty call with Caulry manager Shane Curran describing it as "a stonewall penalty", while Moate manager John Twaddle and many supporters vehemently disagreed with the decision.
In a highly entertaining contest between two local rivals, goals from Caulry's Senan Baker and Moate's Conor Sheridan sparked the game into life in the first half.
Midway through the second half, Caulry boss Curran was shown a red card after the referee consulted with linesman Ken Gunning.
Caulry, Moate and Mullingar Shamrocks all finished on six points, but Shamrocks and the Mount Temple/Baylin side claimed the two quarter-final places on offer as they had better scoring difference. Shamrocks lost to both Moate and Caulry but when more than two teams are tied, scoring difference decides.
Moate were left to rue incredibly fine margins as Shamrocks defeated Shandonagh by just a single point yesterday - had that game finished in a draw, Moate would have gone through along with Caulry.
The defeat to Shamrocks saw Shandonagh relegated, while Rosemount ensured senior status for next year with victory over Killucan.
In the quarter-finals, Caulry will now meet reigning champions St Loman's Mullingar, with Garrycastle taking on Mullingar Shamrocks.
On Saturday, Garrycastle went through from Section A after a draw with the already qualified Coralstown-Kinnegad, while St Loman's advanced with a comfortable victory which knocked Athlone out.
In the Westmeath IFC, Tubberclair were very unlucky not to make it through after their victory over Ballynacargy. They finished with seven points in Section B but their only defeat from five games saw them lose out to Milltown on the head-to-head rule.
Milltown went through from Section B despite their defeat to table toppers St Mary's Rochfortbridge.
In Section A, St Malachy's and Tang go straight through to the semi-finals, with Castledaly and Milltownpass taking the two quarter-final places despite their defeats yesterday. Castledaly will meet Milltown with Milltownpass to face neighbours St Mary's.
In the Westmeath Junior 1 FC, St Joseph's made it through to the quarter-finals from Section B despite losing to Ballycomoyle, while Garrycastle's second team also advance to the last eight.
Westmeath GAA Results
Senior FC Section A: Tyrrellspass 1-8 The Downs 0-10; Garrycastle 1-9 Coralstown-Kinnegad 1-9; St Loman’s Mullingar 3-14 Athlone 0-13.
Senior FC Section B: Caulry 2-10 Moate All Whites 1-13; Rosemount 0-11 Killucan 1-5; Mullingar Shamrocks 0-10 Shandonagh 0-9.
Intermediate FC Section A: Maryland 0-8 Tang 2-13; Ballymore 3-10 Castledaly 0-13; St Malachy’s 3-7 Milltownpass 2-8.
Intermediate FC Section B: Tubberclair 4-16 Ballynacargy 2-13; St Mary’s Rochfortbridge 2-20 Milltown 1-12 ; Kilbeggan Shamrocks 1-8 Multyfarnham 1-8.
Junior 1 FC Section A: St Loman’s Mullingar 3-15 Mullingar Shamrocks 1-11; Garrycastle 2-12 Athlone 1-8; The Downs W/O v Coralstown-Kinnegad.
Junior 1 FC Section B: Ballycomoyle 2-12 St Joseph’s 0-9; Castletown-Finea/Coole/Whitehall 0-16 Bunbrosna 2-5; St Paul’s 0-10 Ballinagore 1-7.
Junior 2 FC Section B: Killucan 1-10 Shandonagh 0-7; Delvin 4-15 Mullingar Shamrocks 0-5; The Downs 1-7 Multyfarnham 1-4.
Shay Murtagh Precast Westmeath SFC Quarter-finals
St Loman’s Mullingar v Caulry
Garrycastle v Mullingar Shamrocks
Semi-finals
The Downs v Garrycastle or Mullingar Shamrocks
Coralstown-Kinnegad v St Loman’s Mullingar or Caulry
Writech Westmeath Intermediate FC Quarter-finals
Milltownpass v St Mary's Rochfortbridge
Castledaly v Milltown
Semi-finals
St Malachy's v Milltownpass or St Mary's Rochfortbridge
Tang v Castledaly or Milltown
Clarke's Bar Westmeath Junior 1 FC Quarter-finals
St Loman's Mullingar v St Joseph's
The Downs v Ballycomoyle
Castletown-Finea/Coole/Whitehall v Mullingar Shamrocks
Bunbrosna v Garrycastle
NOTE: As there was a walkover in the last round between The Downs and Coralstown-Kinnegad, Rule 6.21 applies and the score difference for the teams tied was decided by the games between these teams. This meant The Downs finished in second place ahead of third-placed Garrycastle. All quarter finals will be in neutral venues.
Westmeath Junior 2 FC Quarter-finals
Moate All Whites v Shandonagh
The Downs v Rosemount
Semi-finals
Killucan v Moate All Whites or Shandonagh
Caulry v The Downs v Rosemount