Westmeath exit championship after disappointing second half

Dublin 2-20, Westmeath 3-9

By Gerry Buckley

Outscoring their guests by 0-16 to 1-3 in the second half, Dublin U20 footballers had their expected win against Westmeath in glorious conditions in Parnell Park last Wednesday evening, this second successive defeat for Kenny McKinley’s wholehearted troops spelling an end to their participation in this year’s Leinster championship.

This was a must-win game for the young men in maroon and white and when they deservedly led by two points at half-time, a very noteworthy victory looked distinctly possible.

However, in a trend familiar to every other Leinster county in virtually all grades of football this millennium, Dublin took control towards the end of the third quarter before powering to a comfortable win which propels them to a provincial quarter-final, while the losers will have to be content with challenging in the ‘B’ competition.

Paul Reynolds Hand’s two-pointer nudged the home team ahead with exactly two minutes on the clock, but Westmeath responded in the best possible fashion when Ryan Kelly confidently found the net from a fifth-minute penalty after Jack Duncan had been fouled. Surprisingly, no card was issued to the offending Dublin player.

Westmeath points ensued in the eighth and ninth minutes from Kelly (a great team score) and Finn Duffy (a free) respectively, and the good-sized Dublin crowd present were left in no doubt that they had a game on their hands.

Shane Corcoran was denied when a goal beckoned before the strong-running Paddy Kelly goaled in style after being picked out by Joe Quigley. Kelly and Adam Keane traded points, leaving the sides tied at 1-3 apiece at the end of the opening quarter.

Clyde Burke, who had excelled in the same fixture 12 months ago, opened his account from wing back with a fisted score in the 16th minute, but fine play from Duncan and skipper Tadhg Baker teed up Kealan Connell for a slapped goal at the other end some two minutes later. However, the lads in sky blue and navy regained the lead in the 20th minute when Kelly doubled his green flag haul at the end of a great move.

To their great credit, Westmeath dug deep again with a brace of converted frees by Duffy (the second coming after Dublin breached the 4 v 3 rule when goalkeeper Aaron Lee came up to take a ‘45’), and a delightful point from play by Kelly.

The Lake County men were fortunate when Kelly hit the post in added-time and the referee blew back for a free, as a goal looked very possible from the rebound. Westmeath led by 2-6 to 2-4 at the interval.

Reynolds Hand’s second two-pointer of the contest levelled the scoring with four minutes elapsed in the second moiety. Burke soon doubled his one-point tally, but Ronan Murray quickly cancelled this out with a fine score. In the 38th minute, Luke O’Boyle put his side into a lead they would never relinquish before Kelly was denied a hat-trick of goals by staunch Westmeath defending.

Significantly, the winners pounced for three well-taken points in quick succession courtesy of Charlie McMorrow, O’Boyle (when Westmeath should have cleared the ball), and Rian Doherty. When Joe Quigley slotted over a two-point free, his side led by 2-13 to 2-7 and, in truth, there was no realistic way back for the underdogs.

Quigley pointed from play in the 49th minute. Duffy scored Westmeath’s only two-pointer of the match when he slotted over a free, but Ciaran Farrelly’s charges added three unanswered points to their tally by the 57th minute via Doherty, sub Shane Mullarkey, and Quigley (a free).

Westmeath kept plugging away and were deservedly rewarded when fine play by sub Mattie Thornton set up Corcoran for a very well-taken goal under pressure in the 58th minute. However, this score was wiped out by three late one-point free conversions from Quigley.

Scorers – Dublin: P Kelly 2-1; J Quigley 0-7 (1 2ptf, 4f); P Reynolds Hand 0-4 (2 2pt); C Burke, L O’Boyle, R Doherty 0-2 each; C McMorrow, S Mullarkey 0-1 each. Westmeath: R Kelly 1-2 (1-0pen); F Duffy 0-5 (1 2ptf, 3f); S Corcoran, K Connell 1-0 each; A Keane, R Murray 0-1 each.

Dublin: Aaron Lee; James Brady, Darragh Murphy, Emmet Brady; Clyde Burke, Charlie McMorrow, Ryan Mitchell; Stephen Hickey, Senan Ryan; Paddy Kelly, Luke O’Boyle, Paul Reynolds Hand; Rian Doherty, Dylan Kettle, Joe Quigley. Subs used: S Keogh for J Brady (h-t), Shane Mullarkey for Kettle (47), Oscar Donohue for Burke (53), Dylan Clark for Reynolds Hand (57), James McCormack for Hickey (57).

Westmeath: Eoin Doran; Sean Dillon, Adam Keane, Aodhan Curran; Peter Murphy, Tadhg Baker, Seanaí Bracken; Billy Moffatt, Shane Ormsby; Finn Duffy, Jack Duncan, Ronan Murray; Ryan Kelly, Kealan Connell, Shane Corcoran. Subs used: Tom Bourke for Moffatt (h-t), Taylor Slevin for Curran (43), Gareth Mullaniff for Connell (inj., 47), Conor Callaghan for Murray (48), Mattie Thornton for Kelly (51).

Ref: Anthony Nolan (Wicklow).