Sports Review 2022 - APRIL

A busy April began with Westmeath’s senior hurlers annexing Division 2A of the National Hurling League – the Lake County’s third trophy in a year, alongside the Kehoe (2022) and Joe McDonagh Cups (2021). Davy Glennon netted a hat-trick and captain Killian Doyle finished the game with 1-11, as Westmeath outclassed Down 5-19 to 1-17 at Semple Stadium. However, Joe Fortune’s troops were brought down to Earth with a bang by the end of the month, shipping five goals against Kilkenny (though putting in a very creditable display) before losing heavily to a Henry Shefflin-managed Galway in their opening Leinster SHC matches.

The footballers’ Leinster SFC bid began on April 30, and Jack Cooney’s troops comprehensively booked their place in the semi-finals with a comfortable win over Longford. John Heslin (1-5), Robbie Forde and Ronan O’Toole all found the net as the Maroons exacted revenge for their NFL defeat at the hands of their neighbours.

On the minor football and hurling fronts, April began with Vinny Cox’s minor footballers taking advantage of some slack finishing by Louth to beat the Wee County in Mullingar, but they came up short against Dublin in their final round robin fixture. Nevertheless, they qualified for a preliminary quarter-final against Kildare. In hurling, Westmeath’s minors under Noel Conaty hammered Derry by 41 points before registering a fine win over Carlow, with Castletown Geoghegan’s Peter Murphy hitting 2-7 in the latter. Reaching a preliminary quarter-final, the hurlers were unlucky to lose an entertaining contest against Laois.

U20 hurling and football competition in Leinster also shared centre stage in April. Damien Gavin’s footballers relied on a late goal from Sean Leech to get a hard-earned victory over a game Wicklow side, setting them up for a quarter-final against Dublin. In the first half against the Dubs, Westmeath produced a performance for the ages, leading 1-9 to 0-5 at the break; however, the Metropolitans outscored them 1-10 to 0-1 in the second half to seal a disappointing outcome.

The U20 hurlers, under Andrew Dermody, opened their championship campaign with a fine win over Carlow, and despite a decent opening phase in their subsequent game against Wexford, it was the Slaneysiders who progressed to the quarter-finals. Meanwhile, April saw Moate Community School’s ladies’ football side bested in their All-Ireland senior ‘A’ schools final by St Mary’s, Midleton (Cork).

Elsewhere in GAA, there was sad news in April with the death of legendary Westmeath GAA administrator and former St Loman’s, Mullingar and Westmeath footballer Paddy Flanagan. The man who donated the cup for the Westmeath SFC served his county in many roles over the years, and left behind a tremendous legacy.

Meanwhile, a large crowd gathered at the Mullingar Park Hotel during the month for the launch of Westmeath GAA’s strategic plan. Finally, on April 30, Westmeath’s ladies’ football side endured a heavy 37-point defeat at the hands of Dublin in their Leinster senior championship opener.

Sunday April 3 saw Mullingar RFC take on Ashbourne in their first Provincial Towns Cup semi-final in many a long year. The men in scarlet and dove grey came close to an upset against their Division 1A opponents, but Ashbourne prevailed in the end. Also in rugby, Mullingar’s women advanced to the Paul Flood Cup semi-finals only to be well beaten by Tullow, while Wilson’s Hospital School, Multyfarnham also defeated St Pat’s, Navan in the Vinnie Murray Plate final. Meanwhile, Leinster’s Dan Leavy, who has family roots in Mullingar, called time on his pro career amid injury struggles. Incidentally, his grandmother Joan Leavy, a past lady captain at Mullingar Golf Club, turned 100 during the month and was treated to a reception at the Belvedere club.

On the athletics front, Coláiste Mhuire, Mullingar’s senior cross country team, coached by Damian Lawlor, were in action in the World Schools’ Cross Country Championships high in the Tatra Mountains in Slovakia. The Mullingar team of Diarmuid Fagan (18th), Ross Killalea (23rd), Conor Sherwin (34th), John Ryan (37th), Pablo Lozano, Tadhg Sheridan, Daire Hannan, Conor Liston, Jamie Campbell and Tom Daly were superb, and ensured that they finished sixth, just behind France. Mullingar Harrriers’ Andrew Glennon (silver medallist) and Aisling Lane excelled in race walking at the World Tour Gold Series in the Czech Republic, while Harriers’ women, led by Elizabeth Carr, put in some tremendous times at the Great Ireland Run. Also, US-based Mullingar distance runner Jack O’Leary returned from injury and announced a move to pro ranks.

In soccer, Aidan Keena’s rich vein of goalscoring form for Sligo Rovers earned him the League of Ireland/Soccer Writers Ireland Player of the Month Award. Locally, Mullingar Town were unlucky to exit the Combined Counties Cup, with Birr Town winning on penalties; however, they picked up four points in their league battle with Monksland, and advanced to the Paddy Cotter Cup semi-final after a header from Sam Watkin sealed victory over Ballinahown.

Mullingar Athletic’s U16s got over their SFAI Cup defeat by winning their MSL division, while Athletic’s women marched into the Leinster junior shield semi-finals after Fiona Keating bagged a hat-trick in a 6-0 win over Mountmellick. However, they bowed out of the Combined Counties Women’s Cup, losing to Willow Park on penalties. In Higginstown, Raharney United officially opened the club’s new astroturf surface.

Elsewhere, Mullingar’s Richie Toal won his third consecutive Mullingar Close Snooker Championship title, beating Niall Heffernan in the final; Lakeside Wheelers attended the Tour of Flanders, while the club’s C group went on a cycling tour to Majorca; horse racing returned to Kilbeggan with a special two-day meeting; the Winter League concluded at Mullingar Golf Club; Niall Moran from Streamstown won the Westmeath Pool Championship; Mullingar Kyokushinkai Karate Club’s Dimitar Stoyanov impressed at an English Open tournament; Stephen Ruane won the President’s Prize at Collinstown Pitch and Putt Club; Mullingar Rugby Club’s U13 progressed to their Leinster Cup final; and Mullingar’s Jordan Dempsey opened his Formula Ford 1600 Championship campaign with two wins from his first four races.