Rising Westmeath football star Israel Ilunga has applied for a transfer from Castletown-Finea/Coole/Whitehall to Rosemount.

The transfer request has surprised many in the Lake County given that the two clubs - which are more than 30 miles apart - are both intermediate, although Rosemount's appearance in last year's IFC final would suggest they stand a better chance of winning silverware this season.

Unsurprisingly, Castletown-Finea/Coole/Whitehall aren't happy at the prospect of losing one of their best players to a rival club. At last week's county board meeting, their chairman Ned Flynn called for the transfer to be dealt with in an open and transparent manner in front of all club delegates, only to be told that transfers are now dealt with by the Competitions Control Committee (CCC).

Ilunga will line out for Westmeath against Meath in the first round of the Leinster U21FC on Wednesday night at Pairc Tailteann, where he was at the centre of racial abuse allegations two years ago when the Lake County defeated their neighbours in the Leinster MFC semi-final.

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