Wicklow senior football team manager Oisín McConville. Photo by Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
Tailteann Cup Semi-Final
Wicklow 2-18 Westmeath 2-17
A Dean Healy post-hooter point sealed a sensational Tailteann Cup quarter-final for Wicklow against Westmeath in Aughrim on Sunday.
On several occasions during this game, Wicklow looked to be out for the count. They scored just twice in the opening 25 minutes – albeit one was an Oisín McGraynor goal on seven minutes – as Westmeath dominated the ball and built up a commanding 2-5 to 1-1 lead. Both their goals had come from long balls in, with Shane Allen scoring in only the third minute, and Seán McCartan getting a hand to a long ball in, diverting it to the net.
Wicklow were fortunate to be only two behind at the break as they staged something of a resurgence in those last 10 minutes. A Mark Jackson two-point free was crucial, but a word, too, for Mark Kenny’s lobbing point, the last kick of the half.
Wicklow had kicked seven wides and spurned at least three goal chances, and even allowing for their post-half-time resurgence, these missed opportunities looked like they would be costly. Westmeath were, by far, the brighter side again at the start of the second half, extending their lead to eight points, and Wicklow’s first second-half score came 10 minutes in. By then it was 2-12 to 1-8, and Westmeath were in control again.
But Wicklow kicked again, helped by a Mark Jackson two-pointer as they got back to within a goal, and on 57 minutes, the game-changing moment arrived. Dean Healy was dragged down by the subsequently black-carded Joseph Moran while advancing on goal, and Oisín McGraynor scored the resultant penalty to level the contest.
Fourteen-man Westmeath battled bravely, and back-to-back two-pointers by Luke O’Loughlin and Seán McCartan looked likely to have killed Wicklow once and for all. There was more to come.
Wicklow managed to narrow the deficit to one by the time Mark Jackson landed his third two-point free, and though Westmeath tried to run out time, Wicklow won the ball back, with Pádraig O’Toole wisely punching over his chance.
The game went to-and-fro after the buzzer, with both sides having chances to win, but the game-winning chance eventually taken came to captain Dean Healy, who had not scored up to that point. It sealed a one-point win for Wicklow.
Scorers for Wicklow: Oisín McGraynor 2-2 (2f), Mark Jackson 0-7 (3tpf, 1 ’45), Eoin Darcy 0-2 (2f) Joe Prendergast 0-1, Mark Kenny 0-1, Dean Healy 0-1, Pádraig O’Toole 0-1, Christopher O’Brien 0-1, Conor Fee 0-1, Darragh Fee 0-1.
Scorers for Westmeath: Luke Loughlin 0-6 (1tp, 1tpf), Sam McCartan 1-2 (1tp), Shane Allen 1-0, Robbie Forde 0-2, Ray Connellan 0-2, Ronan Wallace 0-2, Stephen Smith 0-1, Nigel Harte 0-2.
Wicklow: Mark Jackson, Tom Moran, Matt Nolan, Malachy Stone, Joe Prendergast, Patrick O’Keane, Darragh Fee, Dean Healy, Pádraig O’Toole, Christopher O’Brien, Eoin Darcy, Cathal Baker, Oisín McGraynor, Craig Maguire, Mark Kenny.
Subs: Kevin Quinn for Kenny (46), Andy Maher for Baker (46), Conor Fee for McGraynor (63), John Paul Nolan for O’Brien (67).
Westmeath: Conor McCormack, Jack Geoghan, Sam Smyth, Jamie Gonoud, Joseph Moran, Ronan Wallace, Seán McCartan, Ray Connellan, Brian Guerin, Shane Allen, Kevin O’Sullivan, Nigel Harte, Liam Loughlin, Stephen Smith, Robbie Forde.
Subs: Tadhg Baker for Smith (50); Danny McCartan for Allen (60).
Referee: Séamus Mulhare (Laois).
