Westmeath SFC Final

St Loman’s, Mullingar 0-9 Coralstown/Kinnegad 0-7

By Gerry Buckley at TEG Cusack Park

In front of a large crowd (including GAA president Larry McCarthy) in Mullingar, the local St Loman’s side won the Westmeath senior football title for the seventh time in 11 years in a low-scoring, but absorbing, contest against Coralstown/Kinnegad.

John Heslin initially appeared to have put Paddy Dowdall's troops ahead with a trademark long-range point in the third minute, but his shot was narrowly wide. His Westmeath colleague Sam McCartan opened the scoring some three minutes later, but wind-assisted St Loman’s were only two points to the good at the end of the opening quarter, Heslin converting a tricky free from 40 metres.

Shane Dempsey made it 0-3 to 0-0 with a fine score and last year’s runners-up, appearing in their ninth consecutive Flanagan Cup decider, added points from Heslin (a free) and McCartan (from play). Eoin O’Brien, who was man-marking All Star nominee Ronan O’Toole, took time to join the Coralstown/Kinnegad attack and he fired over a superb point to keep his side very much in touch.

The underdogs, appearing in their first final in 25 years, were quite wasteful with point opportunities, and they went on to spurn the only clear-cut goal chance of the game when Dan Leech shot wide in the first (and only) minute of added-time. St Loman’s, Mullingar led by 0-5 to 0-1 at the interval. 

Liam Daly reduced the deficit with a fine point a minute after play resumed. Coralstown/Kinnegad were on top at this stage and they fired over three points by the 41st minute to gain parity, the scores coming from the boots of Shane Fleming (two – a 40-metre mark and a great 50-metre free from the ground), and a Darren Giles free.

However, they were never able to get in front and wing back Kevin Regan nudged the Mullingar men ahead. Point exchanges ensued at intervals between Giles and Heslin (a free), Brían Cooney and Heslin (both frees).

Paschal Kellaghan’s charges went all-out in search of an equaliser, but the experience of St Loman’s came to the fore in a pulsating finish with influential sub TJ Cox sealing victory with a terrific individual point deep into added-time.

Scorers for St Loman’s, Mullingar: J Heslin 0-4 (4fs), S McCartan 0-2, K Regan, S Dempsey, TJ Cox 0-1 each.

Corlastown/Kinnegad: Darren Giles (1f), S Fleming (1f, 1m) 0-2 each, L Daly, E O’Brien, B Cooney (f) 0-1 each.

St Loman’s, Mullingar: J Daly; E Hogan, D O’Keeffe, O Hogan; J Geoghegan, D Whelan, K Regan; E Gaffney, J Heslin; T Graham, S McCartan, S Flanagan; D McCartan, R O’Toole, S Dempsey.

Subs: TJ Cox for Graham (HT), K Reilly for O Hogan (55), C O’Donoghue for D McCartan (60+2).

Coralstown/Kinnegad: S McNevin; C Daly Snr, D Woods, R Doyle; L Daly, J Macken, J Gahan; David Giles, S Fleming; E O’Brien, Darren Giles, J Maxwell; D Leech, B Cooney, W Fox.

Subs: J Torpey for Leech (47), E Bracken for Fox (51), P Quinn for Maxwell (55), C Cruise for David Giles (60).

Referee: A Coyne (Castletown-Finea/Coole/Whitehall).