Westmeath are headed for the Leinster final for just the sixth time in their history on the back of Brandon Kelly's extra-time goal, a score that powered them past a Kildare team that looked for all the world like the side with much more in their legs as they ran off the field after 70 minutes.
Alex Beirne’s kick with ten seconds left before the hooter forced overtime and it was Kildare that felt like they had got out of jail, having kicked some shockingly poor wides in the second half when chasing a narrow lead.
While the two sides ended up with 13 wides apiece over the course of the 90 minutes, there was still a sense that Kildare left a lot more behind them. Several of their wides were from uncontested shots that would be well inside the scoring zone, and they also had two goal chances of their own in the first half.
Jason Daly’s full-length diving save to deny Eoin Cully was a vital intervention at a time when Westmeath were treading water trying to stay afloat, and not long after Daniel Scahill got in the way of a Darragh Kirwan shot from 10 metres out.
Cully and Ben Loakman still thrived in those early exchanges as Kildare worked the ball cleverly to create high percentage chances that pushed them 0-07 to 0-03 in front.
Just as it was in last year’s quarter-final meeting between the two sides in St. Conleth’s Park, the battle between Ray Connellan and Kevin Feely at midfield was crucial, with Feely claiming three kickouts in the opening ten minutes.
Kevin O’Sullivan and Senan Baker kicked points 30 seconds apart to shift the game’s momentum, and after Cooney twisted and turned past Tommy Gill before slamming the ball to the roof of the net, the Lake County were four up.
Darragh Swords ended Kildare’s 14-minute scoring drought with a sublime double as Kildare cut the lead to one by half-time, drawing level through Cully’s score on the run immediately after the restart.
There was no separating the sides in a tense third quarter where the teams went score for score for the majority – that was until Sam McCartan hoisted over a fine two-point free.
Kildare looked to have much more energy in their legs in that final quarter with the absence of Matthew Whittaker and Luke Loughlin telling a tale, though some appalling finishing meant that it was only in the 67th minute that they drew level through Darragh Kirwan.
Shane Allen gave Westmeath one more lead with a 35 metre effort but after winning a free on the right wing with 60 seconds left, Westmeath opted to float the ball into the penalty area, where Kildare won the ball, cleared their lines and set up Alex Beirne for the equaliser with ten seconds left.
Kildare ran off the pitch with a spring in their step while Westmeath gasped for air and the first score after the restart, a majestic finish from Kirwan, backed up the impression that Kildare had more in the tank.
Not quite, as Westmeath found enough. Kevin O’Sullivan and Shane Corcoran came back on to give them some dynamism, Ronan Wallace – who had been much quieter than usual – surged forward to kick a point on the run, and the game was effectively decided when Brían Cooney once again tried to beat Cian Burke from a tight angle, and this time the ball was parried by the Kildare keeper and floated up, to be met by Kelly’s decisive and critical touch.
Westmeath: Jason Daly; Daniel Scahill, Charlie Drumm (0-01), Conor Dillon; Matthew Whittaker, Shane Allen (0-01), Sam McCartan (0-05, 2tpf); Brían Cooney (1-00), Ray Connellan (0-02, 0-01 free); Kevin O'Sullivan (0-01), Ronan Wallace (0-01), Tadhg Baker (0-01); Brandon Kelly (1-04), Senan Baker (0-02), Shane Corcoran (0-01).
Subs: Shane Ormsby for Whittaker (15), Robbie Forde (0-01) for O’Sullivan (51), Danny McCartan for S Baker (55), Ian Martin for Corcoran (60), Eoghan McCabe for Allen (69), O’Sullivan for McCabe (FT), Corcoran for Martin (FT), Adam Treanor for Dillon (FT), Whittaker for S McCartan (77), Jack Duncan for T Baker (83), McCabe (0-01) for Ormsby (88).
Kildare: Cian Burke; Ryan Burke, Mark Dempsey, Harry O'Neill; Brian Byrne, Eoin Lawlor, James McGrath; Kevin Feely (0-01), Brendan Gibbons; Callum Bolton (0-01), Darragh Kirwan (0-04), Tommy Gill (0-01); Ben Loakman (0-03), Darragh Swords (0-02, 1tp), Eoin Cully (0-04).
Subs: Ben McCormack for O’Neill (half-time), Alex Beirne (0-03, 1tpf) for Loakman (45), Brian McLoughlin (0-01 free) for Swords (51), Jack Robinson (0-02) for Bolton (59), Colm Moran (0-01) for McGrath (66), Pádraic Spillane for Gill (FT), Colm Dalton for R Burke (76), James Harris for Lawlor (79), Loakman for McCormack (86).
Referee: Martin McNally (Monaghan)
