Welcome stadium additions at Mullingar’s TEG Cusack Park

The Extra Mile - Examiner's Eye on Sport, By Damien Maher, Sports Editor

You’ve all heard the view that your home says a lot about the kind of person you are. Likewise, a stadium tells us much about a county and how it may be feeling in terms of confidence, attitude and ambition. In recent years TEG Cusack Park has been in need of a facelift, but it's now quite refreshing to walk through the gates, into the main entrance area that leads up through the tunnel and out on to the pristine sod.

Yes, the pitch has always been immaculate, but the stadium itself needed a lift. There is now a lovely mural on the wall to your left as you enter the dressing room area and there are some very worthy GAA slogans emblazoned overhead. The side walls have been beautifully decorated with murals, all depicting what the GAA stands for and why it makes us proud to visit the Westmeath county grounds.

The new mural depicts the programme of the official opening of Cusack Park back in 1933 and was received courtesy of Kevin Flanagan, son of the late Paddy Flanagan, a long-time County Board Secretary and PRO of Westmeath. That was the day the late Micheál O'Hehir, still regarded as the original voice of the GAA, made his first commentary. Certainly Paddy Flanagan, who passed away only last year, will rest easy. He always wanted the very best for Westmeath in terms of everything, but was especially proud to have significant moments highlighted in GAA HQ and took great pride in the fact that it was an attractive place to visit; somewhere people wanted to go.

It's appropriate that Westmeath GAA has carried out these enhancements and wonderful that the stadium is receiving some TLC. County Committee Chairman, Frank Mescall spoke on the project.

"The mural is the actual cover of the programme from the 1933 official opening of Cusack Park and it was designed by Stuart Regan, a graphic designer. We are very happy with it and it adds greatly to the stadium," he said.

Other progress has seen the erection of ball-stop nets at either end of the stadium and they look quite impressive. In fact, TEG Cusack Park looked great for last weekend's games, including the camogie match against Kilkenny and the hurling encounter with Galway on Saturday.

The chairman confirmed that seating will now be replaced in the coming weeks and progress is evident.

"It's great to see because the stadium needed this work. We will move on to the dressing rooms once the seats are finished and we will continue the enhancement works for some time to come," he said.

Westmeath to face Galway in Mullingar

We now know the identity of another of Westmeath's opponents as the All-Ireland senior football championship campaign begins in a couple of weeks time. The Lake County will have a home game against Galway at TEG Cusack Park, as well as an away game against the defeated Ulster finalists. Westmeath's third game is against Tyrone.

The Tribesmen demolished Sligo in Sunday's Connacht final, 2-20 to 0-12, and will be firm favourites to overcome Dessie Dolan's men in what is a tough proposition, with three of the four teams to qualify from the group.

The new Sam Maguire Cup championship sees four different groups of four teams competing over 24 games and at the end of it all, four teams will be eliminated. If you count the four provincial finals, it's 28 games to eliminate four teams. It's certainly a huge number of games to play in order to get down to the business end, but it's only the first year and it will be judged accordingly as the summer progresses.

The new format will be interesting, but the value of a strong panel will very likely be seen over the course of the summer. It will not be a good system for the weaker counties in that regard and if they are facing into the campaign with a weak bench, they are doomed to failure.

Heavy defeats in hurling and camogie

Last Saturday was a difficult day for the various Westmeath teams in camogie and hurling. Galway scored 6-33 against the senior hurlers in TEG Cusack Park on Saturday evening, a few hours after Kilkenny put 4-21 past Westmeath in the Leinster senior camogie semi-final. It highlights the gap that exists and the battle to be more competitive is just that. A battle.

Elsewhere, the Westmeath ladies footballers enjoyed a fine win on Sunday in the intermediate championship as they denied Wicklow (1-8 to 1-4) at TEG Cusack Park and they will aim to overcome Louth next weekend in round three.

Meanwhile, Kildare, defeated by Westmeath in the first round of the Leinster under 20 football championship, are through to the All-Ireland final after beating Down last Sunday, 1-11 to 2-7. They will face Sligo, who were 1-8 to 0-9 winners over Kerry.

Paywall means games will be missed

The decision not to broadcast some hurling games on free-to- air television is a moot point at present. This year the GAA have gone with a new streaming service and two big Munster games have not been available for free: GAA fans have had to pay to watch Limerick versus Clare and Cork versus Tipperary. It is certainly generating plenty of debate and some claim hurling is losing out in terms of promotion.

As the season progresses and big football games emerge, the same discussions will arise. It seems unfair that die-hard supporters, including elderly people have to pay to watch what they view as a unique Irish sport.

Sympathy to the Donoghue family

Some things put sport in perspective. The sad passing of Lisa Donoghue, Raharney, daughter of John and Carmel, certainly falls into that category. John, a great GAA man and keen hurling enthusiast, was always proud of his daughter Lisa’s fighting spirit and she epitomised what life is about with her positive attitude and bubbly personality. She has been a great example to us all. Our thoughts are with the family and Lisa’s husband Daniel at this sad time, as well as her many friends in the Raharney club and beyond.

Meanwhile, Kerry’s David and Paudie Clifford played just a day after the passing of their mother, Ellen, following a long battle with illness, when they lined out for Kerry in their victory over Clare in last Sunday’s Munster final.