A 69th minute goal by Dan Bourke sealed a six-point win for Offaly over Westmeath in this keenly contested Joe McDonagh Senior Hurling Round 2 game played in Glenisk O’Connor Park, Tullamore, on Saturday afternoon last.

Offaly was always going to be important. It is now likely to be a do-or-die battle.Those were the words I finished last weeks piece with. I don’t think it went any different than what a lot of people thought it would, sadly.

An inspired Westmeath proved far too strong for a disappointing Wicklow side in this Leinster LGFA IFC clash at An Tóchar GAA Club in Roundwood on Sunday afternoon, 28 April.

Mullingar Athletic won the CCFL Under 19 Premier Division title when goals by Alex Sheerin and Ryan Bitu saw them overcome Tullamore Town in Leah Victoria Park, Tullamore on Tuesday of last week, 23 April.

A stunning late point from Chloe Kelly as well as a Leanne Slevin free, deep in stoppage time, helped Westmeath to snatch a draw against neighbours Offaly on the 3G pitch at Home Instead, Lakepoint Park, Mullingar on Sunday afternoon last.

The Final of the 2024 Mullingar Open Snooker Championship, sponsored by Cleary Electrical, took place on Saturday, 13 April.

Since the final whistle went in TEG Cusack Park last Sunday afternoon, I feel like I’ve gone through many emotions, ranging from mental replays of great hurling days for Westmeath to the despairing ones, to the ones where you just struggle to fathom how it happened.

Kerry full deserved to win this opening round game of the Joe McDonagh Cup after favourites Westmeath turned in a very disappointing display in TEG Cusack Park, Mullingar last Sunday afternoon.

Coláiste Mhuire Mull­ingar overcame Dundalk Grammar School to win this Leinster Colleges Rugby Junior League Division 2A semi final which was played at Shay Murtagh Park, home of Mullingar RFC, on Thursday of last week, 18 April.

Westmeath players Sheila McGrath and Aoife O’Malley were delighted with the Lake County’s victory over Derry in last Sunday’s Very National Camogie League Division 2A final in Croke Park.

It has not exactly been a very positive time post-Croke Park and the Westmeath senior footballers league title win over Down.

The say a week is a long time in politics, well it is an even longer time in Gaelic Football.

I’ll start with a couple of truths. This is not the article I had written originally. My sixth-class teacher back in 1999 told us to never ‘assume’ anything because you make an ‘ass’ of ‘u’ and ‘me’.

The brief was simple for Westmeath camogie team heading into the final round of the Very National League Division 2A against Derry – win and seal their place in the final.

Saturday night, 23 March 2024 was a special one in the history of Mullingar Shamrocks when all club members, players, coaches, committee members and friends of the club gathered in the Bloomfield House Hotel for the Mullingar Shamrocks Dinner Dance.

Bloomfield House Hotel was the setting for St Munna’s Camogie Club dinner dance last Saturday as the Turin-based side gathered to celebrate the club’s All-Ireland Junior B success last December.

Two goals by Jonathan Lynam helped Westmeath to defeat Down by three points as Dessie Dolan’s Westmeath side claimed the National Football League Division 3 title in Croke Park, Dublin, last Saturday evening.

So, in the end we were unable to scale Benbulben and Sligo took victory. Perhaps it was a bit of wake-up call for Westmeath. It certainly did them no harm as they turned up in Croke Park on Saturday evening with a purpose.

Congratulations and well done to three Mullingar girls who won gold medals at the European MMA Youth Championships held in Belgrade, Serbia at the weekend.

It was one year ago on 21st March 2023 when goals from Matthew Whittaker and Brían Cooney gave Westmeath an Under 20 victory away to Kildare in the opening round of the Leinster Football Championship.