Westmeath ladies launch their club championships

The draw for the opening round of the Westmeath Ladies’ Club Championships for 2025 took place last Wednesday week at TEG Cusack Park. The evening was attended by players for their photographs along with Westmeath LGFA members, Geraldine Giles (chairperson), Declan Carr (vice-chairperson), Paula Finan (secretary), Tina Ruane (PRO), and Ted Cronin (Fixtures Committee). Jason Keelan (MC) led the running order and Ger Gavin streamed the event.

JUNIOR

Junior teams learned their fate as Declan Carr pulled their names out. Tyrrellspass, Milltownpass, St Paul’s Delvin, and Clann Gaels were the first out based off the 2024 seedings and placings.

Single-club teams (Ballycomoyle, Shandonagh, Cill Óige, and Kilbeggan Shamrocks) followed, before second-club sides, as they are termed, (St Loman’s 2, Athlone 2, The Downs 2) completed the groups.

Group A sees Clann Gaels, Tyrrellspass, Shandonagh, Kilbeggan Shamrocks, St Loman’s 2, and Athlone 2 drawn together which leaves some interesting matchups in the season. St Paul’s Delvin (junior semi-finalists 2024), Milltownpass, Cill Óige, Ballycomoyle (Junior B Champions last year), and new side, The Downs 2, provide the teams in Group B.

INTERMEDIATE

Aptly termed by some as the ‘group of west’, the makeup of the five sides shows Caulry, Athlone, Moate, Loughnavalley, and Goldsmiths together, all of whom share the commonality of being located on the western side of the county. Goldsmiths will look to continue their good run of form but many will believe Loughnavalley can rewrite history and erase the final defeat from 2024.

SENIOR

Senior expands to ten teams for the 2026 calendar season. As a result, Garrycastle were not relegated last year despite finishing at the base of the senior group. In 2025, the same will apply to whoever finishes last, with the promoted intermediate winners creating the ten-team division.

In Group A, The Downs will meet St Loman’s while St Mary’s Rochfortbridge and Milltown will meet in two blockbuster opening weekend games.

In Group B, the five teams, drawn out by Declan Carr, pits Mullingar Shamrocks at home to Coralstown-Kinnegad and St Joseph’s meeting Garrycastle – although the Streamstown side came out first, Garrycastle will be at home due to St Joseph’s having home advantage when the sides met in 2024. Declan Carr’s own home team, Killucan, were last out of the night and have to wait an extra week for a game as they take the ‘bye’ round to start.

FIRST ROUND

Junior Group A opens with new side, Athlone 2, heading to meet newly-relegated Clann Gaels. Kilbeggan Shamrocks welcome St Loman’s while Tyrrellspass meet Shandonagh. Group B has Junior B champions, Ballycomoyle, meeting St Paul’s Delvin while The Downs 2 take on Milltownpass. Cill Óige have the ‘bye’ week.

In Intermediate, things were straightforward in terms of fixtures with just one group of five. Caulry and Loughnavalley welcome Goldsmiths and Moate respectively in as Athlone wait another week.

Group A in senior pits The Downs against St Loman’s in a repeat of the semi-final last season. While Na Dúnta had eight-points to spare during the groups, Ciarán Kilmurray’s St Loman’s bounced back in the last-four.

St Mary’s Rochfortbridge welcome Tom Dillon’s Milltown in Group A also. In Group B, Killucan receive the ‘bye’. Mullingar Shamrocks welcome Coralstown-Kinnegad to Springfield and St Joseph’s and Garrycastle, the bottom two last year, meet in Athlone due to St Joseph’s having home advantage when the two met last year.

ROUND 1

Senior Championship

Group A: The Downs v St Loman’s, St Mary’s Rochfortbridge v Milltown

Group B: Mullingar Shamrocks v Coralstown-Kinnegad, St Joseph’s v Garrycastle

Bye: Killucan

Intermediate Championship

Caulry v Goldsmiths, Loughnavalley v Moate. Bye: Athlone

Junior Championship

Group A: Clann Gaels v Athlone 2, Kilbeggan Shamrocks v St Loman’s 2, Tyrrellspass v Shandonagh

Group B: Ballycomoyle v St Paul’s Delvin, The Downs 2 v Milltownpass. Bye: Cill Óige