Westmeath SFC Final

ST. LOMAN'S 0-17 TYRRELLSPASS 2-9 (AET)

By Conor McKenna at TEG Cusack Park

St. Loman’s needed extra-time to overcome Tyrrellspass and claim the Westmeath Senior Football Championship.

Loman’s had lost the last two finals and Tyrrellspass scored a goal in stoppage time to put themselves into the lead.

Loman’s responded magnificently to that set-back however and John Heslin slotted a free with one of the last kicks of the game to force extra-time and Declan Kelly’s side secured the game in the additional period.

Tyrrellspass set up in a defensive manner, with former Westmeath star Denis Glennon playing as an extra defender.

Loman’s scored five goals against Tyrrellspass in the group stages, though they did not concede a goal on this occasion and it certainly aided their chances of victory.

Tyrrellspass opened the scoring with a free from Ger Egan, though Loman’s responded superbly and three points from John Heslin left them two points ahead at the water break.

Tyrrellspass were awarded a penalty after 18 minutes, when Kieran Geraghty was fouled and Ger Egan made no mistake with the resulting spot-kick to give his side the lead.

Loman’s almost had a goal immediately afterwards, though Fionn O’Hara’s effort was cleared off the line.

Aaron O’Brien opened his account, to double his side’s advantage, before successive scores from Heslin levelled proceedings.

O’Hara and O’Brien then exchanged scores, as the teams went into the interval level, with all to play for in the second half.

Egan opened the second half scoring, before Ronan O’Toole equalised for Loman’s, though successive scores from Peter Foy (2) and Sam McCartan gave St. Loman’s a three point advantage.

Egan and Kelvin Reilly then traded points, before a free from the former left two between the teams late on.

Evan Connell found the net for Tyrrellspass in stoppage time, to send their support into raptures, as they went ahead with very little time remaining.

Loman’s were then awarded a free late on, after Conor O’Donoghue was fouled and John Heslin showed nerves of steel to point the place-kick and send the game into extra time.

It was tit for tat at the start of extra time, with both sides cancelling each other out, though a point for Kevin Regan left Loman’s a point up at half-time in extra time.

Heslin then added a point, though Tyrrellspass had appeals for a penalty turned down in the 75th minute and Loman’s then responded down the other end with a point from O’Toole.

A late free from Ger Egan was no more than consolation, as Kelly’s side held on for a two point win, to claim their first Championship since 2017.

Scorers for St. Loman’s: John Heslin 0-8 (5f), Ronan O’Toole 0-3, Peter Foy 0-2, Fionn O’Hara 0-1, Kevin Regan 0-1, Kelvin Reilly 0-1, Sam McCartan 0-1.

Scorers for Tyrrellspass: Ger Egan 1-5 (4f, 1 penalty), Evan Connell 1-0, Aaron O’Brien 0-2, Dean McNicholas 0-1, Adam Flanagan 0-1.

ST LOMAN'S: Jason Daly; Paddy Dowdall, Darragh O’Keefe, David Whelan; Kelvin Reilly, Ryan Jones, Conor O’Donoghue; Sean Flanagan, Fola Ayorinde; Conradh Reilly, Ronan O’Toole, Sam McCartan; Peter Foy, John Heslin, Fionn O’Hara. Subs: Rory Sheahan for Conradh Reilly (38), Kevin Regan for Ryan Jones (55), Enda Gaffney for Fionn O’Hara (64), Sean Kelly for Conor O’Donoghue (79)

TYRRELLSPASS: Darren Quinn; Jamie Corcoran, Jamie Gonoud, Stephen Quinn; Val Sizychas, Nigel Harte, Conor Slevin; David Lynam, Denis Glennon; Aaron O’Brien (0-2), Adam Flanagan, Dean McNicholas; Kieran Geraghty, David Glennon, Ger Egan (1-1, 1-0 penalty, 0-1f). Subs: Brian Slevin for Val Sizychas (h-t), Thomas Ryan for Kieran Geraghty (45), Cormac Rigney for Conor Slevin (50), Evan Connell for David Glennon (57), Cathal Dunne for Cormac Rigney (70), Michael Geraghty for Aaron O’Brien (70), Phillip Sheridan for Adam Flanagan (73)

Referee: Pat Fox (Rosemount)