Odhran Murdock, Down, and Andy McCormack, Westmeath, in Allianz Football League action. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile
Allianz Football League Division Three
Westmeath 0-13 Down 1-10
By Gerry Buckley at TEG Cusack Park
The promotion race to Division 2 is still on, after joint table-toppers Westmeath and Down drew a pulsating game in Mullingar.
Defences were on top in the first half and scores were at a premium. Jonathan Lynam opened the scoring in the ninth minute when he was teed up by All Star nominee Ronan O’Toole. They doubled their advantage some five minutes later when a Luke Loughlin free dropped short and Robbie Forde, who had replaced the injured Danny McCartan in the fifth minute, scored an opportunist point.
The Mourne County men belatedly opened their account in the 18th minute when Pat Havern slotted over a routine free. A quickfire brace from the boots of James Guinness and Danny Magill had Conor Laverty’s charges ahead for the first time, but James Dolan rounded off a rare flowing move to equalise on the half-hour mark. Down regained the lead in added-time when Havern pointed from play to put his side ahead by 0-4 to 0-3 at the interval.
Havern and Forde traded early points on the change of ends, but Down pounced for looked like it might be a decisive goal in the 43rd minute when Daniel Guinness rifled the ball to the net from 20 metres following a counterattack.
However, Dessie Dolan’s troops responded in fine style with unanswered points from O’Toole, and a free each by Forde and Luke Loughlin.
It was nip and tuck from there on, but the visitors looked the more likely winners when they led by 1-9 to 0-10 with an hour elapsed.
The home team again struck for a hat-trick of points without reply, the best of them from Loughlin in the 68th minute. Ryan McEvoy surged forward to level the contest and Down had the better chances to sneak the two points in added-time, but the Westmeath defence held firm.
It is still all to play for next Sunday when Down host Clare (the only other team in contention for promotion), while Westmeath travel to Sligo.
Scorers for Down: P Havern 0-4 (3fs), D Guinness 1-0, R McEvoy, C Doherty, D Magill, R Johnston, O Murdoch, J Guinness 0-1 each.
Scorers for Westmeath: R Forde 0-4 (2fs), L Loughlin 0-3 (2fs), R Connellan, J Lynam, K Martin, R O'Toole, J Dolan, M Whittaker 0-1 each.
Down: J O’Hare; P Fegan, R McEvoy, C Doherty; M Rooney, P Laverty, D Guinness; N McParland, C Mooney; D Magill, L Kerr, R Johnston; O Murdoch, P Havern, J Guinness.
Subs: J Flynn for McParland (HT), A Gilmore for Mooney (inj., 42), S Annett for J Guinness (46), C Francis for D Magill (58), R Mason for Johnston).
Westmeath: J Daly; D Scahill, K Maguire, J Dolan; A McCormack, D Lynch, N Harte; R Connellan, J Lynam; K Martin, R O’Toole, S McCartan; C Dillon, L Loughlin, D McCartan.
Subs: R Forde for D McCartan (inj., 5), M Whittaker for Lynam (HT), E Mulvihill for Dillon (50), S Smith for Martin (64), S Allen for Harte (70).
Referee: J Molloy (Galway).