No fewer than five Westmeath schools competed in the 2006 Leinster Colleges SF 'A' championship, but one by one they were eliminated with eventual winners St. Pat's of Navan inflicting the greatest damage. At juvenile level, Marist College won a North Leinster title, while St. Mary's CBS enjoyed an extended run in the SH 'B' championship. Not for the first time, St. Pat's of Navan proved a real thorn in the side of the Westmeath schools in the 2006 Leinster Colleges SF 'A' championship. After trouncing Marist College, Athlone in the first round, Pat's went on to crush the hopes of St. Mary's CBS, Mullingar and Athlone Community College in the quarter-final and semi-final respectively. The Navan boys had just a point to spare over a resurgent St. Mary's, while they were also pushed to the pin of their collar by Athlone CC, who nevertheless made a huge impact in what was their first year to compete at this level. Although newcomers to the championship, Athlone CC proved themselves to be one of the top teams in the province and left nobody in any doubt that they will be a force to be reckoned with at this level in years to come. The 2004 and 2005 All-Ireland Vocational Schools junior football champions were a revelation and showed little regard for tradition when they recorded a memorable victory over mighty St. Mel's on their Leinster Colleges SF 'A' championship debut before the Christmas break. Coached by Chris Ford - a brother of Galway senior boss Peter - Athlone CC pulled out all the stops to claim a 2-15 to 2-13 triumph after extra-time at the Longford Slashers grounds. St. Mel's held a three-point advantage at half-time, but goals from Keith Waldron and Ian Coffey looked like giving the visitors victory until Pauric Gill scored an injury-time goal to force extra-time. The Westmeath college regrouped, however, and scores from Cathal McHugh, John Connellan and Donie Shine saw them prevail. Athlone CC continued their winning ways when they comfortably accounted for St. Joseph's, Rochfortbridge in an all-Westmeath second round clash at Pairc Chiarain. The Shannonsiders held all the aces and coasted to a 2-10 to 0-5 victory with Connellan and Ronan Killeen grabbing the goals. In the quarter-final, Athlone CC defeated former Hogan Cup finalists Colaiste Eoin of Stillorgan by 1-14 to 1-9. Sixteen-year-old Ian Coffey from Tubberclair gave a virtuoso performance, helping himself to a personal tally of 1-8. Coffey's goal helped the Athlone boys to a 1-4 to 0-6 lead at the interval and they were out of sight by the time the Dubliners scored a consolation goal in the closing stages. That victory set the scene for a penultimate round clash with the Colm O'Rourke-trained St. Pat's at Cusack Park. The Navan side got off to a blistering start and were 1-4 to 0-1 in front by the end of the first quarter. But Athlone staged a good recovery in the second quarter to trail by two at the break. St. Pat's pushed out their lead to four points again following the resumption. But an opportunist goal from Coffey and a point from Alan Gaughan had the sides on level terms with 10 minutes remaining. However, Athlone weren't able to maintain the momentum and three unanswered points in the run-in saw St. Pat's put an end to the fairytale on a 1-12 to 1-9 scoreline. In the previous round, St. Pat's had ended the hopes of another Westmeath school, St. Mary's CBS. Frank Dillon's charges also lost to St. Pat's of Cavan in an earlier round, but beat Franciscan College, Gormanston (2-13 to 0-4) and Marist College (2-14 to 0-6) in the back door series to set up a last eight meeting with the Navan lads. After a nervy first half display at Pairc Tailteann, the Mullingar side settled and they gradually got to grips with their opponents to become the dominant team in the second half. A 42nd minute goal from the penalty spot by Conor Lynam reduced St. Pat's advantage to two points, only for Brian Sheridan to respond with a vital score for the home side. Navan were still three points clear entering the closing stages, but they were left hanging on for a 1-10 to 1-9 victory after Joe Kenny and Owen Price fired over late points. St. Joseph's, Rochfortbridge, who have been there or thereabouts over the past few seasons, were knocked out by Carlow Schools in the qualifier series on a 1-9 to 0-9 scoreline. Earlier, Cormac Davey's side had lost heavily to Athlone CC before getting their campaign back on track with a 0-13 to 1-4 victory over Moyne CS. It was widely felt that St. Joseph's lacked the firepower of previous years and were far too reliant on Alan Giles - son of former Westmeath star Larry - for their scores. Moate Community School's campaign ended in controversy when they staged a walk-off with two minutes remaining in their 0-6 to 2-11 defeat to Carlow Schools at Dr Cullen Park. Two Moate players, Brendan Arigho and Conor Hynes, were sent off and the Westmeath school clearly felt a sense of injustice. After losing to St. Joseph's in the championship proper, Moate recovered to beat Portlaoise CBS by 1-16 to 0-5, but found the challenge of Carlow Schools to be a bridge too far. As for Marist College, the 2006 Leinster championship won't hold fond memories. The Athlone school suffered a humiliating 0-1 to 3-14 loss to St. Pat's of Navan in their first outing and were also decisively beaten by St. Mary's CBS in the qualifiers. However, Marist gained a measure of revenge for those defeats en route to capturing the North Leinster schools juvenile football title. Managed by Roscommon senior player John Tiernan, the Marist under 14s overcome St. Mary's by 3-9 to 4-4 in the semi-final before getting the better of St. Pat's in the decider by 3-15 to 4-10 after extra-time. Marist stormed into an early 0-4 to 0-0 lead, but Pat's fought back to lead by 2-4 to 1-5 at half-time. The Westmeath side regained the lead through Robbie Benson, only for Stephen McDonald to score a late point for Pat's and force extra-time. The teams were still deadlocked, 2-12 to 3-9, at the end of the first period of extra-time. But a brilliant Jack Carty goal, followed by points from Eanna Gavin and Benson, sealed a thrilling win for Marist. Disappointment followed for the Athlone boys, however, in the provincial semi-final when they lost to St. Peter's of Wexford by 4-5 to 2-15. On the hurling front, St. Mary's CBS were desperately unlucky not to reach the Leinster Colleges SH 'B' championship final. After recording an impressive win over Colaiste Eanna of Dublin, they succumbed to DLS Bagenalstown in the semi-final after extra-time. The final score of 4-11 to 2-6 did little justice to the Mullingar side, who were well in contention before conceding three goals in extra-time, where they could only manage a point of their own. St. Mary's had led by 1-2 to 0-2 at the end of a moderate first half, only for their Carlow opponents to hit back with two goals which nudged them in front. Eoin Price brought the game to extra-time with a late point, but it was all downhill for St. Mary's after that as Bagenalstown upped the ante to pull away for a flattering win. 2007 campaign brings little joy either The Leinster Colleges SF 'A' championship crown remained as elusive as ever for the five competing Westmeath schools in 2007. Both Moate Community School and St. Mary's CBS reached the quarter-finals where their interests were ended by Knockbeg College and St. Mel's College respectively. It was tough luck on both schools as they hadn't lost a game before then and, unlike the teams in the back door series, weren't afforded a second chance. Managed by Westmeath star Dessie Dolan, Moate looked like being serious contenders after they recorded a sensational 0-8 to 1-4 first round victory over reigning champions St. Pat's of Navan under lights in Tubber. St. Pat's, who have proven to be a real thorn in the side of the Westmeath colleges in recent years, seemed to be on course for an expected win when they held a 1-4 to 0-2 lead at the interval. But in a dramatic second half recovery, 14-man Moate showed their mettle, clawing their way back into contention with a succession of unanswered points. James Durkan, who made his senior debut for Westmeath last year at the age of 17, led the fightback with 0-6, but Moate clubman Mark Ennis had the final say when he sent over the winning point from a free deep in injury-time. Moate Community School needed a replay to see off the challenge of Dublin's Colaiste Eoin in the second round. In the drawn game, James Durkan came to Moate's rescue when his goal in the second period of extra-time left the sides level on 3-6 to 1-12. Moate won the replay by 1-11 to 1-8, with Mark Ennis' 46th minute goal proving to be the decisive score. By the time Moate faced Knockbeg College in the quarter-final at Carlow's Dr Cullen Park, they were the only Westmeath school still in the hunt for provincial honours. But despite a 19th minute goal from Ballinagore clubman Durkan, they were always playing second fiddle to the physically stronger home side whose eventual winning margin was six points, 2-10 to 1-7. Moate were just a point in arrears early in the second half, but goals from substitute Kieran Delaney and Sean Ramsbottom sealed a comfortable win for the Chris Conway-manager Knockbeg side. Ironically, St. Mary's CBS had opened their campaign with a 0-10 to 0-8 defeat of Knockbeg at Cusack Park. Man of the match Paul Sharry, free-taker Conor Lynam, Joe Kenny, Andrew Whitney, Jack Hogan and Alan Finch were the star performers for Frank Dillon's side who had to withstand strong second half pressure from their Carlow opponents. St. Mary's led by 0-5 to 0-3 at the interval and further scores from Lynam, Kenny and Sharry early in the second half extended their advantage to four points. However, three points from Knockbeg's Donie Kingston ensured a tense finish to the game. St. Mary's received another scare from Marist College, Athlone in the second round before prevailing after extra-time. In a tough encounter played at a wind-swept Kiltoom venue, the Mullingar boys eventually found their shooting boots to surge five points clear in the additional period. Callum McCormack and Aaron Farrell replied with late points for Marist, but St. Mary's held on for a 0-12 to 0-9 victory. St. Mary's quarter-final opponents were old rivals St. Mel's, who had beaten them by two points in the league semi-final prior to Christmas. And history was to repeat itself as St. Mel's chalked up another two-point victory, 3-9 to 1-13. Frank Dillon's charges dominated the first half to lead by 1-8 to 1-3 at the break, but the concession of two goals in rapid succession in the final quarter proved their undoing. It was a frustrating defeat as a combination of poor finishing and indecisive defending allowed the Longford side to get out of jail. Athlone CC, who made a tremendous impact in their debut season of 2006, were shorn of players of the calibre of John Connellan and Donie Shine this year, but still managed to give a good account of themselves. They enjoyed a one-point win over Patrician College, Newbridge in the first round when up-and-coming Tubberclair player Ian Coffey was the star of the show. An away defeat to the combined Dundalk Schools consigned Chris Ford's young side to the qualifiers where they regained winning ways with a 2-8 to 1-8 defeat of Good Counsel, New Ross who, incidentally, were managed by Castletown-Geoghegan native Aidan O'Brien. However, a second loss to Knockbeg College ended their involvement for another year. Athlone CC's near neighbours, Marist College, accounted for St. Joseph's, Rochfortbridge by 1-8 to 1-5 in a very wet first round clash at Kinnegad. The two sides were evenly matched until a Marist scoring surge midway through the second half saw them open up a two-point lead. And despite missing a late penalty, the Athlone boys hung on for the win. In another all-Westmeath affair, Marist suffered a heartbreaking extra-time defeat to St. Mary's CBS and a second loss on the bounce to Moyne Community College put them out of the running. Of all the Westmeath schools, St. Joseph's, Rochfortbridge will be the most disappointed after failing to register a win. Their first round defeat to Marist College left them to scrap it out in the losers' group where they were beaten by Moyne Community College at the first time of asking. Tweet

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