Building momentum key to Junior success
Clarke's Bar Westmeath Junior 1 FC preview
Image 1 of 3
Robbie Keegan, Ballinagore, pictured with the Paddy Walshe Cup at the launch of the Westmeath Junior 1 football championship in Kilbeggan Distillery.Image 2 of 3
Dean Slevin, St Joseph’s, with the Paddy Walshe Cup, at the launch of the Junior 1 football champiosnhip in Kilbeggan Distillery.Image 3 of 3
ABOVE: Back row, from left: Adrian Leahy (Ballycomoyle), Dean Slevin (St Joseph's), Jamie Carr (Killucan), Fergal Dardis (Coralstown/Kinnegad), Keith Carroll (The Downs), Ryan O’Connor (Athlone), Emmet Walsh (Mullingar Shamrocks). Front: Conor Newman (Bunbrosna), Robbie Keegan (Ballinagore), Peter Foy (St Loman's Mullingar), Conor Sheridan (Moate All Whites) and Gary Fagan (Ballynacargy) at the launch of the Westmeath Junior 1 football championship.There are two very distinct groups in the Westmeath Junior 1 football championship once again, with the six Junior clubs operating in Section ‘B’ and the remainder, all from senior clubs, in Section ‘A’.
It’s a championship that always generates great excitement and small clubs and GAA communities bring great pride and passion each year.
Michael Ennis, Westmeath’s heroic wing back during their historic 2004 Leinster campaign, is a major factor in Ballinagore’s revival since he came on board as manager, while Tommy McDaniel and Darragh Seery are inspiring things on the pitch. It looks like a winning formula has been found and it is a story of great persistence as the club was really struggling for numbers not many years ago, but now they look capable of building on last year’s Junior 2 success. There's a proud tradition in Ballinagore and they appear to have been resurrected under Ennis.
Ironically, last year it was looking like St Joseph's could finally make the breakthrough and they went all the way to the final, losing out to an experienced Castletown-Finea/Coole/Whitehall side. It’s a journey that will surely have taught them valuable lessons and exciting young players like Jordan McDonnell, Dean Slevin and Daniel Keegan make them a dangerous proposition once again.
Ballynacargy are the relegated side from last year and the general trend is they present a serious threat, and they are capable of bouncing back under Graham O’Connor and John Gordon. But to do so, they have to defy poor league form.
Looking at Section ‘A’ and the senior clubs, St Loman’s, Mullingar, The Downs and Coralstown/Kinnegad will all present stiff challenges come the quarter-final stages.
With four teams emerging from each section, the championship will take several weeks to warm up and it will be a case of trying to build momentum for the knockout stages. As of now, Ballinagore seem best equipped to do so, but a lot can change in 12 weeks.
Junior 2
In Junior 2, St Paul's, Delvin and Loughnavalley, the three sole junior clubs, are in Section A and will be aiming to get back to the Junior 1 grade for 2026. Other teams in Section 'A' are Tubberclair and Ballycomoyle.
Section 'B' consists of Garrycastle, Caulry, Mullingar Shamrocks, Killucan and Tyrrellspass.
MEET THE TEAMS...
Junior 1 Football Championship Section 'A'
The Downs
Manager: Joe Sullivan.
Captain: Keith Carroll.
New Players in: Darragh Smith, Conor Daly, Conor Power, Thomas Kearns.
Players out: Gavin Murphy (ACL injury).
How they fared in 2024: Beaten after extra-time in quarter-final by Bunbrosna.
(Other teams in Section 'A' include: Killucan, Athlone, St Loman's, Coralstown/Kinneagd and Mullingar Shamrocks).
Junior 1 Football Championship Section B
BALLYCOMOYLE
Managers: Robbie Boyle and Seamus Farrelly.
Captain: Billy Ryan.
New players in: Lee Cribbin and Alex Mills up from minor level.
Players out: None.
How they fared in 2024: Consolidated Junior 1 status.
BALLINAGORE
Manager: Michael Ennis
Captain: Robbie Keegan
New players in: Tommy McDaniel makes his return following a tenure with Castleknock in Dublin. Meanwhile, Philip Reynolds, Eoin Robinson, Shane King, Christian Dowling, and Jack Moloney make the step up from minor to the adult ranks.
Players out: Enda Kenny retires from football but remains on the scene in refereeing.
How they faired in 2024: Won the Junior 2 championship beating Delvin in the final to return to Junior 1 since relegation in 2022.
MOATE ALL WHITES
Manager: Dan McCardle, David McCarthy.
Captain: Conor Sheridan.
How they fared in 2024: Retained Junior 1 status.
St. Joseph's
Manager: Paddy Malynn
Captain: Andy Conway
New players in: Dylan Drake, Dylan Weir Norris and Seán Ellife come up from minor.
Players out: Andy Scally is on duty in Lebanon with the Irish Army.
How they fared in 2024: Beaten by CFCW in the final.
Ballynacargy
Managers: Graham O'Connor and John Gordon.
Captain: Gary Fagan.
New players in: None.
Players out: None.
How they fared in 2024: Relegated from the Intermediate grade.
Bunbrosna
Manager: Dermot Brady
Captain: Aidan Finnan
New players in: Johnny Nolan transfers from Dublin. Gordan Medforth, Oisín Finn, Conor Scally, Evan O'Hara, Ross Duke, Jack MacGovern, Mark Fulham and Brian McGowan step up from minor. Darragh McCormack also returns from travelling abroad.
Players out: Alan Maguire transfers to a club in Cavan and Cian Tighe is out due to injury.
How they fared in 2024: Narrowly beaten by St. Joseph's in semi-final.
Junior 2 Football Championship
Delvin
Manager: Tosh McDonnell
Captain: Eoin Carolan.
Players in: None (A number of dual players involved, such as Eoin Carolan, Dean and Adam Ennis, Patrick Clune, Dean Poynton, Killian Murphy)
Players out: None.
How they fared in 2024: Junior 2 finalists.
St Paul's
Manager: Kenny Higgins.
Captain: Jamie Fitzsimons.
New players in: Conor Muldoon, Callum Briody, Aaron O'Brien, Shane Henry.
Players out: Kenny Higgins.
How they fared in 2024: Relegated from Junior A.
Loughnavalley
Manager: John O'Brien.
Captain: Philip McCabe.
New players in: Mark Kelly
Players out: Shane Kennedy
How they fared in 2024: They didn't qualify for the knockout stages but were competitive.