Westmeath Examiner correspondent Gerry Buckley and his partner Emer Smith were lucky to meet Irish pro boxing star and Olympic medallist Katie Taylor (centre) in Las Vegas last May.

Sports Review 2022: MAY

Westmeath’s senior hurlers got over the sting of their heavy defeat to Galway with a spirited display against Dublin in the third round of the Leinster SHC. Although they lost by eight points, they trailed by only three with ten minutes to go after a Niall O’Brien goal. Things got even better two weeks later, when they met Wexford in TEG Cusack Park and gave the Yellowbellies the game of their lives. A late goal from Derek McNicholas earned the hosts a draw, and if Westmeath had managed to sneak a win it would have gone down as the result of the century.

Later in the month, the hurlers’ rich vein of form continued when they guaranteed themselves a place in the Liam MacCarthy Cup race for 2023 with a famous win over Laois. Ending a 54-year championship famine against the O’Moore men, two goals from Eoin Keyes helped the Lake County to a 5-24 to 1-18 victory. Many hurling aficionados regarded Westmeath’s second half display as the county’s best in decades.

On the senior football side, Westmeath went into their Leinster SFC semi-final against Kildare in Croke Park confident of a result, and with Ronan O’Toole (1-3) turning in a superb display, Jack Cooney’s men came very close. However, some missed chances cost them dearly and Kildare prevailed on a score of 1-21 to 2-15.

The Tailteann Cup awaited, and although initial attitudes to the second-tier competition was marked by apathy among the GAA commentariat, Westmeath kicked off with a win over Laois thanks to a goal from Sam McCartan. In the six weeks that followed, the improvement demanded by Jack Cooney following the Laois match was delivered by the players, with memorable results.

At the May meeting of Westmeath GAA’s county board, delegates were addressed by the Mullingar Fleadh Cheoil Committee, while chairman Frank Mescall described delays with ball-stop netting for TEG Cusack Park a disappointment and “a huge embarrassment”.

On the ladies’ GAA front, Westmeath ladies met All-Ireland champions Meath in a Leinster semi-final however, where the Royal women recorded a comfortable victory. In camogie, Westmeath faced the Dubs in the Leinster senior semi-final and were also beaten, but by less of a margin. This was the first game in charge for new Westmeath manager Diarmuid Cahill, with the Tipperary man taking over from Albert Kelly. Later in the month, they met the Dubs’ intermediates (managed by Raharney’s Jimmy Greville) in their All-Ireland intermediate opener, and won comfortably with Megan Dowdall and Denise McGrath firing 2-11 between them. Meanwhile, Westmeath’s minor ladies’ football side lost out to Longford in a Leinster championship thriller.

Elsewhere in GAA, the minor footballers lost to Kildare in the Leinster MFC but advanced in the Seamus Heaney Cup with a win over Longford, before losing out to Meath in the semis; Clonkill Hurling, Camogie and Handball Clubs held a huge fundraiser for new facilities; Westmeath GAA and Writech announced a sponsorship deal in which the latter would sponsor Westmeath’s inter-county jersey sleeves from U17 to senior grade; Westmeath County Council held a civic reception for Raharney Camogie Club (All-Ireland club junior ‘A’ champions 2020), the Westmeath senior hurlers (2021 Joe McDonagh Cup winners) and Westmeath ladies (2021 All-Ireland intermediate LGFA champions). In handball, Aoife McCarthy impressed at the European WallBall tour in in the Netherlands, while Mick Naughton and Robbie McCarthy Snr achieved All-Ireland Emerald Masters glory.

The month in athletics saw Kilbeggan native Michelle Langan set a personal best running for Blackrock AC at the Belfast City Marathon, while her dad, Jim Langan – wearing the Tullamore Harriers singlet – finished second Over 70 in the third leg of the Offaly 5k series. Mullingar’s Jack O’Leary was named in the Irish team to compete at the European 10k Cup in Pacé, France, where he made his first senior appearance on an Irish team and finished in a time of 30 minutes, 9 seconds, having made a winning return to the track in Belfast on May 14.

Mullingar Harriers had a fruitful month, which ended with a huge haul of medals at the Leinster track and field finals. During May, Colm Smith (3,000m) and Sean McMullin (30k race walk) were among the medals at the European Masters Non-Stadia Championships in Italy.

In golf, Mullingar Golf Club launched its new website, and involvement in team competitions intensified for all local clubs. Meanwhile, the Westmeath Pitch and Putt country strokeplay was won by Seán Dinnegan (senior), John Carton (intermediate), Niall Kinahan (junior) and Kathleen Carton (ladies). Also in pitch and putt, Collinstown father and son duo Benny and Raymond Fay triumphed in the Leinster Scotch Foursomes.

On the rugby field, Mullingar enjoyed success in the underage ranks when their U13s defeated Newbridge in the Leinster (McGowan) Cup final, and the U15s won their Leinster League Division 2 final against Edenderry.

In soccer, there were also successes for a number of local clubs. Raharney United earned the FAI’s prestigious Club Mark Award; Inny FC’s U11s made history after winning a superb treble; Kinnegad Juniors’ U15s won the Midlands Plate final; and Mullingar Athletic’s in-form U16s won the Lennon Cup. At adult level, there was heartbreak for Mullingar Town, who drew 1-1 with Clara Town on the last day of the season to miss out on the CCFL Senior Division title. There was disappointment also for Mullingar Athletic, who after a memorable run lost 1-0 to Dublin’s Whitehall Rangers in the quarter-finals of the FAI Women’s Intermediate Cup. The club’s senior men’s team also fell short of the title in Division 1 of the CCFL.

In boxing, Olympic BC impressed at the All-Ireland Boy/Girl 1/2/3 Championships, finishing with five gold medals, while clubman Patsy Joyce won a bronze medal at the European Youth Championships.

Elsewhere in sport, Ballymore Olympian and eventer Joseph Murphy turned out a flawless clear round to achieve a top ten place in the five-star Land Rover Kentucky three-day event in the United States; Multyfarnham pickleball star Cassandra Mooney won a doubles partner at the Dutch Open; Cheltenham hero Flooring Porter was among the horses competing at Kilbeggan; a great start to the racing season put Mullingar’s Thomas Maxwell in good shape for the Isle of Man TT; and Jordan Dempsey’s Formula Ford 1600 lead was extended with two wins, three podium finishes and three fastest laps.