As we went to print, Athlone Community College were the last Westmeath team standing in the Leinster Colleges SF 'A' championship. And following their capture of the North Leinster league title before Christmas, hopes are high that they can complete a famous double. No fewer than five Westmeath schools competed in the 2008 Leinster Colleges SF 'A' championship, but only Athlone Community College were left in the hunt for provincial honours as we went to print. Athlone are due to play St. Mary's College, Edenderry who, incidentally, are managed by Coralstown/Kinnegad footballer Emmett McDonnell, on March 1 for a place in the Leinster final. It's a game the Shannonsiders will be expected to win, having captured the North Leinster league title in December, and with holders St. Pat's of Navan out of the equation (the Meath school were eliminated by Good Counsel, New Ross), hopes are high for a first Westmeath victory at this level in nearly 20 years. Athlone Community College's form in winning the North Leinster League marked them out as serious championship contenders. The Chris Ford/Niall Finneran managed outfit showed real character in defeating provincial kingpins St. Pat's by 1-11 to 0-13 after extra-time in the semi-final at Pairc Chiarain. The home side were extremely wasteful when assisted by the wind in the first half, hitting nine wides to Navan's none, and a 0-5 to 0-4 interval lead didn't bode well for the second half. But Athlone dug deep in the second half and an Adam Ward goal proved crucial in taking the tie to extra-time. The Westmeath side gained the upper hand in the first period of extra-time thanks to points from Ian Coffey, John Egan and Robert Kenny and they hung on in the second period for a 1-11 to 0-13 win. Athlone faced the league holders Franciscan College, Gormanston in the final at St. Loman's on December 6 and once again produced a strong performance to run out winners by 1-8 to 1-5. Rocked by the concession of a first minute goal, the boys in blue and gold recovered to lead by 1-4 to 1-2 at half-time with county minor star and team captain Ian Coffey getting their goal. Athlone were made to fight all the way in the second half, and only made victory safe when substitute Jaydean Nicell kicked a late point. A fortnight after that success, the Shannonsiders were brought back down to earth with a bang when an injury-time goal from Conor Walsh of St. Declan's, Cabra condemned them to a shock 1-10 to 3-6 defeat in the opening round of the Leinster Colleges SF 'A' championship. Fortunately for Athlone, the qualifier system provided them with a second chance and wins over Portmarnock CS, Athy Schools and St. Peter's of Wexford have secured their place in the last four. The other Westmeath schools won't have happy memories of their 2008 championship campaign. St. Joseph's, Rochfortbridge were the only local school to record a first round win when they overcame Patrician College, Newbridge by 0-10 to 2-3. Star of the show for the 'Bridge was Robert Leavy whose two points from the full back position proved decisive. But that was as good as it got for Cormac Davey's charges who were subsequently beaten by 2007 All-Ireland 'B' champions St. Mary's, Edenderry after a replay. Extra-time failed to separate the sides in their first meeting at Rochfortbridge which ended in a 1-7 to 0-10 draw. But Edenderry made home advantage count in the replay, winning by 1-7 to 0-5. It was a case of déjà vu for St. Mary's CBS, Mullingar whose hopes were ended for another year by bogey team St. Pat's. And as in 2006, the Navan school's margin of victory was a solitary point. Frank Dillon's men made a losing start to the campaign when they succumbed to Dublin side St. Benildus College by 2-7 to 2-11 at the Mullingar Shamrocks grounds in Springfield. There was nothing to separate the teams until the final quarter when the visitors scored 2-3 to break St. Mary's resistance. The Mullingar school got their season back on track when they registered a famous 2-7 to 0-7 victory over traditional giants St. Mel's at Cusack Park. For decades, the Longford school have had the upper hand in these duels and, indeed, they knocked St. Mary's out of the 2007 championship at the quarter-final stage, but this time St. Mary's exacted revenge with a decisive win. St. Mel's only trailed by a point at half-time, 0-3 to 0-4, but second half goals from John Heslin and Brian Slevin turned the tide firmly in Mullingar's favour. That victory earned St. Mary's a crack at St. Pat's in the next round at Pairc Tailteann. The visitors led by 2-4 to 2-3 at the break thanks to goals from Declan Lynam and Brian Slevin, but the absence of regular centre back Tommy Barry following his sending off against St. Mel's began to tell in the second half as Pat's upped the tempo to surge into a four-point lead. A late, late goal from Adam Corroon brought the Mullingar boys to within a point, but that was in the fifth minute of injury-time and the subsequent kick-out heralded the final whistle with St. Pat's hanging on for a 2-10 to 3-6 win. Marist College, Athlone, who were the last Westmeath team to contest a Leinster Colleges SF 'A' final in 1999, slumped to a 0-6 to 3-9 defeat to Carlow CBS in the first round before bouncing back to beat Moyne Community College in the qualifiers. But a defeat to St. Mary's, Edenderry three days later put them out of the running. Moate Community School, under the management of Des Dolan and Gary Flanagan, were hoping to at least emulate their 2007 achievement when they reached the quarter-final. However, a 2-7 to 2-10 defeat to Athy Schools in the opening round consigned them to the backdoor series where, despite goals from Declan Mullen (two) and Brian Kelly, they lost to Patrician College by 3-8 to 1-16. St. Mary's CBS qualified for both the North Leinster Colleges junior (under 16) and juvenile (under 14) finals. They faced St. Pat's, Navan in the juvenile final at Longwood on January 29 and once again they suffered a heartbreaking loss at the hands of their Meath rivals, going down to 1-9 to 1-10 defeat. The Mullingar boys led by two points midway through the second half, but a trademark late rally from St. Pat's gave them victory by the slenderest of margins. At the time of writing, St. Mary's were still waiting to play their North Leinster final against Marist College. They defeated St. Joseph's, Rochfortbridge by 3-14 to 2-11 and St. Pat's, Navan by 2-10 to 2-7 in the quarter-final and semi-final respectively to qualify for the decider. Marist booked their place in the final with a thrilling 3-7 to 2-7 victory over local rivals Athlone CC. Athlone Community College's North Leinster Colleges SF 'A' league winning team was: Joe McMahon; Niall Daly, Declan Donohue, Ben Moran; Calvin Payne, Niall Byrne, Mark McCallion; Alan Fitzpatrick, Eoin Sheehy; Adam Ward, Darren Dolan, John Egan; Ian Coffey (captain), Robert Kenny, John Coyne. Subs used: Ciaran Allen, Jaydean Nicell and Aengus Hannon. Tweet

Most Read Stories