Defeat for our Senior Footballers in Leinster Final

DUBLIN 0-26 

WESTMEATH 2-28

Dublin failed to regain the Leinster Senior Football Championship title when falling to Westmeath by eight points after extra-time in their entertaining decider at Croke Park on Sunday afternoon. 

The visitors were full value for their victory, controlling matters in extra-time on the way to their second ever provincial title at this level. 

The first-half was a bright, open affair with two points from play apiece by captain Niall Scully and Ciaran Kilkenny edging the Dubs into a narrow 0-11 to 0-9 interval lead. 

Matters remained similarly tight after the break with the teams finishing deadlocked at 0-22 apiece before a fortuitous goal from Brian Cooney set the Midlanders on course for a deserved success.  

It was Westmeath that settled the quicker with Matthew Whittaker pointing inside the opening minute while a Brandon Kelly score doubled their lead two minutes later. 

Dublin were enjoying plenty of chances at the opposite end with Seán Bugler going close on two occasions while Brian Howard blazed a goal chance narrowly wide in the 7th minute. 

A Cormac Costello free eventually opened their account but their opponents were proving far more economical in front of goal as they added to their tally through captain Ronan Wallace and Kevin O’Sullivan. 

The Dubs managed scores through Eoin Kennedy and Paddy Small towards the end of the first quarter but an injury to midfielder Peadar Ó Cofaigh Byrne weakened their options around the middle third. 

They showed few ill-effects however as Paddy Small and Costello (free) levelled matters by the 18th minute with Scully and Kilkenny kicking points from play to open up a two-point lead. 

That advantage was doubled through Costello (free) and Scully before Westmeath ended a scoreless period of eleven minutes as Shane Allen kicked a superb two-pointer in the 26thminute. 

Dublin still held the upper hand however as Kilkenny and Bugler added points but they were indebted to Evan Comerford in the 32nd minute as he raced off his line smartly to block a Shane Corcoran shot. 

David Byrne popped over after another counter-attack but the final word of the half belonged to Westmeath as Wallace released Kelly for a facile point, reducing Dublin’s lead to two points by the turnaround. 

Substitute Luke Breathnach stretched the Dublin lead within three minutes of the restart while two sharp Costello points ensured that they were rewarded for their bright start.  

However, back came Westmeath through points by Whittaker and Senan Baker before the former kicked the second two-pointer of the game to leave just a point between the sides. 

Their momentum was maintained thanks to scores from Conor Dillon and Robbie Forde as they controlled the aerial exchanges in Ó Cofaigh Byrne’s absence.  

Brian Howard worked tirelessly to keep Dublin competitive and added a score in the 50thminute but Westmeath continued to pop over scores with ease as Baker added a quickfire brace.

The momentum swung back to Dublin courtesy of scores from Kilkenny and Bugler and the stalemate was restored when Costello coolly slotted over a two-pointed free with two minutes remaining. 

Byrne eschewed a goal chance when fisting over a minute later but there was sufficient time on the clock for Baker to level matters, ensuring two ten-minute periods of extra-time. 

Dublin struggled for any kind of possession from that point with Westmeath taking full advantage through successive points by Wallace, John Heslin (free), McCartan and Jack Duncan before Brian Cooney’s speculative attempt in the 78th minute deceived Comerford to land untouched in the net. 

Despite their precarious position, the Dubs continued to battle with Greg McEneaney’s two points augmented by a Seán Guiden two-pointer but these scores were never likely to deny Westmeath their day in the sun as Duncan added the cherry to the icing with a goal with the final kick of the game. 

Scorers – Dublin: C Costello 0-8 (4f, 1 F2); C Kilkenny 0-3; D Byrne, S Bugler, P Small, N Scully, G McEneaney, S Guiden (P2) 0-2 each; E Kennedy, B Howard, L Breathnach 0-1 apiece. Westmeath: J Duncan 1-1; M Whittaker (1 P2), B Kelly, S Baker 0-4 each; R Wallace, J Heslin (1f, 1 P2) 0-3 each; B Cooney 1-0; K O’Sullivan, S Allen (P2), S McCartan 0-2 each; C Dillon, S Corcoran, R Forde 0-1 apiece.

Dublin: E Comerford; T Clancy, N Doran, D Byrne; S MacMahon, C McMorrow, E Kennedy; P Ó Cofaigh Byrne, B Howard; S Bugler, N Scully, C Kilkenny; P Small, K McGinnis, C Costello. Subs: L Breathnach for Ó Cofaigh Byrne (16), L Smith for Clancy (59), S Guiden for Breathnach (61), G McEneaney for Kennedy (65), C Murphy for McMorrow (75), C O’Connor for Scully (78), E Dunne for MacMahon (85).

Westmeath: J Daly; C Dillon, C Drumm, D Scahill; M Whittaker, S Allen, S McCartan; K O’Sullivan, R Connellan; T Baker, R Wallace, B Cooney; B Kelly, J Duncan, S Corcoran. Subs: A Treanor for Scahill (18), R Forde for Duncan (half-time), S Baker for Corcoran (43), S Ormsby for Whittaker (59), J Heslin for Dillon (61), Corcoran for Kelly (71), Duncan for Allen (71), E McCabe for Connellan (83), I Martin for T Baker (84), T Molloy for Cooney (86). 

Referee: David Coldrick (Meath).