‘It’s massive for the club’

No doubt, Adam Neary will remember his winning point for Tang in last Saturday’s Westmeath intermediate football final for the rest of his life.

Recalling the free from which he gave Tang a one-point victory over Milltownpass, Neary said: “I actually thought it was a sideline ball at first. Then the referee called it in a few yards and I said I might have a go. It was just about focusing on putting my foot through the ball and getting it towards the target. That was it really.”

Neary didn’t start the game due to a groin injury, and he admitted that he was a bit nervous about the injury when he entered the fray.

“It’s not great to be honest, it’s still a bit sore. But it’s county final day and you try to put it to the back of your head and just go for it, as you don’t want to miss out,” he said.

Although 22-year-old Neary is one of Tang’s younger players, he knows what the county title means to the older brigade who have soldiered for years.

“It’s massive for the club. Even during the week in Tang, there were flags up everywhere and all sorts of support on social media. And you can see all the people here, there are smiles from ear to ear, everyone is absolutely ecstatic,” he said.

Adam said it was “a huge blow” to lose attacking colleague Shane Coughlan to injury early in the second half.

“Shane is a serious player, he’s an absolute livewire, he’s always out in front, always showing for the ball,” said Neary. “Hopefully the injury is not too bad and he’ll be alright again in a few weeks’ time.”

Reflecting on Aidan Burke’s first-half goal, Adam said: “I was warming up on the sideline at the time. I think Shane (Coughlan) got the ball and played it into Aidan and Aidan, in fairness to him, took his two plays on the ball and he was cool and calm and he just slotted it home.”

When Tang last won the intermediate title, there was no Leinster club championship at that grade. Therefore, the club will represent Westmeath for the first time when they face Kildare champions Kilcock on the first weekend of December.

Kilcock defeated An Tóchar of Wicklow (0-15 to 0-7) in Arklow today (Saturday) to set up a Leinster quarter-final meeting against Tang.

“It’s something to look forward to,” said Neary. “It’s probably something we won’t get a chance at again for a while, so we have to make the most of it while we’re in it,” he added.

Tang manager Michael Tumelty was part of the last team from the club to win the Westmeath intermediate title in 1993. Back then, Tang needed a replay to overcome close neighbours Maryland and, as Milltownpass attacked in the closing moments of this year's final, a replay looked a strong possibility once again.

“In the end we had to dig deep,” said Tumelty afterwards.

The substitutions introduced by Tang worked well and, overall, Tumelty felt the panel was “a bit stronger this year”.

He also praised the contribution of the other members of his management team, Mike Bannon and James Galvin from Castledaly.