Defending champions St Loman’s are preparing for a big clash with Garrycastle in the Westmeath Senior Football Championship Quarter-Final next Saturday and it promises to be a real test for Luke Dempsey’s charges.
Garrycastle defeated The Downs by 4-11 to 0-9 last Sunday and looked impressive at times, yet they are clear outsiders (8/1 for the Flanagan Cup) in the eyes of the bookies, who have St Loman’s as 11/10 favourites to defend their crown. Garrycastle manager, Basil Malone believes the Flanagan Cup holders are “a serious outfit” and it will take a massive performance to deny them.
“We played them in the Feis Cup and everything about them is class. They have fine physical strong men and pace up front. They had big fielders and they didn’t even have the county stars that day. I’m a St Brigid’s (Roscommon) man and they remind me of St Brigid’s the way they play: keep patient, maintain possession and move the ball,” he observed.
“I know Luke Dempsey; I trained under him at St Brigid’s. He’s a serious operator; I’m only a novice compared to him, he has forgotten more than I know about football. It’s a test for me, the players and management team next Saturday. We were top dogs for a few years in Garrycastle, but St Loman’s are top dogs now,” he added.
St Loman’s haven’t been firing on all cylinders in this year’s campaign, but knock-out football is a different scenario and players like John Heslin, Paul Sharry, David Whelan and Kelvin Reilly will realise what’s at stake. Paddy Dowdall, a key players last season, may well slot into the side again having played only a bit part in the group stages.
Garrycastle may be without talisman Dessie Dolan and while that would be a definite blow, they have serious momentum. Dolan played only a brief cameo role last Sunday, coming off the bench before being substituted and Malone confirmed he “tweaked” a hamstring. Even in Dolan’s absence, John Gaffey, Doron Harte, James Dolan and Alex Gardiner are excellent players. Indeed, James Dolan is arguably the player of the season thus far and St Loman’s will have to keep tabs on him if they’re to advance to a clash with Killucan in the last four. Dempsey’s men are favourites, but this is a potential banana skin.
Meanwhile, Athlone (quoted at 14/1 to win the title) take on 4/1 second favourites Mullingar Shamrocks. Eddie Casey’s men looked unconvincing at times against Killucan, but fought back well to earn a draw after conceding some sloppy goals. If their defensive problems have been ironed out, this is a game they should win, especially since Ray Connellan is not expected to feature for Tom Coffey’s Athlone side.
Athlone have made nice progress in this, their first season back in the top flight and Jordan Marshment, John Stapleton and Daniel Reid are fine footballers.
However, big displays from Kieran Gavin, Denis Corroon, Seanie and Darragh Daly should see Mullingar Shamrocks progress to a semi-final meeting with Tyrrellspass.
