Westmeath GAA Notes By Pat Reilly Westmeath P R O. GREVILLE ARMS SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP HURLING: On Saturday evening last the first of this year's semi-finals took place between Raharney and Oliver Plunketts in a sun drenched Cusack Park. The game was played in good spirits and at a very fast pace with Raharney taking control from the word go and with Brian Smyth at full forward giving an exhibition in point scoring, (five Points from play) things didn't look good for Plunketts, however on the stoke of half time they notched up the first of their two goals to leave just two points between the sides at the break. The second half started brighter for Plunketts and even took the lead and seemed to have Raharney rocked, but a goal for the Deel Siders in the twentieth minute really brought this match back to life and with four minutes to go Raharney led by four points and look likely to book their place in the final but the game is never over until the whistle sounds and in the final minutes of the game Plunketts score 1-01 to draw the match and force a replay on a final score of 1-12 to 2-09. On Sunday evening last the second semi-final between holders Clonkill and Castletown Geoghegan took place in front of a large crowd in Cusack Park. This was a lively match and realy up to championship standard and pace. Clonkill took an early lead and with twenty minutes gone led by 0-06 to 0-03 but a resurgence from Castletown in the latter end of the half meant that the sides went in all square at the interval. The second half continued in the same vane with both sides maintaining the high standard and pace, as the game wore on it became clear that which ever side scored the first goal might go on to win this match, and this is exactly what happed as Brendan Murtagh deflected a high ball to the Castletown net despite the best efforts of full back Emmet Dalton. This changed the run of the match and it looked like Clonkill would run out easy winners but to their credit Castletown battled hard to the end and despite scoring a late goal the could not dethrone the holders. Clonkill won out on a scoreline of 1-15 to 1-11 to reach the final and now await the winners of the replay between Raharney and St. Oliver Plunketts. INTERMEDIATE HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP: The semi-finals of this year's competition took place last weekend with St Brigids playing Delvin in Cusack Park on Saturday evening and Brownstown Played Turin in Clonkill on Sunday morning. St. Brigids got the better of Delvin in a keenly contested match which had some fine patches of hurling despite the low scoring in the first half, While St. Brigids took the lead after just 30 sec with a fine point from a Sideline cut by Dermot Faulkner who proved to be a thorn in the Delvin side all throughout the match. Delvin rallied and fine scores from JP Farrelly and Cathal Nugent kep them in touch, shortly after the restart Delvin were reduced to fourteen men for an off the ball incident and this seemed to be a turning point as St. Brigids took control and two minutes later they had the ball in the back of Delvin net and never looked like being beaten from then on eventually running out winners by six points 1-12 to 0-09 In the second semi-final Brownstown faced Turin in a very lively encounter played at a very high intensity. Brownstown started the better of the two sides and within ten minutes had raced into a 1-02 to 0-01 lead after a long drive from wing back Johnny Fitzpatrick found its way to the Turin net. Turin settled to the game and before long the game was back to all square, Points from Derek Hourihan and two from Philip Gilsenan before the break left Brownstown one up at the interval. On the restart Brownstown took control and long range points from Maurice Quinn and Johnny Mc Guinness stretched the lead and in truth they never looked back. Turin fought hard all trough the half but they just didn't have the same hunger as Brownstown who are pushing for their second Intermediate title in three years. Brownstown won out on a final score of 1-11 to 0-08 SHAY MURTAGH SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP FOOTBALL: The Semi-finals of the Championship take place next weekend with Garrycastle taking on St. Lomans and Tyrellspass facing up to near neighbours Castledaly. This should be a closely contested affair as Tyrrellspass topped the group and Castledaly have had a tough encounter since overcoming The Downs by just a goal. Tyrrellspass will look to the likes of The Glennon Bros, Flanagan, and Kieth Scally to help them to a second final in a row while Castledaly will need big displays from The Kelly Bros, Mc Loughlin and Casey if they are to dethrone the champions. In the second semi-final Garrycastle take on St.Lomans who topped their division and just like Tyrrellspass lost only one game in doing so. On Paper St Lomans seem to be the form team and will probably fancy themselves to make the final with players like Conrad Reilly, Enda Mathews, and Conor lynam in their side who could blame them, but on the other hand Garrycastle with players the calibre of the Dolan Bros, Justin Mc Ateer, and Paul Dillon in their side and their ability to play an open fast moving style of football could trouble the Mullingar side. JUNIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: The Semi-finals of the junior championship take place next weekend with St. Mary's Rotchfordbridge playing St. Pauls and Mullingar Shamrocks Facing up to Milltown. These fixtures are likely to be keenly contested and St Mary's will feel confident of beating St Pauls as they were both in the same division and Mary's never lost a match, however don't expect this on eto go by the book. Mullingar Shamrocks topped their division loosing none of their matches and on paper should account for Milltown but the passion of gaelic football runs deep in the veins of the milltown lads and a shock could be on the cards. COUNTY BOARD MEETING: An important county board meeting takes place on this Wednesday Evening 24th @ 8.00pm in Cusack Park and all clubs are asked to have their club registrar present or a club member with computer experience as Kieran Leddy from Croke park will be present to give a talk/Demo on the GAA's new Computerised Membership system whici will be rolled out in this county over the next couple of months. WESTMEATH REFEREES ALL IRELAND TICKET DRAW: The winners of the two tickets to the All Ireland Football Final were as follows, Connie Mc Cormack St Oliver Plunketts Hurling Club Sean O' Brien Delvin Football Club The Referee's committee would like to thank all who sold tickets for the draw and especially all people who supported it . WESTMEATH GAA DEVELOPMENT LOTTO: (Results 16th September) NO JACKPOT WINNER: WINNING NO'S: 3, 17, 21, 28. NEXT WEEKS JACKPOT ?2,780 5 MATCH 3 WINNERS @ ?64 Mary T Costello C/O St Oliver Plunketts GAA Damien Kiernan C/O St Oliver Plunketts GAA Siobhan Burley C/O St Oliver Plunketts GAA James Lynch C/O St Oliver Plunketts GAA Liam Gilligan C/O Ballymore GAA NEXT DRAW DATE: TUESDAY 23rd September 2008. RESULTS FOR WEEK ENDING 07-09-08: Senior Hurling Championship Semi-Finals: Raharney 1-12, St Oliver Plunketts 2-09; Clonkill 1-15, Castletown Googhegan 1-11 Intermediate Hurling Championship Semi-Finals: St. Brigid's 1-12, Delvin 0-09; Brownstown 1-11, Turin 0-08; Junior B Championship Section A: Ballycomoyle W/O, St Fintans Multy Scratch; Junior B Championship Section B: Tang 1-08, Coralstown/Kinegad 1-08; Junior B Championship Section C: Maryland/Tang W/O, St Lomans Scratch; Junior B Championship Section D: Caulry 2-6, Rosemount 1-15; Junior B Championship Section E: Tubberclair 1-14, Killucan 1-5; Junior B Championship Section F: Ballynacarragy 4-13, St Josephs 1-03 FIXTURES UP TO 28-09-08: Friday 26th September 2008 Intermediate Football Championship Quarter-Finals Team 1 Team 2 Referee Venue Time Kilbeggan Shamrocks v Ballynacargy Sean Carroll Lakepoint Park 20:00 Saturday 27th September 2008 Intermediate Football Championship Relegation Play Off Team 1 Team 2 Referee Venue Time Rosemount v Caulry Brendan Keena Cusack Park 15:30 Intermediate Football Championship Quarter-Finals Team 1 Team 2 Referee Venue Time Maryland v Tang Barry Kelly Cusack Park 17:00 Sunday 28th September 2008 Junior Football Championship Semi- Finals Team 1 Team 2 Referee Venue Time Mullingar Shamrocks v Milltown Damien Maher Shandonagh 12:30 St Marys Rochfortbridge v St Pauls Michael Gordon Shandonagh 14:00 Senior Football Championship Semi-Finals Team 1 Team 2 Referee Venue Time Garrycastle v St Lomans Mullingar Peter Daly Cusack Park 15:30 Tyrrellspass v Castledaly Alan McCormack Cusack Park 17.00 Home Club responsible for referees expenses ?40 per game. If 'Home' teams venue is unplayable, the responsibility is on the home club to provide a suitable alternative venue. Failing that the game will be played in opponent's venue or suitable alternative nominated by opponents. In the event of a clash of colours both teams must change colours. Please phone in results to 0876293048 & 0449372343 I can be contacted by phone on 044 9666476, 087 2777987 or by email on [email protected] Tweet

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