Three local clubs eye weekend county football final glory

Three South Westmeath clubs are bidding for a county football title this Saturday.

ABOVE: From left: Aidan Burke of Tang, Robbie Forde of Moate and Alan Coffey of Tubberclair will all be hoping to enjoy a county final victory come Saturday night.

Tang and Moate All Whites do battle in the Westmeath intermediate final at 4.30pm on Saturday in Cusack Park while Tubberclair face the second team of St Loman’s, Mullingar in the Westmeath Junior 1 FC final (throw-in 1pm).

Although both games will be played at TEG Cusack Park, Covid-19 restrictions mean traditional double headers are out for the moment, with a lengthy gap between the starting times of the two finals.

Tang are playing in their first intermediate final since losing to Tubberclair in 2002. The last Tang team to lift the Peter Geraghty Cup was in 1993, and current manager Michael Tumelty played on that team, while he also won an intermediate championship in 1990.

Tang are expecting to have a full contingent of players available for selection. Tumelty is happy that 100 supporters will be able to attend, though the club are showing the game on a big screen at their pitch.

The final is being shown in Tang GAA Grounds on a big screen. Entry €10 per car. Throw in at 4.30pm.

Tumelty is well aware of the threat Moate pose with the sides finishing level when they met in the 2019 championship.

“We played Moate last year in the championship and it was a draw. I expect it to be a tight game again.

Moate All Whites for their part are contesting the Westmeath intermediate football final for the first time ever.

In this year’s semi-finals, Moate overturned their 2019 defeat to Milltownpass at the same stage. They did so in impressive fashion with the outstanding Robbie Forde scoring nine points.

The level of improvement shown by Moate since the opening round - when they just about eked out a win over Ballymore - has been extremely noteworthy.

Interestingly, if Saturday’s finals end level, extra-time and, if necessary, a penalty shoot-out will ensue.

In the junior final, Tubberclair are naturally very keen to return to the intermediate grade at the first time of asking after being surprisingly demoted from the intermediate ranks last year, when they lost a relegation play-off to St Malachy’s.

Anybody who had cause to drive around Glasson or Tubberclair in recent days would be forgiven for thinking the local team was preparing for a senior county final, such is the level of flags and bunting on display.

Many observers feel Tubberclair are too good for the junior ranks, but they have to earn promotion to a higher station on the field of play.

Martin McCabe’s charges defeated The Downs’ second team by 1-13 to 1-10 in their semi-final, with Daniel Sammon scoring Tubberclair’s goal and Eoghan McCabe contributing four points.

St Loman’s had far too much firepower for Athlone’s second string in their semi-final as they claimed victory on a scoreline of 0-18 to 0-7. David Morgan scored 0-6 in that game and among the other names to watch on the Loman’s side are Gerry Grehan, Tristan Graham, David Windsor and Gareth Hickey.

The Mullingar outfit are bidding for a county title double this weekend. Their senior team are contesting their sixth Westmeath senior football final in a row and will face Tyrrellspass in the decider on Sunday (TEG Cusack Park, 4pm).