The Westmeath Hurling and Football Club New York celebrated the 25th anniversary of the club’s senior football and hurling New York County title wins of 1996 in the best possible manner. They went and completed another double, although at the lower levels of intermediate football and junior hurling. The reward for winning was substantial: the club will be competing at senior level in both codes in the 2022 season.
The intermediate football title was the first to be captured with a comfortable 2-12 to 0-7 victory over Manhattan Gaels on 15 August after Mayo were dispatched in the semi-final. It was the first time for Westmeath to win this title after failing at the final hurdle against Sligo, Rangers and Brooklyn Shamrocks in the three previous finals. On this occasion the result was never in doubt.
Westmeath, without the injured Dylan McDermott, controlled this game from start to finish and at the first water break had raced into 1-6 to 0-0 lead. Points from Phelim Finnegan, Mark Nally and Darren Moore (0-2) eased Westmeath ahead as Manhattan Gaels were temporarily reduced to 14 players when Eoghan Carew was shown a black card by referee Pat Donohoe. Finnegan and Adam Loughlin Stones extended the lead, before Darren Moore brilliantly finished an O’Loughlin Stones assist for the game’s opening goal.
