Westmeath Community Games

Mixed distance relays and marathon (5000m)

Following a well attended County Trials at Mullingar Harriers Athletic Club on Saturday April 12, team coordinators have been busy finalising selections for the upcoming national finals.

Children competed in several events during the trials and had to select one event only for the national final, to be held at Gormanston College, County Meath on Sunday May 25.

Event info and tickets

Precise event timings and a ticket purchase link will be available during the week of the event via the Community Games Facebook page.

This is a cashless event – all tickets must be purchased online through the official online link.

U16 BOYS – 5000m: 1. Oisin Clarke, 2. Daniel Glennon, 3. Morgan Isdell, 4. Evan Nohilly. U16 GIRLS – 5000m: 1. Lily Walsh, 2. Eleanor Kiernan, 3. Emma Langan

BOYS U12 – 400m + 600m Mixed Distance Relay: 1. Mel Bohan, 2. Donagh Bourke, 3. Noah Morgan, 4. Olly Wright, 5. Killian Hardman, 6. Ethan Byrne.

GIRLS U12 – 400m + 600m Mixed Distance Relay: 1. Amelie Kelly, 2. Katie Bohan, 3. Penny Bohan, 4. Liadan Gavin.

GIRLS U14 600m + 800m Mixed Distance Relay: 1. Caitlin McCormack, 2. Helen McGrath, 3. Maisie Walsh, 4. Isabelle Morris, 5. Heather Kelly, 6. Sophie McLoughlin.

BOYS U14 – 600m + 800m Mixed Distance Relay: 1. Gareth Glennon, 2. Antonio Bertolo, 3. Harry Flanagan, 4. Danny Timlin, 5. Donnacha Doyle.

Superb performances at indoor team events Leinster finals

Saturday April 26 was a key date in the Community Games calendar. After months of forming teams and playing all the knockout games at county level, 26 teams had progressed to the Leinster Championships. Westmeath, with that number, topped the province with the most teams progressing to the Leinster stages, and that is down to the hard work being put in at local level by volunteers in raising their hands and committing to running the various events.

Longford, under the guidance of Joe Fox, have committed to hosting the Leinster finals throughout Longford for the next four years, which is great news for Westmeath, as it means not having long trips to Wexford and the further reaches of the province.

Leinster Community Games approached Westmeath with a request to host the Leinster finals of Badminton and Table tennis, and we Emer Mulvaney from Milltown Emper Moyvore volunteered to host the two Leinster semi-finals and finals.

Teams from Dublin, Wicklow, Kilkenny, Kildare and Westmeath descended on Sean Doolin Park in Rathconrath parish on Saturday afternoon and were treated to excellent hospitality before and after all the games.

Badminton referee for the day was Stephen Somers who oversaw all games in a calm and professional manner. Emer had help from Niamh Gibney in managing the Table tennis games. Table tennis scorekeepers for the day were Aoife Stephenson, Conor Gibney and Harry Butler.

It was a thoroughly enjoyable day and thanks to everyone for giving up their time to organise and officiate at the events.

The Weekend One Leinster final events that were contested on Saturday were: Indoor Soccer, Futsal, Basketball, Table tennis, Badminton, Chess, Draughts, Rugby X7s.

Westmeath had 26 teams that progressed through the Zone and Preliminary games over the last two months, and representatives in every discipline.

Areas representing Westmeath is each discipline were: U10 Boys Soccer, Mullingar Dublin Road South; U10 Girls Soccer, Steamstown Horseleap; U13 Boys Soccer, Drumraney Tang; U13 Girls Soccer, Castledaly (BCC); U13 Boys Futsal, Drumraney Tang; U15 Boys Futsal, Athlone East; U15 Girls Futsal, Gainstown Milltownpass; U13 Boys Basketball, Athlone East; U11 Chess, Gainstown Milltownpass; U13 Chess, Rochfortbridge; U16 Chess, Rochfortbridge; U10 Mixed Draughts, Ballynacarrigy Sonna; U12 Mixed Draughts, Ballynacarrigy Sonna; U14 Mixed Draughts, Ballynacarrigy Sonna; U16 Mixed Draughts, The Downs; U13 Boys ,Table tennis,Rochfortbridge; U13 Girls, Table tennis Milltown Emper Moyvore; U16 Girls,Table tennis Milltown Emper Moyvore; U16 Boys, Table tennis Milltown Emper Moyvore; U15 Girls, Badminton Gainstown Milltownpass; U13 Girls, Rugby X7s Moate; U13 Boys, Rugby X7s Kilpatrick.

Once participants reach the Leinster finals they are up against some of the finest in their chosen disciplines. Events like chess and draughts are extraordinarily strong in certain parishes but Westmeath held their own and bettered them in places.

Following endless hours of practice on the draughts boards over the winter, Ballynacargy Sonna are back in another national final and will hope to match or go better than their fourth place finish last year.

Westmeath were unlucky in the chess, as all three teams came up against extremely well drilled opposition from Glynn Barnstown in Wexford.

Futsal and Soccer are always keenly contested competitions in Longford but again, Westmeath have representatives in the national finals. Twelve months is a long time to wait but wait they did. Deadlocked at 3-3 after normal time, Mullingar Dublin Road South won a fiercely contested Leinster final 4-3 after extra time in Drumlish against the local champions Longford South and Town in the Boys U10 Indoor Soccer final, making up for their disappointment in the 2024 final.

It was a great achievement for boys, some of whom were playing in their first competitive games outside their county and would never have experienced such an atmosphere as was on display last Saturday.

Athlone East went to the lion’s den of Keenagh and prevailed in a thriller against Drumlish Ballinamuck, emerging with an 8-7 victory in the U15 Boys Futsal.

Those were two fantastic victories in the Cauldron like atmosphere experienced in both these venues.

In U13 Boys Basketball Athlone East eased past Lazerians of Carlow in the semi-final but had to concede defeat to a strong Dublin side from Navan Road.

Rochfortbridge U13 boys Table tennis team played their hearts out but came up slightly short in a great battle again Saint Brigid’s Newbridge .

In the U15 Badminton, Gainstown Milltownpass U15 girls should be immensely proud of their efforts. It was nip and tuck until the end but eventually they had to concede defeat to Skerries of Dublin.

In U13 Girls Rugby X7s Moate brushed aside a particularly good team from Skerries in the semi-final and came up against a confident Lakeside team from Longford in the final. Clondra from Longford, following an emphatic win in the semi-final, fancied their chances in the final but write off the Moate girls at your pearl. Moate started the final scoring try for try with Lakeside but eventually wore them down and pulled away in impressive fashion to secure the gold medal. The girls will now be trying to emulate Multyfarnham’s 2024 success when they won the national title in U13 Girls Rugby X7s.

All Leinster winners from the above events now progress to the national finals in Gormanston College on May 24 and 25.

To have 22 of the 26 teams progressing all the way to the Leinster semi-finals and finals was an incredible achievement and all coaches, parents and participants should be enormously proud of that. It shows how strong Westmeath Community Games has grown over the years and the aim should be to grow even further.

Following a long day and events at seven different venues in both counties, Westmeath have seven teams progressing to the national finals in May.

U16 Girls Table tennis, Milltown Emper Moyvore. U16 Boys Table tennis, Milltown Emper Moyvore. U13 Girls Table tennis, Milltown Emper Moyvore. U10 Mixed Draughts, Ballynacargy Sonna. U13 Girls Rugby X7s, Moate. U10 Boys Indoor Soccer, Mullingar Dublin Road South. U15 Boys Futsal,Athlone East.

Upcoming events

Outdoor team events are between now and June 7 – Outdoor Soccer, Tag Rugby, Gaelic Football, Camogie, and Hurling .

The next county event is the Athletics Track and Field final at Mullingar Harriers on Sunday May 18. Online registration for that closes on Sunday May 11.

Pitch and Putt County final is at Kilbeggan Pitch and Putt grounds on Saturday May 31 and registration closes on May 28.

Art and Culture Weekend is in Multyfarnham on Saturday June 7 and registration closes on Tuesday May 27.

The date for long puck is not set at the moment for but will be announced once a venue is secured.

Moate U13 Girls Rugby X7s team

Under the sunny skies of Longford RFC, Moate CG Rugby 7s captured the Leinster title, at the first time of asking.

Facing Dublin champions Skerries in a tense semi-final, the Westmeath outfit left no doubt in spectators’ minds that they meant serious business. From the kickoff, the Moate team battled their way toward a historic victory.

The first half was a thrilling exchange of try after try. It was in the third quarter that Moate asserted their dominance, creating daylight between themselves and their Dublin opponents. As the final quarter unfolded, Moate maintained their lead and booked their place in the Leinster final.

An hour later, they faced Clondra, the Longford champions who had dispatched Lakeside of Wicklow in their semi-final. The final began with another quick exchange of tries, but in the second quarter, Moate pulled ahead, and never looked back.

What impressed most in those early exchanges was Moate’s tackling and defensive intensity. In a game where momentum is everything, the young team ripped the energy from their opponents with hard, relentless tackles at every opportunity.

As the final quarter began, the result was beyond doubt – and the young Moate players dared to believe.

When the final whistle sounded, a huge cheer and outpouring of emotion from the team, management, and all in attendance echoed across Longford Town.

To a player, the Westmeath champions were magnificent. Special mentions to: Kaja Kawka, whose try scoring and relentless work rate off the ball was outstanding; Aoife O’Brien, whose line breaks and power caused havoc all day; Alice Joyce, fresh from her all-Ireland boxing win, produced a stunning performance; Ruby Collis and Robin McDermott, who showed great rugby intelligence with superb passing, offloads, and running lines. Freya Corrigan, Megan Ross, Izzy Corbally, and Indee Rose Rickard worked tirelessly all day. Daisy Wingfield Brown, Ruby Kelly, and Daina Fox each played their part, making brave and vital tackles. It was a team effort.

What made the result even more remarkable was that nine players were playing in their first competitive rugby matches, and yet anyone watching would never have known that. They showed the skill, composure, and heart of seasoned players.

The success is a testament to the work done by the players, the coaches, and the Midland Warriors Rugby Club, where many of these players honed their skills at ‘Give It A Try’ and in their minis and youth sections.

With the All Ireland series ahead, a whole community now dares to dream.