Noel Conaty. Age 35 Occupation Senior QEHS Consultant. Very experienced keeper.  Has represented Westmeath for the past number of years. Plays as an extra defender at times during matches. His ability to pinpoint passes can help his forward line to pick off scores. Winner of Tier 2 All Ireland Senior HC (Joe McDonagh Cup) medal in 2021. Won MHC Div 2 and U16 HC Div 1 with Turin Gaels in 2003.

Daire Daly. Age 27 Occupation Engineer Having had limited game time in 2023 due to work commitments Daire has returned and fought for his position in the team. Tough defender who is never found wanting when on the field of play. One of three brothers to wear the Gaels colours today Winner of two ACHL Div 1 league titles. Winner of U14 and U16 Div 2 Hurling Championship medals with Lough Lene Gaels.   

Dan Higgins. Age 26 Occupation Financial Analyst Capable and steadfast hurling defender who goes about his defensive duties in an unassuming manner. Came successfully through the LLG Underage/Juvenile structure. Winner of two ACHL Div 1 medals.

Philip Reilly. Age 32 Occupation Toolmaker Club Captain both last year and this year. A tigerish defender who never shys away from any role he is given. Has ability to win vital frees in matches. Won a Div 3 U14 HC Medal with Lough Lene Gaels in 2005. Winner of two ACHL Div 1 league titles. 

Shane Williams. 22 Age Occupation Electrician Extremely talented flexible player, at home in any area of the pitch. Has a great ability to read the danger areas and has pace to go forward and hit vital scores in matches. Has played for Westmeath in all grades of hurling. Has also tasted success in football with  Multyfarnham winning Westmeath JFC Div 1 medals. ACHL Div 1 medal winner 

Daragh Qamar. Age 27 Occupation I.T Engineer A player who has flourished in the last two years championships. Has made numer six his own. Man of the match in the semi final with his no nonsense style defending. Winner of two ACHL Div 1 league titles. Winner of U14 and U16 Div 2 Hurling Championship medals with Lough Lene Gaels.   

Tommy Doyle. Age 31 Occupation Business Development Rep Jogger is better know for his defensive duties with Westmeath but he is also at ease the LLG forward line. A key ball winner and has contributed vital scores throughout the championship. Winner of an All Ireland Tier 2 SHC (Joe McDonagh Cup) Medal with Westmeath in 2021. Another accomplished footballer with Ballycomoyle GFC.

Brendan Doyle. Age 30 Occupation Teacher. Has played a key role in his midfield duties all year. His nonstop work rate in the middle third has helped all players around him bear the fruits of his labour. A wearer of the Westmeath Hurling colours in the Senior grade. ACHL medal winner on a number of occasions. Another talented Ballycomoyle GFC footballer.  

Michael Daly. Age 28 Occupation Accountant Another excellent team player with top quality performances on the pitch. Has also contributed vital scores throughout the championship. Has worn the Westmeath colours in Senior Hurling. The second of the trio of brothers playing. Has won medals in ACHL Div 1 (2). Talented Footballer with Ballycomoyle GFC.    

Eoin Daly. Age 23 Occupation Accountant A top class player who’s aerial ability can cause havoc for defenders. His ability to get scores from direct puckouts has been a feature of his play. Makes up the trio of brothers playing today. Put in a massive display in last years county final which earned him man of the match. Has worn the Westmeath Senior Hurling colours. Successes at ACHL Div 1.   

David Williams. Age 20 Occupation Student A player who plays with great speed and determination the belies his age. His work rate and vision has shown in this year’s championship. Consistent score getter from placed balls and open play. County hurler at underage and senior levels, won an U14 Div 1 HC medal with Na Piarsaigh prior to change of grades.  Captain and Winner of an U19 championship with Na Piarsaigh in 2023

Derek McNicholas. Age 39 Occupation Senior Corporate Manager A player that has shown that he has not lost his ability to get a score at vital times. Has been introduced in the last few match and will need watching from any defender. Got vital scores in the semi final match Winner of Westmeath Senior A Championship medal in 2002. Won All Ireland Tier 2 SHC medals in both the Christy Ring and Joe McDonagh Cups competitions. 

Marcus Kennedy. Age 25 Occupation Quantity Surveyor  A very able forward with an eye for goal. Has good aerial ability and has contributed regularly form play during this year’s run to the final. Also a capable goalkeeper. ACHL D1 Medal winner (2). 

Warren Williams. Age 27 Occupation Mechanical Automation/Fitter  A tough forward who has an ability to get possession in tight spots. He has great vision to selflessly bring other players into scoring areas that can cause trouble for defenders.. ACHL Div 1 Medal winner as well as U14 and U16 Divisional championship medals. 

Aaron Kennedy. Age 24 Occupation Accounting  A player who’s direct style off running can cause panic among defenders. Had a quiet semi final by his standards but has ability to get vital scores and to terrorise defenders. Has made a starting position his own on the team this year .Winner of an ACHL medal and possessing county player potential.

Paul Murtagh. Age 26 Occupation Clerical Assistant A very capable keeper who keeps our regular net minder on his toes. Very skilful player and is also at ease in the forward line. ACHL Div 1 medal winner

Daniel Reilly. Age 25 Occupation Project Manager Excellent, tough sticky defender. His ability to “man mark” his player is his strength. Does not shy away from any big roles when assigned a task. Winner of two ACHL Division 1 titles. Wears the colours of Ballycomoyle GFC in Gaelic Football.

Jason Malone. Age 22 Occupation Refrigeration engineer. A player who has improved over the year. Has played vital roles when introduced into action this year. Westmeath`s goalkeeper in the 2022 Leinster U20 Hurling Championship. ACHL success in 2022.

John Egan. Age 30 Occupation Floor Layer  An all round player who is at home in defence or the midfield area. Can contribute scores at vital times in games. Winner of Two ACHL Div 1 titles. Represents Ballycomoyle in Gaelic Football. 

Thomas Kennedy. Age 22 Occupation Dairy Farmer Very talented member of this group of players. His ability to get clean possession and direct running towards goal is hard to deal with. Has started some matches this year where he contributed to the team performance. ACHL Div 1 medal winner.

Jordan Williams. Age 25 Occupation Heavy Goods mechanic. Another member of this group who will be anxious to get introduced to the play. Plays in an attacking role and can contribute scores from paly.  Winner of ACHL Div 1,U14,and U16 Championship medals with the Club.

Johnny Dermody. Age 26 Occupation Teacher  A dedicated hard working player. His contribution to the team is vital. Usually plays a defensive role. Never misses a training session

Eric Fitzpatrick. Age 23 Occupation Cabinet maker Another tight marking defender who is a key squad member. Captain of the successful LLG team in the 2023 Junior A Championship. 

Alex Little. Age 19 Occupation Machine Operator A skillful allround player who can play in goals, defence or attack. A successful player in various grades of Hurling with Na Piarsaigh. Played a key role as goalie in winning an U19 championship with Na Piarsaigh in 2023

Callum Burns. Age 18 Occupation Fitter A skilful and energetic player who is usually deployed in a forward role. Has an ability to win vital ball and score goals. Worthy of his place on this panel of players. Extremely talented Golfing prodigy. Winner of an U19 championship with Na Piarsaigh in 2023

Jamie Nolan. Age 33 Occupation Sound & Lighting Technician A dedicated player who plays as a skillful and elusive forward. Capable of getting vital scores. Key squad member.

Cian Reilly. Age 20 Occupation Student   Quietly confident player capable of making a difference when introduced. Very skillful and nippy forward. Can give any defender a headache to mark. Winner of an U19 championship with Na Piarsaigh in 2023

Francis Kennedy. Age 35 Occupation Agricultural consultant. A tight marking player who has been deployed in a defensive and attacking role. His no nonsense approach to play and dedication to his team are his strengths.

Padraig Fitzsimons. A very talented and skillful player who emerged from the Underage system. Has won titles in Junior and  Minor Hurling following U16 success with Turin Gaels in the past. 

Eamonn Potter. Age 38 Occupation Project Manager  A very able and committed defender. Never takes a backward step from his defensive duties and one of the last links to the 2009 SHC Final panel. Medal winner in U12, Minor, Junior A, Junior B championships and ACHL Div 1 medal winner.                          

Kevin Hogan. Age 20 Occupation Student An excellent defender on the Senior panel. Education commitments have curtailed his involvement this year but is a very able defender when called upon. Came to the fore in the Underage/Juvenile structures. Winner of an U19 championship with Na Piarsaigh in 2023

Daniel Buckley. Age 20 Occupation Dairy Farmer A quietly capable and confident player. Is usually deployed in a forward role. Has ability to get vital scores in matches. Another graduate of the Na Piarsaigh/LLG Underage Juvenile structures.  Winner of an U19 championship with Na Piarsaigh in 2023

Fergal Tiernan. Age 29 Occupation Strength & Conditioning Coach. A tough all round player who is always aggressive in his playing duties. Has made great contributions to the team with his experience in strength and conditioning. Another young hurler in the Underage/Juvenile grades has come  through at adult level. 

Lough Lene Gaels Hurling Club - a brief history

Lough Lene Gaels Hurling Club was founded towards the end of 1969 with the merger of Collinstown and Glenidan clubs.

The Club`s first success came in 1972 with the winning of the 1971 Westmeath J.H League. Lough Lene Gaels defeated Raharney by 4.10 to 2.03 in the final of that competition.

Lough Lene Gaels won the 1973 Westmeath Junior Hurling Championship defeating  Castletown Geoghagan by 7.03 to 2.03 in the Final played at Mullingar`s Cusack Park on Sunday August 26th 1973. That successful Lough Lene Gaels team was captained by Seamus Ward, the first ever player to captain a Lough Lene Gaels championship winning team. 

The Club subsequently won Westmeath SHC titles in 1975 and 1976 and a Westmeath U14 Division 1 HC in 1977. In 1979 Lough Lene Gaels won the Kinnegad Senior and U14 Hurling tournaments. A first U16 Div 1 HC title was won in 1978.

While the 1980s resulted in only one appearance in a Westmeath SHC Final, a defeat to Brownstown in 1985, Lough Lene Gaels did manage to win a three-in-a-row of U16 Div 1 HC titles in 1981/1982/1983, to go along with U21 HC (2), Minor HC Div 1 (2) and U14 Div 1 (4) HC titles that were also won in the 1980s. 

The 1990s bore witness to Lough Lene Gaels hosting the Westmeath SHC Finals of 1993, 1994 and 1995. As regards match activities, Lough Lene Gaels HC ended a wait of 20 years in 1996 by the winning of a third SHC title. Castletown Geoghagan were defeated by 2.07 to 0.09 in an epic encounter on Sunday October 13th. In the opening fixture on that day, Lough Lene Gaels defeated St Oliver Plunketts, also by 2.07 to 0.09. in the Minor Hurling Championship Div 1 Final. As a note of interest the entire total of 4.14 scored by the Lough Lene Gaels teams on that day came from open play.

In the 1990s, Lough Lene Gaels won SHC (3), U21HC (5), MHC Div 1 (3), U16 Div 1 HC (2), U16 Div 2 HC (1), U14HC Div 1(1), JHC (1), U14 Div 2 HC(1), U12 HC Div 2 (2) and, in 1997, a Leinster Minor Hurling League Div 3 title. Certainly, the 1990s was a decade of achievement for Lough Lene Gaels Hurling Club,

Sadly though, Friday July 30th 1999 will always be a day of sadness for the Club because, on that day, Darren Mortimer, one of a generation of great Lough Lene Gaels players, died in a motoring accident. Darren Mortimer (1976 – 1999) still is, and always will be, too loved to be forgotten. A second pitch, named in honour of Darren Mortimer is now in place at Collinstown as part of a programme of adding to facilities that are available for use.

Into the 21st Century, further SHC titles were won in 2000 completing a three in a row sequence, and 2002. Junior A HC titles were won in 2005 and 2007 and a Junior B HC title in 2006. In 2001, Lough Lene Gaels  won the 2000 Feis Cup competition defeating Westmeath SHC champions Clonkill, just three weeks on from Clonkill`s win over Cullion in the 2001 Westmeath SHC Final. In addition, a Leinster MHL  title was won in 2000. 

Lough Lene Gaels HC unsuccessfully contested the Westmeath SHC finals in 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009 and 2023 since winning the last of their seven titles in 2002. Lough Lene Gaels HC won Westmeath ACHL Div 1 titles in 2017 and 2022. 

For the record, Lough Lene Gaels Hurling Club played its first ever fixture in the Westmeath SHC on Sunday July 19th 1970 at Mullingar`s Cusack(now TEG Cusack)Park. The result of that fixture was Lough Lene Gaels 5.17, Delvin 5.01.  The Club, without a break, has now played in the region of 299 matches in what is now named the Westmeath Senior A Hurling Championship.   

(With Thanks to David Kelly)

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