Westmeath 0-15
Clare 1-13
Conor McKenna reports from TEG Cusack Park
CLARE ADVANCED TO round four of the football qualifiers after a narrow one-point victory over Westmeath, in what was an entertaining game of football in TEG Cusack Park.
Westmeath lost John Heslin, Ger Egan and Ronan O’Toole in the first 22 minutes and this was a massive blow for the hosts, as they would be considered to be some of the stand-out names on the Westmeath team.
Clare have been remarkably consistent under Colm Collins in recent years and they would love to get a shot at the Super eights which would signal phenomenal progress for the Banner County.
Westmeath may well be pleased with their performance despite the result, as they competed very well and could well have won the match, despite losing three of their best players in the early stages.
Westmeath got the first score of the game after a free from Ger Egan, before Jamie Malone’s score leveled the game
The teams were very even in the early stages of the match, with the sides level at four points apiece, before Tommy McDaniel’s 19th minute free gave his side the lead.
The teams were tied at eight points each at half-time, but the games key moment came in the 46th minute, when David Tubridy goaled for Clare after a poor Westmeath kick-out and it gave Clare a four-point lead at a crucial stage of the game.
Clare held a 1-11 to 0-11 lead on the hour mark with both sides well in contention heading into the last ten minutes.
David Tubridy registered an excellent point to give his side a three point lead with additional time looming, but scores from Tom Molloy and Noel Mulligan reduced the deficit to one.
Clare held on for a narrow one point win, much to the delight of the away support in TEG Cusack Park and Collins’s side will fancy their chances in round four of the qualifiers.
Scorers for Westmeath: Kieran Martin 0-6 (3f), Tommy McDaniel 0-3 (2f), Callum McCormack 0-2,Ger Egan 0-1 (1f), Ronan O’Toole 0-1, Tom Molloy 0-1, Noel Mulligan 0-1 (1 “45”)
Scorers for Clare: David Tubridy 1-2 (2f), Jamie Malone 0-3, Eoin Cleary 0-3 (3f), Gary Brennan 0-2, Cathal O’Connor 0-2, Gavin Cooney 0-1
Westmeath
1. Eoin Carberry (Rosemount)
4. Boidu Sayeh (Rosemount)
7. James Dolan (Garrycastle)
19. Jack Smith (Skerries Harps, Dublin)
3. Ronan Wallace (Multyfarnham)
2. Kevin Maguire (Caulry)
5. Killian Daly (Mullingar Shamrocks)
9. Denis Corroon (Mullingar Shamrocks)
14. John Heslin (St. Loman’s, Mullingar)
10. David Lynch (St Malachy’s)
12. Ger Egan (Tyrrellspass)
6. Kieran Martin (Maryland)
11. Ronan O’Toole (St. Loman’s, Mullingar)
18. Joe Halligan (Milltown)
15. Callum McCormack (Maryland)
Subs
13. Tommy McDaniel (Castleknock, Dublin) for Heslin (7, B/C)
8. Sam Duncan (Milltownpass) for Egan (16)
17. Noel Mulligan (Athlone) for O’Toole (22, B/C)
23. Sean Pettit (Rosemount) for Lynch (57)
24. Tom Molloy (Shandonagh) for McDaniel (66)
22. Conor Slevin (Tyrrellspass) for Halligan (68)
Clare
1. Stephen Ryan (Kilrush Shamrocks)
4. Dean Ryan (Na Fianna, Dublin)
3. Cillian Brennan (Clondegad)
2. Gordon Kelly (St Joseph’s Miltown Malbay)
6. Aaron Fitzgerald (Eire Og Ennis)
5. Sean Collins (Cratloe)
7. Conal Ó hAiniféin (Eire Og Ennis)
9. Cathal O’Connor (Coolmeen)
10. Sean O’Donoghue (Cooraclare)
11. Eoin Cleary (St Joseph’s Miltown Malbay)
8. Gary Brennan (Clondegad) (captain)
12. Jamie Malone (Corofin)
13. Gavin Cooney (Eire Og Ennis)
14. David Tubridy (Doonbeg)
15. Cian O’Dea (Kilfenora)
Subs
16. Eamonn Tubridy (Doonbeg) for Ryan (43, B/S)
31. Stephen Ryan for E Tubridy (47, B/S reversal)
21. Kieran Malone (St. Joseph’s Miltown Malbay) for Cooney (47)
18. Eoghan Collins (Ballyhaunis, Mayo) for O hAinifein (50)
23. Gearoid O’Brien (Kilrush Shamrocks) for O’Connor (61, B/C)
24. Einne O’Connor (Eire Og Ennis) for C Brennan (69,B/C)
26. Alan Sweeney (St. Breckan’s) for S Collins (70)
Referee: Martin McNally (Monaghan)