Limerick 1-24
Westmeath 0-18
SHANE DOWLING HIT 14 points as Limerick made it back to back Round 1 qualifier victories over Westmeath at TEG Cusack Park in Mullingar.
TJ Ryan’s men were victorious on a 4-15 to 1-12 scoreline at this stage last year, and they enter Round 2 of the qualifiers thanks to a nine-point win here.
The Na Piarsaigh marksman scored 1-3 on that occasion, and he was top-scorer once again as he got the better of Niall O’Brien, who had a personal tally of 11 points.
Seanie O’Brien got a straight red card in the first half for Limerick, but Graeme Mulcahy scored a goal. And Brendan Murtagh’s missed penalty was a big blow to Westmeath.
Westmeath held a 0-13 to 1-9 half-time lead although they trailed 0-6 to 0-1 after ten minutes.
O’Brien got Westmeath’s effort, but Shane Dowling scored three points, with Kevin Downes and Declan Hannon also on target.
But Westmeath were resilient and hit six in a row to take the lead for the first time in the 22nd minute.
O’Brien brought his tally to five before Limerick scored 1-2. Mulcahy’s goal came in the 26th minute.
However Westmeath scored five in a row, and O’Brien was sent-off with five minutes remaining in the half, for an off the ball incident.
Dowling got Limerick back on track but Aonghus Clarke gave Westmeath the half-time lead.
Limerick got two points at the start of the second half, and when Murtagh missed the 49th minute penalty, Westmeath lost heart.
Limerick capitalised and hit three in a row. Although Niall O’Brien continued to add to his tally Limerick were too good.
Limerick scorers: S Dowling 0-14 (0-10f, 0-2 ’65), D Hannon 0-3, G Mulcahy 1-0, K Downes 0-3, J Ryan 0-1, D O’Donovan 0-1, P Browne 0-1, D Reidy 0-1.
Westmeath scorers: N O’Brien 0-11 (0-8f, 0-1 sl), A Clarke 0-2, B Murtagh 0-2 (0-1f), A Craig 0-1, A Devine 0-1, C Boyle 0-1.
Limerick
1. Nickie Quaid (Effin)
18. Seanie O’Brien (Patrickswell)
3. Dan Morrissey (Ahane)
4. Richie English (Doon)
5. Diarmuid Byrnes (Patrickswell)
6. Gavin O’Mahony (Kilmallock)
21. Paudie O’Brien (Kilmallock)
8. James Ryan (Garryspillane)
24. Darragh O’Donovan (Doon)
12. Barry Nash (South Liberties)
14. Declan Hannon (Adare)
9. Paul Browne (Bruff)
15. Kevin Downes (Na Piarsaigh)
11. Shane Dowling (Na Piarsaigh)
13. Graeme Mulcahy (Kilmallock)
Substitutes:
10. Gearoid Hegarty (St Patrick’s) for Nash (50)
17. Richie McCarthy (Blackrock) for D Morrissey (59)
25. David Reidy (Dromcollogher/Broadford) for Hannon (59)
22. Alan Dempsey (Na Piarsaigh) for Ryan (63)
2. Tom Condon (Knockaderry) for English (66)
Westmeath
1. Paddy Maloney (Castletown Geoghegan)
2. Conor Shaw (Brownstown)
3. Tommy Doyle (Lough Lene Gaels)
4. Tommy Gallagher (Castlepollard)
5. Aaron Craig (St Oliver Plunkett’s)
6. Aonghus Clarke (Castletown Geoghegan)
7. Alan McGrath (Clonkill)
8. Cormac Boyle (Raharney)
9. Eoin Price (Clonkill)
12. Niall O’Brien (Castletown Geoghegan)
11. Brendan Murtagh (Clonkill)
10. Allan Devine (Castlepollard)
15. Darragh Egerton (Clonkill)
14. Derek McNicholas (Lough Lene Gaels)
13. Niall Mitchell (Clonkill)
Substitutes:
24. Robbie Greville (Raharney) for McNicholas (47)
23. Liam Varley (Castletown Geoghegan) for McGrath (49)
26. Kieran Doyle (Raharney) for Mitchell (55)
25. Gary Greville (Raharney) for Shaw (69)
Referee: Alan Kelly (Galway).
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