Referee confirmed for Westmeath senior football final
Alan Coyne has been appointed as referee for the Westmeath SFC final between The Downs and St, Loman's Mullingar on Sunday week, October 11 at TEG Cusack Park (throw-in 2pm).
Castletown-Finea/Coole/Whitehall's Coyne also took charge of last Sunday’s semi-final in which St Loman's defeated Coralstown/Kinnegad – see report here
Coyne will be assisted by linesmen Barry Pierce (the St Mary's official is also the standby referee), Enda Kelly (Castledaly) and Milltown's Paul McCaughey (fourth official).
This year's senior finalists met in the 2024 decider and it took two games, extra-time and a penalty shootout to decide the outcome, with St Loman's eventually prevailing.
Last year, The Downs captured the Flanagan Cup, defeating Coralstown/Kinnegad in the final after the latter knocked out St Loman's at the semi-final stage. Remarkably, St Loman's had contested the previous ten finals in a row, winning seven of them.
With Westmeath stars such as Luke Loughlin, Kevin O'Sullivan, Charlie Drumm (The Downs), Sam McCartan, John Heslin and Danny McCartan (St Loman's) set to feature, the final promises to be one to savour.
And in a year when Westmeath were crowned Leinster senior champions, TG4 is set to broadcast the county's showpiece football game live.
The Downs – who defeated Moate All Whites in their semi-final last Saturday - are bidding to retain the Westmeath senior crown for the first time since their famed team of 1968-1970.
And interestingly, both St Loman's and neighbours The Downs have 11 titles to their credit, so the winner of Sunday week's final will move one ahead on the roll of honour. If the final finishes level, extra-time will not be played; it will go straight to a replay.
It has yet to be confirmed if there will be a curtain-raiser played at TEG Cusack Park prior to the Westmeath SFC final.