Westmeath remain on course for promotion with win over Antrim
Westmeath 0-13 Antrim 0-9
By Gerry Buckley
Westmeath maintained their 100 per cent record in Division 3 of the Allianz Football League with a hard-earned win against a wasteful Antrim side in cold but pleasant conditions at Corrigan Park yesterday (Sunday).
Backed again by an admirably large band of supporters who made the long journey to Belfast, Dessie Dolan’s men – who had ten different scorers on the day – always looked marginally the better team.
However, yet again they rode their luck somewhat, especially close to the hour mark when Dominic McEnhill spurned a glorious goal opportunity which could have led to a very nervy finish for the men in maroon and white had his ‘unmissable’ shot not thundered off the crossbar.
The net result of this deserved win is that the Lake County are within touching distance of promotion to Division 2, with the result of a mouth-watering clash in TEG Cusack Park on our national feast day against Down likely to decide at least one certain finalist.
Dolan will be sweating on the fitness of up to half a dozen players ahead of that encounter, and he took the time afterwards to outline his disappointment at the pressures imposed on amateur players in what is a condensed league format.
Scorers – Westmeath: J Lynam, D McCartan (1 free), S Baker (2f) 0-2 each; K Martin, R Wallace, A McCormack, D Lynch, R O’Toole, S McCartan, C Dillon 0-1 each. Antrim: D McEnhill 0-3 (2f); D Lynch, D McAleese, R Boyle, C Hand (f), M Byrne (f) 0-1 each.
Westmeath: Jason Daly; Kevin Maguire, Charlie Drumm, Daniel Scahill; Conor Dillon, Ronan Wallace, Nigel Harte; Ray Connellan, Andy McCormack; David Lynch, Ronan O’Toole, Sam McCartan; Jonathan Lynam, Senan Baker, Danny McCartan. Subs used: Kieran Martin for Baker (49 mins), Matthew Whittaker for Wallace (inj., 55), James Dolan for Harte (55), Eoin Mulvihill for Drumm (inj., 59), Stephen Smith for D McCartan (68).
Antrim: Michael Byrne; John Morgan, Eunan Walsh, Kavan Keenan; Declan Lynch, Joseph Finnegan, Dermot McAleese; Colm McLarnon, Conor Hand; Ronan Boyle, Patrick McBride, Ruairí McCann; Marc Jordan, Pat Shivers, Dominic McEnhill. Subs used: Niall Burns for Shivers (53 mins), Liam McLarnon for McEnhill (70).
Referee: Fintan Pierce (Offaly).
*See more on Sunday's game in this week's print edition.