St Lomans GAA Club Notes 26/09/2022:
Senior Championship Final Latest:
St Lomans Mullingar 0-15 Killucan 1-09
Last Saturday after the success of our under 17 side, our seniors were aiming to match the feat of reaching another county final. However, they were given a huge scare by a determined Killucan side. Killucan were far and away the better side in the opening twenty minutes. Killian Doyle opened the scoring with a well-taken point before a long ball into the square was flicked into the net by Aron Kiernan. Kiernan and Doyle added further points which had The Blues trailing by five points and still scoreless. In the twenty fourth minute, the defending champions got off the mark at last with a John Heslin free. Heslin added another from play, but Doyle added another for Killucan from a placed ball to see the underdogs five points ahead at the interval. Declan Kelly’s men had a huge task in front of them after an untypically poor first half performance.
The Saints began the half with a brilliant free from John Heslin at the sideline which may have been the catalyst for a second half comeback. Although Killian Doyle responded for Killucan, the Champions hit ten points on the bounce to complete an exceptional comeback. Heslin started the scoring with two points, one from play and the other from a placed ball. Before Shane Dempsey hit three stunning points in a row in the space of three minutes. TJ Cox opened his account with a well-taken point, followed by a Ronan O’Toole point. Dempsey pointed again along with another Heslin double to see the Blues suddenly open a five-point lead.
Killucan rallied to hit three points through free’s from Sami Clarke and Devin Hill, along with a Cormac Boyle point from play. Heslin dispatched another free before another point from play from the excellent Shane Dempsey made it a two-score match again. Killucan added a late consolation point though Robbie Greville but the Mullingar men held on for a three point win. Killucan undoubtedly gave Lomans a huge scare but ultimately the experience of the saints shone through in the second half, with the Blues purple patch of ten unanswered points the key spell of the match. The result sees St Lomans into an eight consecutive county final (also ninth in ten years), the first time any time has done this since the 1950’s in Westmeath. We face the Downs in the county final in to weeks’ time in what promises to be a massive challenge, where the Blues will be aiming for three in a row.
On the day it was a case of the leaders and experienced players stepping up to the plate. David Whelan was excellent at the back. However up front, John Heslin and Shane Dempsey were the match winners delivering in the big moments as they have so often done in the past.
Team; Jason Daly, Gerry Grehan, Jack Geoghegan, David Whelan, Peter Foy, Kelvin Reilly, Conor O’Donoghue, Ryan Jones, Sam McCartan, Sean Flanagan, Ronan O’Toole (0.01), Danny McCartan, TJ Cox (0.01), John Heslin (0.08, 0.04f), Shane Dempsey (0.05). Subs used; Darragh O’Keefe, Paul Whelehan, Kevin Regan, Enda Gaffney.
Under 17 Division 1 Championship Semi Final:
St Lomans Mullingar 0-09 Moate All Whites 1-05
Last Saturday morning our under 17 side welcomed Moate to Lakepoint Park on a perfect morning for football. The game was a cagey encounter with both sides notably jittery in the early stages. The hosts got the scoring underway through a placed ball from Daniel McCann. The visitors quickly levelled proceedings through their talisman Ronan Murray. The sides traded scores before the break with Harry Mannering and Murray on target for their respective sides. These were to be the only scores of the half as both sides went in level pegging at the interval with everything to play for in the second half.
Moate began the second half the brighter hitting an early point to see them take the lead, before a brilliant long-range finish past Calum Butler Dolan saw the Blues trailing by four points with a mountain to climb. The Saints showed huge resilience and recovered excellently in the next ten minutes hitting four unanswered points to bring the sides level again. The Blues points came through three well-executed free’s from McCann and a brilliant point from the impressive John Casey.
Moate went ahead with ten minutes to go but again the Blues bounced back with two stunning long-distance points from Daniel McCann who was starting to stamp his authority on the match and the Saints lead by a single point with five minutes left. The Visitors tied it up again with five minutes and we looked to be heading into extra time. However, in the dying moments St Lomans were awarded a long-range free, Daniel McCann stepped up with all the pressure on his shoulders and bisected the posts showing brilliant composure and sending the Mullingar men into the county final.
The game wasn’t an exhibition of football but both sides expended a huge amount of effort to get the win. In terms of individuals, Rory Doonan and Riley Sheahan were solid at the back. Ross Killalea got through a tremendous amount of work in midfield. Although Daniel McCann didn’t have his best day in the first half he stepped up in the final quarter when his team needed him and didn’t shirk the responsibility hitting two brilliant long-range points and a clutch free at the death. Man of the match was John Casey who was all over the park and worked tirelessly, his point also was somewhat of a turning point for the Blues in the second half. Well done to the players and management who are now looking forward to a county final.
Team; Callum Butler Dolan, Rory Doonan, Riley Sheahan, Mark Lancaster, Nathan Sleator, Byron Graham, Seanai Bracken, Ross Killalea, Oisín O’Hara, Mark Tunney, Daniel McCann (0.07, 0.05f), Shane Mulderry, Luke Heduvan, Harry Mannering (0.01), John Casey (0.01).
Under 15 Division 1 Championship Semi Final:
St Lomans Mullingar 4-06 Coralstown Kinnegad 1-07
Congratulations to our Under 13 boys who qualified for the Division 1 county final following a 4-06 to 1-7 win over Coralstown/Kinnegad last week.
Another County final waits for the Blues!
Announcement:
St Lomans are delighted to welcome Robbie Forde as our new games’ promotion officer. Robbie plays his club football with Moate and was part of the Tailteann cup winning Westmeath side earlier in the year. Robbie will be representing the club in local schools and will be aiding our underage coaches.
Club Lotto:
Draw Date: Thursday 22nd September
This week’s jackpot: €10,000.00
Numbers drawn: 4, 11, 15, 20
No Jackpot Winner
Next Week’s Draw Date: Thursday 29th September
Remember it could be you
Condolences:
St Lomans Mullingar extends its condolences to the Regan family following the passing of Andrew Regan, Knocknacunny and formerly of Derrinacartha, Ballaghaderreen, Co. Roscommon and New Jersey (USA)
Ar dheis de go raibh a anam
