Plunkett’s look to experience ahead of Castlepollard challenge

Slevin’s Coaches Westmeath Senior ‘B’ hurling championship final preview

Thomas Lyons

A year after St Oliver Plunkett’s endured heartbreak following a Slevin's Coaches Westmeath Senior 'B' Hurling Championship Final replay defeat, they return to TEG Cusack Park with Senior 'A' status again in their sights.

The Mullingar town outfit head into the 2026 decider against Castlepollard with momentum, confidence and the experience of reaching successive finals.

They face a formidable challenge against a team unbeaten in this year's campaign: “We're looking forward to it, absolutely. We're delighted to get back to the final,” manager Dermot Curley says of the camp's spirits.

Castlepollard’s unbeaten record makes them dangerous opponents, but Plunkett’s have demonstrated their capacity to grind out results when required. Added to that is the ending to their 2025 campaign.

“We were very unlucky last year to lose out on a replay with Delvin. It's good to get back to a final and have an opportunity to get back up to Senior A,” Curley says of the opportunity that is presenting itself.

“The Delvin team of last year were beaten in two previous finals, they were a very experienced team. They were full value for getting the draw on the first day and then winning the replay, but there was very little between us. It's probably quite similar to the Senior 'B' League Championship this year. A lot of the results are very, very close between all the teams,” he opines.

CASTLEPOLLARD UNBEATEN

This year the teams met in the first round of the championship. That July encounter may seem a world away now. In what was perhaps more of a chess game than a knock-out hurling battle Castlepollard took the win.

The Plunkett's supremo isn't dwelling on that fixture: “We played them in the very first round of the championship and we were beaten comprehensively by them. I think by eight points in the end. They were everyone's favourite. Coming down from Senior 'A' aiming to go back up. They're unbeaten in the championship so far.”

While those observations may not be out-and-out guile, the phrase “lulling into a false sense of security” does spring to mind.

Plunkett’s have shown they can handle the pressure of knockout hurling. Their semi-final victory over Brownstown, by 1-17 to 0-17, was a hard-earned success that required resilience and composure.

Brian Farrell’s 44th-minute goal proved decisive in that contest, while Padraig Casey contributed five points. Aaron Craig and Eoin Meehan also finished with three points apiece, underlining the scoring options available to the Mullingar side.

Their ability to find scores from different areas of the field will be important against Castlepollard, particularly if the game develops into a tight battle in which every opportunity matters.

“They are a very, very strong team. Some excellent hurlers. A nice sprinkling of lads with county experience. So it's a big challenge for us in the final,” Dermot offers. “They've got a good, strong panel. We've got a similarly good, strong panel as well. All the teams change through the Championship. That could be said for both teams.”

Castlepollard's cross season performance hands them the favourites tag. The north Westmeath club have demonstrated their scoring power, registering 116 points while only conceding 81. Such statistics can have little relevance on the afternoon of a final.

“All we can really do is just worry about ourselves,” the Plunkett's manager says. “We definitely have the capability to perform on the day and win the match. We've improved over the championship. We've been unbeaten since the day we played Castlepollard, so we've made progress.”

Having your senior men's team reach a county final is a big deal in any year, when it is one in which you celebrate a half a century of existence it takes on an added dimension: “It's a very important year for our hurling club and our camogie club.

“We're now under the one-club model. There's a lot of work going on in the club to drive our underage hurling and camogie. The 50-year anniversary gives us a chance to look back at all of the work that's been done by a lot of people in both the camogie and hurling side over the last number of years.

“It'd be fantastic if we could get a return back up to Senior 'A' in our 50th year. But I think given the progress we're making at underage, whether it's this year or in a year or two's time, our trajectory is obviously positive at the minute. All we can do is look after the results on the day and everything else looks after itself.”

While Castlepollard may have splashed the blue and gold across the town in anticipation of next weekend, there is not as much green and white around Mullingar. The nature of large towns is the spread out nature of the supporters.

Plunkett's bainisteoir is happy with the fans getting behind the team: “We've got a really good support base in the town.

“Castlepollard and other hurling parishes around the county have got very, very strong support. It's great to see that. Great to see those parishes and communities supporting their club. We've got a similar strong support base in Mullingar. In various pockets you can see the flags where there's club members and families with their flags up outside their houses.

As the last few days tick down towards Saturday's throw in, all efforts are being made to have the team in form for what is sure to be a bruising encounter: “The panel's in good shape. A couple of injuries have luckily cleared up for us.

“We had a couple of injuries that arose from lads who are dual players who are playing in the latter stages of the football, but we're in good shape injury-wise. We're nearly at full strength.

“A big loss to us earlier this year was Connor Lynch, our goalkeeper. He came back playing this year after not playing last year. Unfortunately he suffered a cruciate injury. He's a big loss but we're very lucky to have Connor Bracken.

“Robbie Hogg had an injury. He would have played in the earlier rounds. He's back training well,” Dermot says.

GOOD BUZZ

The challenge of being a hurling club and camogie club is something that brings a unique spirit to St Oliver Plunkett’s. Dermot says interest levels in the small ball game have grown. “We have a lot of players who take part in all codes, they play hurling or camogie together, and then might be on opposing sides when they're playing their club football.

“I don't think it has any negative impact on our club. We have a very, very tight group at all levels and especially in our senior panel. We have players covering five football clubs who are playing hurling with us. It brings a good dynamic and a good buzz in the camp. They're all hurling well together and training well together and they've been doing that all throughout the year.”

It's going to be an interesting Saturday afternoon. If Plunkett's can match Castlepollard physically, limit their opponents’ scoring opportunities and make the most of their own chances, the Mullingar men have every reason to believe they can lift the Mickey Power Cup.

The final at TEG Cusack Park promises to be a compelling contest between two clubs with strong ambitions, and Plunkett’s will be determined to ensure their second successive final appearance ends in celebration.

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