Ciaran Downey of Louth in action against Matthew Whittaker of Westmeath during the Allianz Football League Division 2 match between Westmeath and Louth at TEG Cusack Park in Mullingar, Westmeath. Photo by Stephen Marken/Sportsfile.
Allianz Football League Division 2
Louth 1-17 (1-2-13) Westmeath 0-18 (0-3-12)
By Gerry Buckley at TEG CUsack Park
A fisted goal by substitute Sean Reynolds deep into injury-time was the crucial score as Louth eked out a hard-earned two-point win against Westmeath in a pulsating match played in difficult conditions for football in Mullingar.
The new rules certainly seemed to work in this game, with end-to-end action all through and the lead changing hands on a number of occasions – on one occasion because of the new two-point score.
Ciaran Downey and Luke Loughlin traded early points. Peter Lynch and Loughlin (a free) followed suit before Sam Mulroy registered the first two-pointer scored in TEG Cusack Park from a free outside the 40-metre arc in the tenth minute. Loughlin remained the home team’s biggest threat and he halved the deficit a minute later. The visitors took control with points from Downey, Ryan Burns (a two-pointer), Mulroy, and Lynch.
However, Westmeath rallied well in the second quarter and five unanswered points brought them right back into contention. The scorers were Robbie Forde (two - the first from a free), Loughlin (also two, including a free), and skipper Ronan Wallace (moments after Sam McCartan had a goal attempt well saved by Niall McDonnell). Louth led by 0-9 to 0-8 at half-time.
A superb two-pointer from Loughlin nudged Dermot McCabe’s charges ahead within two minutes of the resumption. The Downs’ man then set up a gilt-edged goal chance for his side, but Louth had a lucky escape. Mulroy equalised from a free before another two-pointer from Loughlin put Westmeath a brace clear. Ciaran Keenan missed when a goal seemed certain for Ger Brenan’s troops, allowing Stephen Smith to nudge the losers three clear (0-13 to 0-10) in the 45th minute.
The match was niggly at this juncture. Louth rallied with four unanswered points from the boots of sub Tommy Durnin, Andy McDonnell, All Star Craig Lennon, and McDonnell again. A Loughlin free and a fine score from the hard-working Wallace regained the lead for Westmeath (0-15 to 0-14), but two points (the first from a free) from sub Daire McConnon edged the visitors ahead.
Wallace equalised in the first minute of injury-time – a minute of five was announced with no hooter in operation. However, when a point attempt from McConnon dropped short, Reynolds was on hand to fist the ball to the net from close range. Donal McKenny was black-carded before a two-point free from Loughlin left the deficit at the bare minimum. A late, late Louth counterattack yielded the insurance point from a Mulroy free.
Scorers for Louth: Sam Mulroy 0-5, (1 2pf, 2f), Sean Reynolds 1-0, Ciaran Downey, Andy McDonnell, Ryan Burns (2p), Peter Lynch, Daire McConnon (1f) 0-2 each, Craig Lennon, Tommy Durnin 0-1 each.
Scorers for Westmeath: Luke Loughlin 0-12 (2 2p, 1 2pf, 3f), Ronan Wallace 0-3, Robbie Forde 0-2 (1f), Stephen Smith 0-1.
LOUTH: Niall McDonnell; Dan Corcoran, Dermot Campbell, Donal McKenny; Peter Lynch, Emmet Carolan, Craig Lennon; Dara McDonnell, Conor Grimes; Andy McDonnell, Sam Mulroy, Ciaran Downey; Ciaran Keenan, Kieran McArdle, Ryan Burns. Subs: Tommy Durnin for Grimes (45), Sean Reynolds for Downey (45), Tadhg McDonnell for Carolan (51), Pearse Grimes-Murphy for Burns (58), Daire McConnon for Keenan (62).
WESTMEATH: Conor McCormack; Jamie Gonoud, Charlie Drumm, David Giles; Enda Gaffney, Ronan Wallace, Sam McCartan; Ray Connellan, Brian Guerin; Matthew Whittaker, Fionn O’Hara, Conor Dillon; Stephen Smith, Luke Loughlin, Robbie Forde. Subs: Kevin O’Sullivan for O’Hara (24), Kieran Martin for Gaffney (51), Danny McCartan for Forde (54), Daniel Scahill for Giles (64), Brían Cooney for Smith (69).
Ref: B Tiernan (Dublin).
