Lough Lene Gaels GAA

Lough Lene Gaels (Irish: Gaeil Loch Léinn) is a Gaelic Athletic Association club, based in Collinstown, County Westmeath, Ireland.

Club history

Lough Lene Gaels was founded as a hurling club in 1969 as a result of an amalgamation between the Collinstown, Fore, Glenidan and Rickardstown hurling clubs.Template:Fact

The club played its first match in the 1970 Westmeath Senior Hurling Championship and it resulted in a 5-17 to 5-1 win over Delvin. The club's first league title was won, in early 1972, in a postponed 1971 Junior hurling league final. Lough Lene Gaels defeated Raharney, by 4-10 to 2-3, in that final. The first championship title came in 1973 when the Junior title was won by defeating Castletown-Geoghegan 7-3 to 2-3.

At senior level, the club won the 1975 Westmeath Senior Hurling Championship by defeating Raharney in the final. The senior title was retained in 1976.Template:Fact

Throughout the 1980s, Lough Lene Gaels picked up championships titles on several occasions in the U-21, minor, and underage grades - but a third senior title eluded the club during the 1980s.Template:Fact

In the early 1990s, the club won U-21 and U-16 titles being won followed by 3-in a row sequence of championship successes in the minor grade.Template:Fact In 1996, Lough Lene Gaels won their first ever U-12 championship in the "A" grade.Template:Fact

On Sunday 13 October 1996, Lough Lene Gaels won their third SHC title, defeating Castletown-Geoghegan 2-7 to 0-9 in the final at Cusack Park Mullingar. The club also won the MHC final, on the same day, making it a very special day for the club.Template:Fact

Lough Lene Gaels have subsequently won further titles in the senior, U-21, minor, U-16 and U-12 grades. Lough Lene Gaels won the last SH championship of the 20th century, defeating Castlepollard 1-13 to 1-11 in the final at Cusack Park on Sunday 24 October 1999. The last U-21 championship of the 20th century was also won by the Gaels on 5 December 1999 at Cusack Park. Oliver Plunketts was defeated by 3-5 to 0-8 in that final.Template:Fact

In September 2000, the club won the Westmeath Senior Hurling Championship for the third year in succession. In the final, Lough Lene Gaels defeated their neighbours and rivals Castlepollard on a 3-8 to 0-14 scoreline at Cusack Park.Template:Fact

The club won the senior championship again in 2002 defeating Castletown Geoghegan in a finish which saw them score two goals in injury time. Castletown had scored a goal in the last minute of normal time to take a one-point lead and looked set for victory.Template:Fact

Lough Lene reached the Westmeath final in 2007.

Honours

• Westmeath Senior Hurling Championships (7): 1975, 1976, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002Template:Fact

External links

• Geocities.com/loughlenegaels (archived 2009)