Leinster SFC: Dynamic Westmeath advance

Leinster Senior Football Championship Quarter-Final

Westmeath 4-18 Meath 0-25

By Kevin Corrigan at Glenisk O'Connor Park

Full of fire and strong running, Westmeath were full value for their shock win over a stunned Meath in a pulsating Leinster Senior Football Championship quarter-final.

2-9 to 0-9 ahead at half time, Westmeath then went 10 points clear, but ended up hanging on as Meath finally clicked into life in the closing quarter. The favourites did very well to get the gap back to two points with two minutes left, but Westmeath had just enough in the tank to hold on and a last gasp goal from sub Danny McCartan put the icing on the cake.

There were plenty of twists and turns in a high quality, exciting first half. Meath started well but points from Jordan Morris and Eoghan Frayne was poor reward for their early dominance. They had the first five shots on goals but three of them went wide and Westmeath settled with points from Ray Connellan and Brandon Kelly, from a mark after Sean Brennan saved his shot.

Westmeath lost their replacement goalkeeper Conor McCormack to an eighth minute injury when he saved well from Cian McBride. Westmeath were 0-4 to 0-2 ahead after 13 minutes but points from Jack Flynn, Jordan Morris (free) and Aaron Lynch had Meath 0-5 to 0-4 in front after 16 minutes.

Matthew Whittaker’s excellent 24^th minute goal gave Westmeath the initiative and Sam McCartan’s free made it 1-6 to 0-6 two minutes later. Ruari Kinsella and Frayne brought it back to a point, but there was a huge momentum shift before half time.

Meath were the architects of their own misfortune with Aaron Lynch trying to punch the ball to the net in the 30^th minute. He could have taken his mark and then shot and Westmeath broke up field for Shane Corcoran to score their second goal.

Lynch replied quickly for Meath, but Westmeath’s gander was up and they finished the half very strongly with points from Kevin O’Sullivan, Brandon Kelly and McCartan (free) to give them a 2-9 to 0-9 half time lead.

2-15 to 0-15 ahead after 47 minutes, pointed free by Sam McCartan and a stunning goal from sub Robbie Forde gave the winners a 3-16 to 0-15 lead after 52 minutes.

Meath made a stirring come back, holding Westmeath to two more points until that late goal and adding ten themselves. Jack Flynn and Ruari Kinsella (two) got two pointers. They did have a goal chance, but Kinsella blazed over and Westmeath, who lost outstanding forward Luke O’Loughlin to a hamstring injury in the 56^th minute, were able to lift the siege.

Scorers for Westmeath: Luke Loughlin 0-6 (1 2pt), Shane Corcoran 1-2, Sam McCartan 0-4 (3fs), Matthew Whittaker, Robbie Forde and Danny McCartan 1-0 each, Ray Connellan and Brandon Kelly (1m) 0-2 each, Brian Cooney, Kevin O’Sullivan 0-1 each.

Scorers for Meath: Ruari Kinsella 0-6 (2 2pt), Eoghan Frayne (1 2pf) and James Conlon 0-4 each, Jack Flynn (1 2pt) and Jordan Morris (2fs) 0-3 each, Jack O’Connor and Aaron Lynch 0-2 each, Bryan Menton 0-1.

Westmeath: Conor McCormack; Daniel Scahill, Charie Drumm, Tadgh Baker; Ronan Wallace, Shane Allen, Matthew Whittaker; Brian Cooney, Ray Connellan; Kevin O’Sullivan, Sam McCartan, Conor Dillon; Shane Corcoran, Luke Loughlin, Brandon Kelly.

Subs: Jason Daly for McCormack, inj. (8m), Shane Ormbsy for Cooney (39m), Robbie Forde for O’Loughlin, inj. (50m), Tom Molloy for Allen (52m), Danny McCartan for Kelly (60m).

Meath: Sean Brennan; Seamus Lavin, Sean Rafferty, Brian O’Halloran; Donal Keoghan, Sean Coffey, Ciaran Caulfield; Cian McBride, Bryan Menton; Jack O’Connor, Ruari Kinsella, Jack Flynn; Jordan Morris, Eoghan Frayne, Aaron Lynch.

Subs: James Conlon for Lynch (37m), Cathal Hickey for McBride (50m), Killian Smyth for O’Halloran (50m), Conor Duke for O’Connor (53m), Keith Curtis for Frayne (56m).

Referee: Barry Cassidy (Derry).