Minor Footballers face defeat to Westmeath

DUBLIN 1-12 

WESTMEATH 1-16

A spirited second-half showing proved in vain as Dublin succumbed to Westmeath by fourpoints in their Electric Ireland Leinster Minor Football Championship Group 2 encounter inKinnegad on Tuesday night.  

Westmeath played the more fluent football in the opening half and were rewarded for their impressive display with an 0-11 to 0-4 interval lead with Stephen McWade accounting for five points.

The Dubs were much improved after the break with Cian Raftery leading the way with a trio of two-pointers and a 44th minute goal but a green flag raised by Dean Kelly ten minutes from time effectively ended their comeback ambitions. 

After a bout of early sparring, it was the hosts that made the most of their first scoring opportunity with McWade kicking a fine two-point score in the 4th minute. 

That lead was extended through Darragh Murray three minutes later before Raftery burst through in trademark style to kick Dublin’s first score in the 9th minute. 

A well-worked Alex Mallon Adamson score restored Westmeath’s three-point buffer and while James McCaghy fisted over Dublin’s second point in the 11th minute, it was the hosts that held the upper hand initially. 

McWade and Jamie Heavey exchanged frees before the end of the first quarter but Heavey’s point proved Dublin’s final score for fourteen minutes as Westmeath clicked through the gears. 

Aaron Connaire pointed before Darragh Murray popped over a sublime two-pointer and when McWade added to his personal tally in the 22nd minute, the visitors were facing a six-point deficit. 

Dublin’s barren spell was ended courtesy of Cian O’Dwyer six minutes later but the hosts finished the half on the front foot with scores by McWade and Kelly leaving them well placed by the turnaround.  

The visitors introduced three substitutes for the second-half and there was an immediate change of fortune as Raftery curled over his second point within a minute of the restart. 

The Whitehall Colmcille player added a two-pointer three minutes later as Westmeath’s lead was trimmed to four points but the hosts regained control of matters through a trio of unanswered points by Murray, Tom Weir and Conor Cleary.

Trailing by Double scores, Dublin were in need of some inspiration at this stage and it duly arrived through the familiar figure of Raftery, who left Tom McCaul helpless in the Westmeath goal with an arrowed shot into the bottom corner following an incision from deep by Bobby Doyle. 

Andy McDonnell looked busy when introduced and kicked a deserved point at the start of the final quarter before Raftery edged the visitors in front by the 50th minute as he kicked a brace of sumptuous two-pointers in quick succession. 

Crucially, the momentum swung back in Westmeath’s favour in the closing stages as a Connaire point preceded a fine solo goal from Kelly, who raced clear before placing an emphatic finish across Jamie Galvin. 

Kelly added a point in the 59th minute and while Dublin placed some late pressure on the home goal, it failed to generate the required scores to spare them their fate. 

Dublin will conclude their group stage when travelling to Longford on Tuesday, 14th April. 

Scorers – Dublin: C Raftery 1-8 (1 F2, 2 P2); J McCaghy, J Heavey (f), C O’Dwyer, A McDonnell 0-1 apiece. Westmeath: D Kelly 1-2; S McWade 0-5 (1f, 1 P2); D Murray 0-4 (1 P2); A Connaire 0-2; A Mullen Adamson, T Weir, C Clancy 0-1 apiece.

Dublin: J Galvin; D Lombard, A Becton, F Carroll; C Doran, J McCaghy, B Doyle; C O’Carroll, C Raftery; E Brangan, M Salami, C Reilly; E Madden, J Heavey, C O’Dwyer. Subs: A McDonnell for Reilly (half-time), M Morrison for Brangan (half-time), A Davis for Carroll (half-time), C Wilde for Salami (64). 

Westmeath: T McCaul; T Wier, T Brennan, L Dillon; G Staunton, E Daly, C McKeogh; M Monaghan, B Stenson; D Kelly, D Murray, C Cleary; S McWade, A Connaire, A Mullen Adamson. Subs: F Brennan for Monaghan (43), H Hughes for Mullen Adamson (52), J Murtagh for McKeogh (56), R Brady for Weir (61). 

Referee: Colum McCullough (Louth).