After a lapse of five years Mullingar Shamrocks regained the title of Westmeath champions at Cusack Park, Mullingar, yesterday.

Played in appalling conditions, the game was won and lost in the opening half when Shamrocks dominated proceedings and held the reigning champions scoreless.

Tyrrellspass trailed by 1-4 to 0-0 at the break and, while they came into the game more afterwards, by then the pitch had deteriorated into something akin to an ice rink and, understandably, scoring opportunities were harder to come by.

Mullingar Shamrocks: D Ryan; J Conlon, M Burke, D Walls; P Corroon, P Monaghan, B Lambden; T Ormsby, A Lyons; B Loughrey (0-1), D Curley, B Morley (1-1); M O'Reilly (0-1), M Treanor (0-1), E Casey (0-1). Subs: P Rouse for Curley (half-time); A Keaveney for O'Reilly (half-time); E Smyth for Rouse (50 min).

Tyrrellspass: J Hyland; D Scally, D Murphy, J O'Brien; S Arthur, D Gavin, B Murphy; A Corcoran, B Arthur; M Carley (0-1), M Flanagan (0-1), R Sheerin; C Murphy, J Corcoran, M Staunton. Sub: G Feery for J Corcoran (48).

Referee: P Fox (Rosemount).