St Loman's to face Athlone as Raharney meet Castletown

The draws for this year's senior football and hurling championships took place on Thursday evening and the reigning senior football champions, St Loman's, Mullingar, are to meet Athlone in the first round.

Coralstown/Kinnegad, finalists last year, will meet Tang in the opening round, while Caulry, fresh from their run to the last four, will face Tyrrellspass in a fascinating first round encounter.

In Section B, The Downs meet Moate All Whites in the opening round, while Mullingar Shamrocks take on Shandonagh in another spicy first round encounter. St Malachy's, last year's intermediate winners, will meet Killucan.

Garrycastle, seeking to make an instant return to top flight football, will begin their intermediate football championship campaign against Milltownpass, who were runners-up last year. Rosemount and Castledaly meet in an intriguing local derby.

In section 'B', which surprisingly produced the two finalists last year, Multyfarnham meet Ballymore, St Mary's, Rochfortbridge face Maryland and last year's junior champions Kilbeggan Shamrocks take on Ballynacargy.

The junior football championship draw produced an interesting first round tie involving St Joseph's and Ballycomoyle, while St Paul's meet Castletown-Finea/Coole/Whitehall and Bunbrosna meet Moate All Whites.

In Junior 2 (section A), Loughnavalley meet Mullingar Shamrocks, while Ballinagore take on Rosemount and Delvin have a bye. In section B, it's Killucan vs Caulry, while Garrycastle meet Multyfarnham and The Downs have the bye.

In hurling, defending champions Raharney face old rivals Castletown Geoghegan in the first round of the senior hurling championship in what is arguably the highlight of Thursday's draw. Raharney are chasing back-to-back senior titles for the first time, but the Black and Ambers are serious contenders.

Last year's defeated finalists Lough Lene Gaels meet newly promoted St Oliver Plunkett's, while Clonkill take on Castlepollard.

In the senior 'B' championship, an interesting first round tie pits Crookedwood against Fr Dalton's, while Ringtown meet Castletown Geoghegan's second team. Delvin take on Cullion in the other tie, a big game for both these aspiring clubs.

In the intermediate hurling championship, Brownstown face St Brigid's, while Turin meet Clonkill's second team and Southern Gaels take on Raharney's second side.

Championship action will not begin until July at the earliest, depending largely on how the Westmeath senior footballers fare.