Sports Review 2022: JUNE

Westmeath’s Tailteann Cup football odyssey continued through June, starting with a quarter-final away to Carlow. John Heslin again delivered in a maroon jersey with a haul of 1-9, but the Lake County had a battle to put Carlow away, eventually prevailing on a score of 1-21 to 2-13. Jack Cooney demanded a big improvement in the semi-final, which turned out to be a showdown with neighbours Offaly in Croke Park. They didn’t disappoint, outclassing the Faithful with a team display for the ages. Ronan O’Toole was playmaker-in-chief, John Heslin on fine form with 0-8 and Lorcan Dolan (2) and Ronan Wallace among the goals as Westmeath won 3-22 to 2-16 to book their place in the first ever Tailteann Cup final.

The break between the semi-final and final prompted Jack Cooney to release his players back to their clubs for the league finals, which took place at the end of June. The Downs marked the end of one phase of a successful year with victory over Coralstown/Kinnegad in the Division 1 final, while there was also success for Tyrrellspass (Division 2) and Killucan (Division 3).

Primary schools finals returned to the fore after a three-year hiatus due to Covid-19. Emper NS and Milltown NS were the big winners at the Iggy Fulham Memorial Football Tournament in Milltown, and in TEG Cusack Park, the Westmeath Cumann na mBunscol finals returned. The top-tier winners were St Kenny NS, Kilpatrick (football), St Mary’s NS, Collinstown (hurling), St Mary’s NS Raharney (camogie) and St Etchen’s NS, Kinnegad (girls’ football).

The early end to the inter-county senior hurling season for Westmeath meant that players returned to their clubs and the county’s hurling leagues continued and were finalised, with Lough Lene Gaels (Division 1), St Oliver Plunkett’s (Division 2) and Castletown Geoghegan (Division 3) taking the honours. Two goals from Marcus Kennedy did the business for the Collinstown club against eventual SHC winners Castletown Geoghegan. However, Westmeath were still involved in inter-county competition at U16 level, losing out to Offaly in their Corn Jerome O’Leary decider.

In camogie, Westmeath suffered a setback against Galway in their All-Ireland intermediate campaign, but Diarmuid Cahill’s troops bounced back against Carlow at TEG Cusack Park the following week, with goals from Caoimhe McCrossan and Emma Broughan propelling them to a comfortable win. They then beat Kerry in Lixnaw, thanks to two away goals from Denise McGrath. At underage level, Lough Lene Gaels claimed a national Féile nan Gael (U14) camogie title.

As their All-Ireland intermediate football series progressed, Westmeath ladies found no joy to assuage their difficult league and Leinster campaigns, shipping heavy defeats to Galway and Kerry in June. Before the Kerry game, manager Michael Finneran slammed the travel demands being placed on his charges, with away trips to both counties. Meanwhile, Killucan Ladies’ GAA were chosen for Lidl’s ‘One Good Club’ programme, geared towards promoting mental health and wellbeing.

Elsewhere in GAA, Westmeath county board chairman Frank Mescall was in New York as the Big Apple’s Westmeath Gaels held their largest ever dinner dance; Raharney and Westmeath hurling legend Sean Greville was inducted into Leinster GAA’s Hall of Fame at Croke Park, and Mullingar Shamrocks welcomed clubman and comedian Conor Moore to open their new clubhouse bar at Springfield. Meanwhile, at the Leinster Poc Fada finals on Mount Leinster, Carlow, Na Piarsaigh’s Darragh Smith won the U16 boys competition, while Brownstown camóg Alannah Guirke came third in the U16 girls category.

In golf, Mullingar Golf Club held their junior and intermediate scratch cups in June, with Kieran Smith prevailing in the former and Kieran McGurran winning the latter. The club mourned the late Brian Reidy, while towards the end of the month, David Keena won the Captain’s (Dave Farrelly’s) Prize to the Men. In pitch and putt meanwhile, Collinstown’s Liz Quinn became the first Westmeath woman to win two national pitch and putt titles, while her fellow club member Jack Buckley won the IUNVA Cup.

In athletics, nine young members of Mullingar Harriers competed at the All-Ireland track and field championship finals in Tullamore, with Matthew Glennon, Aisling Lane, John Glennon, Andrew Glennon, Conor Sherwin and Grace Byrne among the medals. Aisling also won the Connacht Schools’ Best Athlete award. Meanwhile, Diarmuid Fagan made European standard in the 1,500m, while the club finished the Leinster Track and Field Championship finals with five gold and seven silver medals. At the end of the month, Lane, Fagan and Matthew Glennon were all chosen to represent Ireland at the European U18 T&F.

On the American football front, Westmeath Minotaurs went ‘7 and 0’ in terms of wins and defeats respectively, beating Cill Dara Crusaders in the league. In boxing, Mullingar Elite Boxing Club’s Daniel Joyce won a 44kg national title and qualified for European competition, while Olympic BC’s Louise Joyce, Christian Doyle and John Donoghue won National Cadet titles.

Westmeath Community Games got back up and running with the organisation’s 50th Westmeath track and field finals, and also in June, Mullingar Sailing Club staged an adult introduction to sailing course.

Elsewhere in sport, the Coralstown 5k returned to the roads, and was won by Mullingar Harriers’ Vinny Connolly; Mullingar motorcyclist Derek McGee said that he was biding his time as he returned to competitive motorcycling after an injury; Lakeside Wheelers hosted a very successful Tour of the Lakes event; Wheeler Mikey Flaherty and former club rider Aoife O’Brien excelled at the National Junior Championships in Cork; Lough Lene Anglers hosted a successful Airflo international fly fishing competition; and Aidan Keena moved closer to the top of the League of Ireland goalscoring charts, with another brace against Finn Harps.