Westmeath U16s denied on penalties as play-off now beckons
Westmeath GAA Coaching & Games Update
Westmeath U16 footballers recently travelled to Tulla in Co. Clare for their Ted Webb Cup semi-final and were terribly unlucky to lose out to North Kerry on penalties. Final score: North Kerry 0-11 Westmeath 0-11, AET; North Kerry win 3-2 on penalties.
In a cagey game, Westmeath led by 0-4 to 0-3 at half-time and will feel they should have been further ahead, with the North Kerry goalie saving a penalty and denying Westmeath another goal before the interval.
The men from the Kingdom held the ascendancy for the first 20 minutes of the second half, adding three points while keeping Westmeath scoreless. Despite the Lake County breaking their scoring duck, North Kerry looked to have done enough when leading by two points entering injury time. However, the Westmeath lads refused to wilt and drew level with a brace of points (0-7 apiece), the second arriving on the stroke of a full-time and it could easily could have been a goal.
The Munster team made most of the running in the first half of extra-time, outscoring Westmeath by four points to one to lead by 0-11 to 0-8. The maroons proceeded to dominate the second period and chipped away to level by the sixth minute. However, three late chances to take the lead went a begging and a penalty shootout ensued to decide a winner. In a tense shootout, North Kerry converted their final spot kick to win 3-2.
It was a huge effort from a brave Westmeath team and one which they will hopefully learn from. Following the loss to North Kerry on penalties, Westmeath face Dublin in a third place play-off this Saturday, August 17. At the time of writing, the game was to take place in a Dublin venue at 12:00. Please check Westmeath GAA social media channels for a venue.
In the Ted Webb Cup group stages, Westmeath claimed wins over North Galway and a regional Cork outfit, in addition drawing with Dublin.
Westmeath panel: John Paul (Caulry), James Pettit (Tubberclair), Eoin Donoghue (Millmore Gaels), Anthony Carroll (Moate All Whites), Ross Tully (St. Loman's Mullingar), Oisin McCauley (Coralstown/Kinnegad), Conor Casey (St. Loman's), Cian Fleming (Coralstown/Kinnegad), Ruairí Dolan (Tubberclair), Finn Higgins (Delvin/St. Paul's), Dillon Burke (Shandonagh), Sean Whittaker (Tubberclair), Sean Graham (Shandonagh), Will Scahill (Shandonagh), Sean Byrne (St. Loman's), Jake Dempsey (Shandonagh), Rory McCaul (Mullingar Shamrocks), Sean Keegan (Tubberclair), Frank Kiernan (Coralstown/Kinnegad), Sean Mackey (Moate), William Geraghty (Maryland/Tang), Conor Maleady (St. Loman's), Eanna Kiernan (Delvin/St. Paul's), Mikey Devine (Tyrrellspass), Shane Windsor (St. Loman's), Tomas Donoghue (Milltownpass), Aaron Glynn (Killucan), Cian Corcoran (Lilliput Gaels), Daire Fagan (Lilliput Gaels), Eoin Conlon (St. Joseph's), Gavin Ennis (Lilliput Gaels), Hugo McGowan (Caulry), Jake O'Brien (Shandonagh), Mikey Sammon (Tubberclair), Ricky Loran (Millmore Gaels), Senan Gilroy (Moate), Shane Carey (Tyrrellspass), Shane Killian (Athlone), Tom O'Brien (Shandonagh), Zak Coyne (Mullingar Shamrocks), Mikey Fry (Shandonagh), Aaron Hardiman (Athlone), Caylyb Douglas (Delvin/St. Paul's), Cormac Murphy (St. Loman's), Jack Duignan (Coralstown/Kinnegad), Luke Robinson (Lilliput Gaels), Niall Brady (St. Loman's), Padraig Monaghan (The Downs), Ted Ahearne (Mullingar Shamrocks), James Ryan (Mullingar Shamrocks).
Elsewhere, two Westmeath U15 teams will be in action this Saturday in the concluding stage of the Dermot Earley tournament. In the Michael Glaveys Cup final, Westmeath will face Tipperary in the Laois GAA Centre of Excellence in Portlaoise at 12.15. In the Roscommon Cup third place play-off, Westmeath will travel to Wicklow to play the home side at 12:00.
Meanwhile, Westmeath U14 hurlers hosted Dublin last Saturday morning in Clonkill. A total of 36 players saw action over three periods in a really good display against quality opposition. This group will be out in action again on Saturday, August 24.
A total of 42 Westmeath U14 footballers travelled to the Kildare Centre of Excellence in Hawkfield earlier this month to take on teams from Kildare and Kerry. Two Westmeath teams each got two games against high quality opponents, with all games proving to be very competitive and an excellent learning curve for the Westmeath lads.
In the U15 John Doyle quarter-final, the Westmeath U15 hurlers came out on the wrong side of a thriller against Galway at Duggan Park, Ballinasloe in late July. Final score: Galway 2-22 Westmeath 1-23. A topsy turvy affair saw the visitors leading down the home straight but a late goal swung the result in the westerners' favour.