Tubberclair among teams bidding for county final places
It’s semi-final weekend in the Westmeath GAA club football championships, with Tubberclair among the teams vying for coveted county final places.
Having topped Section A of the Westmeath IFC, Tubberclair take on Milltownpass in their semi-final today (Saturday) at TEG Cusack Park (throw-in 2pm).
Tubberclair contested the 2022 intermediate final in which they were defeated by Shandonagh after a replay and, last year, the Glasson outfit suffered an agonising defeat to Multyfarnham on penalties at the quarter-final stage.
Boosted by a number of talented under-20 players in their ranks, Tubberclair will be hoping to at least reach the final this year, but Milltownpass have been knocking on the door in recent years too and will harbour their own ambitions.
Managed by former Maryland star David Martin, Milltownpass claimed a high-scoring win over Multyfarnham in their recent quarter-final (4-15 to 2-15), with Brandon Kelly scoring two goals for the winners.
Milltownpass have been boosted by the return from Australia of Sam Duncan, who was a first choice midfielder for Westmeath a couple of years ago.
The Tubberclair vs Milltownpass clash will be followed by the senior championship semi-final between St Loman’s Mullingar and Coralstown/Kinnegad. Remarkably, St Loman’s are bidding to reach their 11th senior decider in a row, with Jack Cooney’s charges hoping to end that sequence as they seek to overturn the result of the 2023 final.
The other intermediate and senior semi-finals will form a double header on Sunday. Milltown will take on neighbours Shandonagh in the intermediate curtain-raiser, with Mullingar Shamrocks facing Flanagan Cup favourites The Downs in the senior clash. Shamrocks will be looking to build on their dramatic and controversial quarter-final victory over Garrycastle.
Meanwhile, in the Junior 1 FC, ‘sole junior clubs’ St Joseph’s and Ballinagore will be aiming to overcome the challenge of the second teams from established senior clubs. St Joseph’s face Mullingar Shamrocks on Saturday (Shandonagh is now the venue, 3.30pm), with Ballinagore meeting St Loman’s tomorrow (Sunday) in Rochfortbridge.
There has been some confusion over the Junior 2 championship semi-final fixtures, but it has been confirmed that Garrycastle’s second team will face St Paul’s on Sunday (Rochfortbridge, 2pm), with Tubberclair meeting Tyrrellspass in the other last four clash on Sunday (Castletown Geoghegan the venue) - see revised fixtures below.
Meanwhile, the Westmeath LGFA Intermediate Championship final between Goldsmiths and Loughnavalley will be played today (Saturday). Pitch conditions resulting from the weather forced it to be postponed last weekend - see more here
In addition, the Westmeath Senior 'A' and Junior 'A' camogie finals will be played this weekend, with TEG Cusack Park the venue for the senior decider today.
Westmeath Gaelic Games Fixtures
Saturday, October 11
MJS Building & Development Under-16 Division 1 football final - Kinnegad, 11.30, Shandonagh vs The Downs.
MJS Building & Development Under-16 Division 2 football final - Milltown, 12.00, Cill Óige vs Mullingar Shamrocks.
MJS Building & Development Under-16 Division 4 football final - Ballinagore, 12.00, Tyrrellspass vs St. Mary's.
Eoin Clarke & Co. Solicitors Westmeath LGFA Intermediate Championship final - Ballynacargy, 12.00, Goldsmiths v Loughnavalley.
David Smyth Catering Westmeath Camogie Senior A Championship final -TEG Cusack Park, 12.00, Raharney v Clonkill.
Shay Murtagh Precast Intermediate Football Championship semi-final - TEG Cusack Park, 2pm, Tubberclair v Milltownpass.
Shay Murtagh Precast Senior Football Championship semi-final - TEG Cusack Park, 3.45pm, St Loman’s Mullingar v Coralstown/Kinnegad.
Clarke's Bar Junior 1 Football Championship semi-final - Shandonagh, 3.30pm, St Joseph’s v Mullingar Shamrocks.
MJS Building & Development Minor Division 2 football final - Kinnegad, 7pm, Killucan vs Lilliput Gaels.
Sunday, October 12
Deelside Coaches Westmeath Camogie Junior A Championship final - TEG Cusack Park, 12.30, Cullion v Brownstown.
Clarke's Bar Junior 1 Football Championship semi-final - Rochfortbridge, 2pm, Ballinagore v St Loman’s Mullingar.
Clarke's Bar Junior 2 Football Championship semi-finals - Castletown Geoghegan, 2pm, Tubberclair v Tyrrellspass; Rochfortbridge, 4pm, Garrycastle v St Paul's.
Shay Murtagh Precast Intermediate Football Championship semi-final - TEG Cusack Park, 2pm, Milltown v Shandonagh.
Shay Murtagh Precast Senior Football Championship semi-final - TEG Cusack Park, 3.45pm, The Downs v Mullingar Shamrocks.
MJS Building & Development Under-16 Division 1 hurling final - Clonkill, 4pm, Clann na Gael vs Na Piarsaigh.