Reigning champions out of Westmeath senior football race

Defending champions The Downs are out of this year’s race for the Flanagan Cup after defeat to Tyrrellspass on Sunday.

The Downs, who reached the Leinster club final season, came into the game with only one point out of three games, having lost to St Loman's and Coralstown/Kinnegad, and knowing that defeat would scupper their chances of reaching the knock out stages.

It looked good for them when they were five points clear into the last quarter, and deservedly so, but Tyrrellspass showed real tenacity to stay in the game and then snatched an injury time goal, through Tommy Ryan, to take the victory that not only ended The Downs' hopes of back-to-back titles, but also sent them into Section B of the Senior Championship next season.