Wasteful Westmeath U20s bow out to Meath

Eirgrid Leinster U20 Football Championship Quarter-Final

Meath 0-8

Westmeath 1-3

Gerry Buckley

Failing to produce anything remotely close to their best form for the first three quarters of the game at rain-sodden Ashbourne last Tuesday night, Westmeath’s U20 footballers bowed out of the Leinster championship with a flattering two-point defeat at the hands of what looked to be a relatively ordinary Meath side.

Non-stop rain for hours prior to the match meant that it was in doubt up to the 11th hour, with quite an amount of water on the pitch. However, the conditions were equally poor for both participants and the young Royal County men coped far better, their opponents failing to score in the first moiety despite the aid of a useful wind.

Indeed, the prospect of a scoreless hour for the Lake County loomed large throughout the third quarter, and Senan Baker’s penalty conversion with the last kick of the contest merely took the dirty look off the scoreline.

Danny McCartan’s shot into the grateful arms of Billy Hogan after 90 seconds epitomised the losers’ very poor first half showing. The lively Ciaran Caulfield opened the scoring in the fifth minute and, in truth, Meath never looked like relinquishing their lead. Baker spurned difficult rapid-fire chances from a free and open play before Caulfield doubled his tally in the tenth minute.

Baker soon missed what looked like a relatively straightforward free after his lengthy run goalward had seen him fouled twice en route. Eoghan Frayne cleverly fisted a point to put his side three clear in the 18th minute. Hogan held a tricky delivery from Tom Kelleher, and Westmeath’s hopes were boosted when midfielder Conor Gray was black-carded in the 28th minute. A weak attempt from McCartan before the break meant a scoreless wind-assisted first half for the men in maroon and white, and Meath led by 0-3 to 0-0 at the interval.

Baker was wide some 25 seconds after play resumed. Meath’s first wide of the evening ensued, but three quickfire points for John McCarthy’s troops between the 37th and 39th minutes, courtesy of Frayne (two – the first from a 40-metre free) and Caulfield (a lovely finish), put the home team firmly in control.

Brían Cooney’s goal attempt (when set up by Baker) was blocked by John O’Regan at the expense of an unconverted ‘45’. Frayne was denied a three-pointer at the other end by a fine save from Michael Lynam, but the same player was not to be denied a point moments later.

Westmeath eased their supporters’ frayed nerves by belatedly opening their account in the 46th minute when Baker pointed. Hard-working wing back Jack Geoghegan quickly doubled his team’s meagre tally. Seconds before being replaced, Liam Stafford became the third Meath man to score in the 56th minute. It proved to be the last score for the green and gold-clad outfit.

A powerful drop-kicked free from Baker almost flew into the net with two minutes of normal time remaining. Dylan Murtagh rose highest to fist the ball over the crossbar in a crowded penalty area in the first minute of added-time. The referee awarded Westmeath a penalty with time almost up, and Baker converted the spot-kick with aplomb. However, the final whistle sounded seconds later, and with it ended a very limp championship exit for Damien Gavin’s talented – if injury-ravaged – squad.

SCORERS – Meath: E Frayne 0-4 (1f), C Caulfield 0-3, L Stafford 0-1.

Westmeath: S Baker 1-1 (1-0 pen), J Geoghegan, D Murtagh 0-1 each.

Meath: Billy Hogan; Brian O’Halloran, Liam Kelly, Conor Ennis; Brian O’Reilly, John O’Regan, John Finnerty; Jack Kinlough, Conor Gray; Ciaran Caulfield, Eoghan Frayne, Liam Stafford; Alan Bowden, Oisín Keogh, Shaun Leonard. Subs used: Killian Smyth for Caulfield (inj. 45), Con Smith for Bowden (53), Ben Moran for Stafford (56), Aaron Murphy for Leonard (57).

Westmeath: Michael Lynam; Cian Lee, Sam Smyth, Liam Daly; Daniel Scahill, Tom Kelleher, Jack Geoghegan; Dylan Murtagh, Ben Killian; Podge Quinn, Danny McCartan, Daragh Lowry; Brían Cooney, Shane Hanley, Senan Baker. Subs used: Tadhg Baker for Killian (45), Shane Corcoran for Hanley (46), Adam Keane for Lee (56), Charlie Kennedy for Scahill (57), Peter Pierson for Lowry (58).

REF - Darragh Byrne (Wicklow).