Major boost for St Loman's as Dempsey red card overturned
Westmeath champions St Loman’s, Mullingar have been handed a major boost ahead of their Leinster club championship quarter-final match against Longford’s Emmet Óg Killoe on Sunday, with the news that Shane Dempsey has had his red card overturned.
The talented forward was sent off on a straight red card by Laois referee Seamus Mulhare in injury time during the first round game against Wexford’s Shemaliers at TEG Cusack Park. However, at a hearing in Leinster Council this week, Dempsey had the colour downgraded to a black card, meaning the official applied the incorrect penalty on the day.
With former Blues boss Luke Dempsey having led Killoe to victory in Longford, an intriguing Leinster championship clash now looms at Pearse Park and St Loman’s will be aiming to improve on their overall display against Shelmaliers, a game they won by 1-10 to 1-8, with Shane Dempsey notching 0-4 from play.
The Mullingar side will be fancied to win, but having to travel to Longford to take on their neighbouring opponents presents its own challenges.
“It should be a good battle,” pondered Paddy Dowdall, St Loman’s, Mullingar manager.
“Over the last few years we have played Mullinalachta down in Pearse Park and it is a very hard place to get a win, and with Luke (Dempsey) down there - he knows all the players here. We know Luke; we have nothing but respect for him here in St Loman’s because he brought a lot of championships to a lot of these players here.”
Dowdall agreed their first round win was achieved courtesy of an uninspiring display.
“It wasn’t a classic by any stretch of the imagination. That is a real good, very organised Shemaliers team; you have to give them their due, after winning a county final and then coming up here the following weekend and putting in a performance like that. We did well to come out on top,” he opined.
Experienced players such as John Heslin, Ronan O'Toole, Shane Dempsey and David Whelan make St Loman's strong opposition, while Sam McCartan is one of many other talented young footballers Dowdall has to choose from.
Full forward Mark Hughes scored 1-5 for Killoe in their county final win over Clonguish (1-8 to 0-10) and is one of many talented players on the Longford champions' side. Daniel Mimnagh and Michael Quinn are other big threats and their experience came to the fore in that narrow victory in the Longford decider.