HIGHLY-RATED MEATH have been left reeling after Westmeath knocked them out of the Leinster Senior Football Championship in Tullamore this afternoon.
Westmeath, who will play in Division 3 next season, were in no way flattered by their win over Meath, who will compete in Division 1.
The 9,000-plus spectators were treated to a great spectacle as the two sides went at each other. Meath started well but should have had more than points from Jordan Morris and Eoghan Frayne on the board in the first few minutes.
Meath's Ruairí Kinsella and Tadhg Baker of Westmeath compete for a high ball. Grace Halton / INPHO
Grace Halton / INPHO / INPHO
Westmeath settled with points from Ray Connellan and a Brandon Kelly mark, and the favourites knew they were in for a real battle.
Westmeath improved significantly as the half wore on and their half-time lead of 2-9 to 0-9 was a fair reflection of the game. Matthew Whittaker and Shane Corcoran got their goals in the 24th and 30th minutes, and Westmeath brought this form with them into the second half.
Luke Loughlin was in great form, and he got a two-pointer as Westmeath went into a 2-12 to 0-10 lead after 38 minutes. It was 2-15 to 0-15 by the 47th minute and despite losing Loughlin to a hamstring injury, Westmeath kicked on. Sam McCartan slotted a free and a fantastic 52nd-minute goal from sub Robbie Forde gave them a 10-point lead, 3-16 to 0-15.
Meath had been very poor up to this, but they finally found their A game in the closing quarter. They were relentless as they hunted down that deficit and it was panic stations at times for Westmeath, who did manage two crucial points from Connellan and Sam McCartan. Meath kicked ten points with Jack Flynn and Ruari Kinsella (2) getting two pointers.
Westmeath's Kevin O’Sullivan and Ronan Wallace celebrate. Grace Halton / INPHO
Grace Halton / INPHO / INPHO
James Conlon got four points off the bench and remarkably, the gap was only two with two minutes left. Westmeath were able to crawl over the line as sub Dan McCartan got
their fourth goal with the last kick of the game as they stayed in the Leinster championship very much on merit.
Scorers for Westmeath: Luke Loughlin 0-6 (1 x 2p), Shane Corcoran 1-2, Sam McCartan 0-4 (3f), Matthew Whittaker, Robbie Forde and Danny McCartan 1-0 each, Ray Connellan and Brandon Kelly (1m) 0-2 each, Brian Cooney, Kevin O’Sullivan 0-1 each.
Scorers for Meath: Ruari Kinsella 0-6 (2 x 2p), Eoghan Frayne (1 x 2pf) and James Conlon 0-4 each, Jack Flynn (1 x 2p) and Jordan Morris (2f) 0-3 each, Jack O’Connor and Aaron Lynch 0-2 each, Bryan Menton 0-1
Meath
1. Sean Brennan
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2. Seamus Lavin
3. Sean Rafferty
4. Brian O’Halloran
5. Donal Keogan
6. Sean Coffey
7. Ciaran Caulfield
12. Cian McBride
9. Bryan Menton
10. Jack O’Connor
11. Ruairi Kinsella
8. Jack Flynn
13. Jordan Morris
14. Eoghan Frayne
15. Aaron Lynch
Subs: 21. James Conlon for Lynch (37m); 19. Cathal Hickey for McBride (50m); 18. Killian Smyth for O’Halloran (50m; 26. Conor Duke for O’Connor (53m; 20. Keith Curtis for Frayne (56m).
Westmeath
16. Conor McCormack
2. Daniel Scahill
3. Charie Drumm
4. Tadgh Baker
5. Ronan Wallace
6. Shane Allen
7. Matthew Whittaker
8. Brian Cooney
9. Ray Connellan
10. Kevin O’Sullivan
11. Sam McCartan
12. Conor Dillon
13. Shane Corcoran
14. Luke Loughlin
15. Brandon Kelly
Subs: 1. Jason Daly for McCormack, inj. (8m); 22. Shane Ormbsy for Cooney (39m); 19. Robbie Forde for O’Loughlin, inj. (50m); 18. Tom Molloy for Allen (52m); 23. Danny McCartan for Kelly (60m)
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Westmeath stun Meath in massive Leinster football shock
Meath 0-25
Westmeath 4-18
HIGHLY-RATED MEATH have been left reeling after Westmeath knocked them out of the Leinster Senior Football Championship in Tullamore this afternoon.
Westmeath, who will play in Division 3 next season, were in no way flattered by their win over Meath, who will compete in Division 1.
The 9,000-plus spectators were treated to a great spectacle as the two sides went at each other. Meath started well but should have had more than points from Jordan Morris and Eoghan Frayne on the board in the first few minutes.
Westmeath settled with points from Ray Connellan and a Brandon Kelly mark, and the favourites knew they were in for a real battle.
Westmeath improved significantly as the half wore on and their half-time lead of 2-9 to 0-9 was a fair reflection of the game. Matthew Whittaker and Shane Corcoran got their goals in the 24th and 30th minutes, and Westmeath brought this form with them into the second half.
Luke Loughlin was in great form, and he got a two-pointer as Westmeath went into a 2-12 to 0-10 lead after 38 minutes. It was 2-15 to 0-15 by the 47th minute and despite losing Loughlin to a hamstring injury, Westmeath kicked on. Sam McCartan slotted a free and a fantastic 52nd-minute goal from sub Robbie Forde gave them a 10-point lead, 3-16 to 0-15.
Meath had been very poor up to this, but they finally found their A game in the closing quarter. They were relentless as they hunted down that deficit and it was panic stations at times for Westmeath, who did manage two crucial points from Connellan and Sam McCartan. Meath kicked ten points with Jack Flynn and Ruari Kinsella (2) getting two pointers.
James Conlon got four points off the bench and remarkably, the gap was only two with two minutes left. Westmeath were able to crawl over the line as sub Dan McCartan got
their fourth goal with the last kick of the game as they stayed in the Leinster championship very much on merit.
Scorers for Westmeath: Luke Loughlin 0-6 (1 x 2p), Shane Corcoran 1-2, Sam McCartan 0-4 (3f), Matthew Whittaker, Robbie Forde and Danny McCartan 1-0 each, Ray Connellan and Brandon Kelly (1m) 0-2 each, Brian Cooney, Kevin O’Sullivan 0-1 each.
Scorers for Meath: Ruari Kinsella 0-6 (2 x 2p), Eoghan Frayne (1 x 2pf) and James Conlon 0-4 each, Jack Flynn (1 x 2p) and Jordan Morris (2f) 0-3 each, Jack O’Connor and Aaron Lynch 0-2 each, Bryan Menton 0-1
Meath
1. Sean Brennan
2. Seamus Lavin
3. Sean Rafferty
4. Brian O’Halloran
5. Donal Keogan
6. Sean Coffey
7. Ciaran Caulfield
12. Cian McBride
9. Bryan Menton
10. Jack O’Connor
11. Ruairi Kinsella
8. Jack Flynn
13. Jordan Morris
14. Eoghan Frayne
15. Aaron Lynch
Subs: 21. James Conlon for Lynch (37m); 19. Cathal Hickey for McBride (50m); 18. Killian Smyth for O’Halloran (50m; 26. Conor Duke for O’Connor (53m; 20. Keith Curtis for Frayne (56m).
Westmeath
16. Conor McCormack
2. Daniel Scahill
3. Charie Drumm
4. Tadgh Baker
5. Ronan Wallace
6. Shane Allen
7. Matthew Whittaker
8. Brian Cooney
9. Ray Connellan
10. Kevin O’Sullivan
11. Sam McCartan
12. Conor Dillon
13. Shane Corcoran
14. Luke Loughlin
15. Brandon Kelly
Subs: 1. Jason Daly for McCormack, inj. (8m); 22. Shane Ormbsy for Cooney (39m); 19. Robbie Forde for O’Loughlin, inj. (50m); 18. Tom Molloy for Allen (52m); 23. Danny McCartan for Kelly (60m)
Referee: Barry Cassidy (Derry).
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