Sean Dempsey Memorial Under-12 Tournament

The annual Under-12 football blitz jointly hosted by Mullingar Shamrocks and St Loman's takes on an added significance this weekend as it has been designated the Sean Dempsey Memorial Tournament with the Sean Dempsey Perpetual Trophy awaiting the winners. The trophy has been donated by the Dempsey family to commemorate the memory of the late, lamented Sean and it is particularly appropriate that the trophy should be on offer for a tournament jointly hosted by the two clubs given the Dempsey family history with both Mullingar Shamrocks and St Loman's.

Gentleman Sean was a great GAA man who won Westmeath senior football championship medals with Athlone in the 1950s and also played for Ballymore in the 1965 senior final. Rob Cornally was a team mate on that day, another who served Mullingar Shamrocks and Westmeath GAA with distinction. On the Athlone GAA Club's website, Sean is remembered as 'a very pacey and stylish forward, his two brilliant points scored just before half-time in the 1958 final will always be fondly remembered for all time. He was an excellent footballer who could command a place on any club or county team'.

Sean served as Chairman of Mullingar Shamrocks and was one of those who led the club out of the football wilderness in the 1980s and was Chairman when the 1986 senior football title was landed for the first time since 1966. The title was retained in 1987 and Sean's son Noel was a playing member of the panel for both championship victories. Noel was also centre forward in 1988 when Mullingar Shamrocks shocked the Westmeath football world and defeated Coralstown-Kinnegad in the intermediate county final.

Shane Dempsey is the third generation of the Dempsey family to star on the GAA fields of Westmeath and has been a leading member of the St Loman's team that collected Westmeath senior football titles in 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017, torturing defences in the process.

Mullingar Shamrocks and St Loman's wish to thank Connie and the Dempsey family for their gesture in presenting the Sean Dempsey Perpetual Trophy for this competition for young footballers.

The competition begins at 10.30 on Sunday 16 September with games in Springfield and Lakepoint Park with the finals scheduled for 2.30. Some of the most famous clubs in Leinster (with Ulster and Connacht also represented) have signified an interest in competing although the list of declared runners is currently under revision. The clubs initially scheduled to compete included Sallins, Carrick Sarsfields, Kilmacud Crokes, St Mary’s Rochfortbridge, Clane, Clann Na Gael, Mullahoran, Rhode, Celbridge, Ballyboden St Enda's, Garrycastle, Castleknock, Moate All Whites and Ratoath