Second half collapse leaves Westmeath pointless
Allianz NFL Div 2: Cavan 1-22, Westmeath 0-21
Westmeath’s hopes of a first league win in Division 2 were dashed in dramatic fashion as Cavan overturned a 12-point half-time deficit to snatch a 1-22 to 0-21 victory in Mullingar. The defeat leaves Westmeath rooted to the bottom of the table after four straight losses, with relegation to Division 3 now a real concern.
Played on a heavy pitch at TEG Cusack Park, the game was in doubt until midday due to the conditions. When it did go ahead, Westmeath - under the guidance of former Cavan star Dermot McCabe - made full use of a strong first-half wind, despite falling behind to an early James Smith point.
The Lake County then produced a stunning scoring blitz, racking up 0-12 without reply in a devastating 15-minute spell. Danny McCartan (two frees), Luke Loughlin (free and play), and captain Ronan Wallace all struck two-point scores as Westmeath raced into a commanding 0-12 to 0-2 lead by the 15th minute. They remained in control for much of the half, stretching their advantage to 0-17 to 0-4 by the 32nd minute.
However, the game turned just before the break. A flashpoint between Jack Geoghegan and James Smith saw Geoghegan pick up a second yellow card, while Jamie Gonoud was also sent to the sin bin, leaving Westmeath down to 13 men for the remainder of the half. Despite holding a 0-17 to 0-5 lead at the interval, the sense of unease among home supporters was palpable, given Cavan’s ability to utilise the conditions in the second half.
On the restart, the visitors slowly took control, dominating kick-outs and cutting into the deficit. By the 45th minute, Westmeath’s lead had been whittled down to three points (0-18 to 0-15), with Oisín Brady leading the charge for the Breffni men.
McCartan and Loughlin briefly steadied the home side with two points, but Cavan refused to relent. The outstanding James Smith and Gerard Smith kept the scoreboard ticking before the latter struck a decisive blow in the 58th minute, soloing half the length of the pitch to fire past Jason Daly and put Cavan within touching distance.
A black card for Cavan’s Killian Clarke offered Westmeath hope, but a brilliant two-point effort from Dara McVeety in the 62nd minute gave the visitors their first lead since the opening stages (1-18 to 0-20). From there, they always looked the more likely winners.
Westmeath’s frustration deepened when Jamie Gonoud saw red in the closing stages, and despite battling to the final whistle, they couldn’t muster the late response needed.
Cavan’s victory lifts them to four points, while Westmeath, despite competitive performances in all four games, remain without a point and in serious danger of relegation.
Westmeath: Conor McCormack; Jamie Gonoud, Charlie Drumm, Jack Geoghegan; Ronan Wallace (0-2, tp), Conor Dillon (0-1), Matthew Whittaker (0-1); Sam McCartan, Ray Connellan; Danny McCartan (0-6, 2 tpf, 1f), Brían Cooney (0-1), Kevin O’Sullivan (0-2); Lorcan Dolan (0-1), Luke Loughlin (0-6, tpf, tp, 2f), Brandon Kelly (0-1). Subs: Kieran Martin for Cooney (h-t), Enda Gaffney for Kelly (42), Daniel Scahill for Dolan (53), Robbie Forde for Martin (62), Stephen Smith for Whittaker (67).
Cavan: Gary O’Rourke; Niall Carolan, Brian O’Connell, Jason McLoughlin; Padraig Faulkner, Ciarán Brady, Luke Fortune; James Smith (0-3), Evan Crowe; Gerard Smith (1-1), Dara McVeety (0-4, 2 tp), Oisín Kiernan (0-1); Ryan O’Neill, Gearóid McKiernan (0-5, 2tpf, 3f), Oisin Brady (0-4, tpf, 1f). Subs: Cian Madden (0-2) for O’Neill (h-t), Conor Madden for Fortune (h-t), Killian Clarke for Crowe (45), Darragh Lovett (0-2, tp) for Kiernan (56), Sean McEvoy for O Brady (69).
Referee: Derek O’Mahoney (Tipperary).