Hurling championships get the ball rolling in Westmeath

After many weeks where football has dominated the headlines, hurling is now set to get the championship season up and running in Westmeath.

The small ball game has suffered as a result of renewed interest in football in the county after the senior footballers’ memorable Leinster success in Croke Park, followed by big games at packed-out venues in TEG Cusack Park and Pearse Stadium, Salthill. The crowd dipped a little a week later in St Tiernach’s Park, Clones, where the great run finally came to an end.

Gaelic games supporters will have loved it all, but hurling diehards will realise the game is facing a renewed challenge right across the country. Football has been revolutionised under Jarlath Byrne’s term as Uachtarán, the rule enhancements making for a much more entertaining spectacle.

Even the Westmeath adult football league finals over the last week and a half have provided wonderful entertainment and hurling really needs a good championship season to give the game a boost in the county.

The coming weekend will be interesting and while nothing is won or lost in round one, certainly teams such as Lough Lene Gaels, Castletown Geoghegan and Raharney will be keen to lay down early markers.

Castletown Geoghegan vs Fr Dalton’s

The race for the Westmeath Examiner Cup starts on Saturday evening in TEG Cusack Park when champions Castletown Geoghegan take on Fr Dalton’s in the opening game.

As defending champions, Castletown Geoghegan get the honour of getting the Senior ‘A’ championship up and running and if they play to their true potential, they ought to be too strong for a gritty Fr Dalton’s outfit.

The latter came into the ‘A’ championship last year and have held their status after defeating Castlepollard, so the challenge for them now is to build and become an established team in the top eight of Westmeath club hurling.

That will not be easy and big displays will be needed all over the pitch. Key men will include Owen McCabe, Sam Maxwell, Jack Duncan and Eoin Ryan.

Castletown Geoghegan didn’t reach the league final, but they are chasing three in a row this season and will take all the stopping - players such as Niall O’Brien, Liam Varley, Shane Clavin and Peter Clarke giving them an edge on most. They are fully expected to get off to a winning start on Saturday evening.

Clonkill vs Raharney

The two big traditional rivals meet on Sunday at 7pm in TEG Cusack Park and Raharney, recently crowned Division 1 league champions, will be favourites to win.

They saw off Clonkill in that final, 1-18 to 1-13, and even though there wasn’t much between the sides then, it is expected that Raharney will kick on, especially with Killian Doyle to return to the fold.

The two have new management teams this year - Johnny Greville is back at the helm in Raharney and Frank Aughey and Pat O’Toole team up again in Clonkill.

Neither side will lack passion and it should be a good contest. However, the absence of Luke Loughlin is a clear blow to a Clonkill side in transition and Raharney will be expected to get up and running with a victory.

Lough Lene Gaels v Delvin

Defeated finalists for the last three years, Lough Lene Gaels get their campaign off the ground when they take on the 2025 Senior ‘B’ winners, Delvin, on Sunday afternoon in Robinstown. The Collinstown men beat Delvin comfortably in Division 1 of the league in April and it’s expected that they will be too strong here.

Delvin will be aiming to consolidate Senior ‘A’ status, while the Gaels will certainly have one eye on the trophy again, believing they can end their 24-year wait for glory. David Williams is a key man, while Micheál Daly, Tommy Doyle and Marcus Kennedy are all very capable.

Delvin will look to Alan Cox, Adam and Dean Ennis, and Darragh Clinton.

Senior ‘B’ will be closely fought

The Westmeath Senior ‘B’ hurling championship also gets underway at the weekend and the clash of Castlepollard and St Oliver Plunketts is surely the highlight of the opening round.

The sides meet on Saturday evening in TEG Cusack Park (5.45pm) and Castlepollard will be very keen to bounce back from their relegation last year. The Mullingar club has been making steady progress, however, and will certainly fancy their chances of victory in what looks an interesting first-round tie.

In the other games, Crookedwood play St Brigid’s on Saturday and on Sunday, Ringtown meet Brownstown.

Intermediate championship

Two of the leading contenders for the Intermediate title meet in the first round on Sunday (5.15pm, TEG Cusack Park) as Southern Gaels take on Turin, who were defeated in last year’s final. This promises to be a fascinating first-round match, providing the ideal start to this championship.

Slevin's Coaches Senior A Hurling - Round 1

Fr Dalton’s vs Castletown Geo; Clonkill vs Raharney; Delvin vs Lough Lene Gaels

Slevin's Coaches Senior B Hurling

Crookedwood vs St Brigid’s; Brownstown vs Ringtown; Castlepollard vs St Oliver Plunketts

Slevin's Coaches Intermediate Hurling

Castletown Geo vs Clonkill; Southern Gaels vs Turin; Raharney vs Cullion