Lough Lene Gaels see red as champions prevail

Drama, tension and yes, controversy. The Westmeath Senior ‘A’ Hurling Championship began on Friday evening with three games, all at different venues, and it was the clash of last year’s finalists, Castletown Geoghegan and Lough Lene Gaels that had most hurling fans engrossed.

Castletown Geoghegan emerged winners on a 0-28 to 3-17 scoreline, but last year’s runners-up Lough Lene Gaels were dreadfully unlucky to have been denied a fourth goal when Westmeath star Tommy Doyle had his effort ruled out for a square ball infringement in the 53rd minute.

The Gaels finished with 14 men when Brendan Doyle picked up a red card, while manager Joey Williams was also shown red for his protests after the final whistle. The reigning champions led by 0-15 to 0-8 at half-time, but goals from Tommy and Brendan Doyle kept the Collinstown men in touch, and Jordan Williams' major left the bare minimum between the teams (0-27 to 3-17) with over five minutes of injury-time played.

Castletown Geoghegan survived - winning a late free in that in truth could have gone either way - and secured the crucial championship points on offer. Niall O’Brien, with 0-12, David O’Reilly and Aonghus Clarke were among the prominent players for Alan Mangan’s side on the evening.

Meanwhile, Raharney overcame Fr Dalton’s rather easily, 2-26 to 2-7, in Shandonagh, and in the other game, Clonkill got the better of a spirited Castlepollard side in Kinnegad by 1-19 to 2-9.

Clonkill led by 1-9 to 2-5 at half-time, following a goal by corner forward Oisin Murray in the 20th minute. That followed an earlier major from Castlepollard’s Colm Dermody, who struck home when a high ball landed in the danger area.

Clonkill were reduced to 14 men when Alan McGrath picked up a red card for a dangerous tackle on Matthew O’Reilly in the 26th minute, but in an error-ridden affair, they managed to summon enough composure to get over the finish line in the second half. Robbie Cleary emerged as a pivotal figure with some fine points, while dual star Luke Loughlin had a major influence around the middle third, his pace and strength key factors in a deserved Clonkill victory. Had Darragh McCormack and Allan Devine converted all of their chances, it could well have been a different story, though.

*See Tuesday’s Westmeath Examiner for full coverage of all games on the opening weekend of championship 2025.