Sports Review 2023 - January

A great start to the year for Vinny Connolly and Harriers

The headline in the first issue of the Westmeath Examiner in 2023 read, “Fury at Robinstown Sports centre standstill”. Fury was mounting among County Councillors over the delay in progressing the provision of a new swimming pool and sports centre at Robinstown, Mullingar. The project had been approved over five years earlier.

Pat Gallagher, CE with the County Council, said staff were working on avenues to take the project forward.

A delegation from Mullingar Pool Action group subsequently met with the Council and public representatives where it was agreed that the almost €3 million set aside by the Council would be used to advance the project to the planning and design stage. The contract for the design and planning of the centre went out to tender at the end of February.

On January 2, 2023, Westmeath lost a talented dual player when young apprentice plumber Colm “Rowley” Murray from Coralstown was fatally injured in a road accident. Huge crowds queued in the January cold to offer their condolences to Colm’s heartbroken parents Eddie and Helen and his sister Therese and to bid farewell to a much loved friend and team mate.

January also saw the sudden passing of Gabriel Clancy of Clarkemount Avenue, Mullingar. A native of Keadue, Co. Roscommon, he taught at Mullingar Community College. Gabriel was honorary president of Mullingar Shamrock and held many positions with the club down the years. He also represented Westmeath at the annual Congress of the GAA in 1982, ’83 and ’84.

On the playing field, Westmeath footballers had a comfortable win over Wexford in the O’Byrne Cup, but the hurlers went down to Galway in the Walsh Cup. Joe Fortune, manager of the hurling team, spoke of the lack of proper playing facilities in the county.

Moate Community School rubber stamped their credentials as real contenders for the Br Bosco Cup in a game against Scoil Mhuire of Clane. Four second half goals marched them into the Leinster Schools’ SFA championship. Moate won by 5-16 to 2-6 with Ronan Murray notching up 2-3 of their tally.

Castlepollard Community College had a decisive win against Killina Secondary School in the Leinster D camogie final. A tour de force by joint captain Caoimhe McCormack was the main talking point as the Junior camogie players recorded a 3-8 to 0-1 victory with Caoimhe scoring 2-8 of their tally and her midfield partner Caoimhe Ginnell getting the other goal.

Vinny Connolly from Mullingar Harriers won the Intermediate Men’s race at the Athletics Leinster Cross Country events in Wicklow.

In soccer, Johnny Keegan was the star of the show for Mullingar Athletics when they “hammered” Willow Park’s second string by six goal to nil in Gainstown. Keegan scored four goals and Efe Siode the other two. Mullingar Town won 4-2 against Ballinahown in a CCFL Senior Division clash in their home grounds at Dalton Park. Johnny went on to shine again against Mountmellick the following month, scoring two of Mullingar Athletic’s four goals to Mountmellick’s two.

Elsewhere, Diarmuid Cahill returned as Westmeath Intermediate camogie team manager and coach. The hurling legend Paddy Dowdall (Clonkill) and Darren McCormack (Castlepollard) came on board as joint managers of the Westmeath Minor camogie team. They announced Denise Muldoon (Clonkill) and Karen Goldrick (Ringtown) as selectors.

Westmeath trainer David Hanlon had two winners at the Mullingar Greyhound stadium on January 21. David recorded the first leg of his double when Optic Xplosive won the third race by a length. Carrickhill Ava then blasted from the traps and made all the running in the 11th race. Optic Xplosive went on to record his fourth win in Mullingar a week later in what was described as the performance of the night.