Westmeath’s star attackers may have struggled to make inroads against Offaly’s excellent defensive work six days ago in Tullamore but they burst into life this afternoon at TEG Cusack Park in Mullingar, helping themselves to three second half goals that proved crucial in their 3-17 to 0-15 win in the Leinster championship quarter final replay.
There were plenty of stages in this contest when it looked as if the result was going to go down to the wire but once again, indiscipline was to cost the Faithful County dearly.
They lost two men to double yellow card dismissals in last Sunday afternoon’s drawn encounter and once again they were dealt a crucial blow in the fierce mid-day heat as Cian Donoghue was given his marching orders for a second bookable offence with 12 minutes to play.
At that stage all the momentum was with Offaly as they had kicked the last three points to reduce the gap to a single goal, with the fresh breeze blowing at their backs.
However, once they were reduced in number the extra exertion proved beyond them and late goals from John Heslin and Kieran Martin wrapped up the win for the home side.
Martin, Paul Sharry and to a lesser extent John Heslin all underperformed relative to their usual high standards in Tullamore last Sunday but they were in superb form today, with each playing a crucial role in the Lake County’s win.
John Heslin may have wrapped up the tie with a wonderfully cool and precise finish after 67 minutes, but his most meaningful contribution was early in the contest when he led the line brilliantly, kicking two points and setting up two more while Westmeath moved into a 0-06 to 0-02 lead.
Offaly responded very well to this opening burst and halved the gap with some good, patient and incisive play into the breeze, but the delicate balance of the tie was tipped ever so slightly back in Westmeath’s favour when Sharry kicked two scores just before the interval to establish an 0-09 to 0-05 lead for Westmeath.
Again Offaly rallied after the break, almost entirely on the back of a remarkable tour de force from Peter Cunningham. The Bracknagh player burst forward to great effect from centre back and fired over points from all sorts of angles and distances, ending the game with four scores of his own and also getting credit for drawing two scorable frees.
Where Offaly were sorely lacking, however, was in terms of a goal threat.
Niall McNamee was ineffective for the second week in succession and was withdrawn, while Offaly’s goal had led something of a charmed life for the first three quarters of the tie. Kieran Martin overhit a handpass in the first half that could have led to a tap in goal for Callum McCormack at the far post, while Denis Glennon rattled the crossbar in the narrow window between his introduction and his withdrawal due to injury.
Martin’s influence had been minimal enough for most of this contest but when he finally broke free of the shackles of Seán Pender’s marking midway through the second half, he made it count.
A breakaway move out of defence ended with Sharry picking out the former All Star nominee in the right corner, and the Maryland attacker showed all the power and determination that has become his trademark as he turned and bore down on goal, setting up John Egan for a simple finish.
John Heslin added another point to stretch the lead out to six, but Offaly weren’t done for and fired three scores in succession to increase tension levels among the 4,714 spectators.
Sean Doyle, Dunne and Cunningham all fired over excellent scores but their momentum was crushed when Cian Donohoe dived in on John Egan with a rash challenge and left Rory Hickey with little option but to show the wing back a second yellow card.
Four minutes later, the tie was done and dusted.
A stunning low finish inside Alan Mulhall’s near post from John Heslin sent the home crowd into raptures and within a minute they could start thinking about a trip to Croke Park to face the all-conquering Dubs in eight days, as a quick breakaway attack ended with Heslin feeding Martin for another close-range palmed goal.
Westmeath: D Quinn; J Gonoud, K Maguire, K Daly; J Dolan, P Holloway, M McCallon; G Egan (0-01), A Stone; K Reilly, P Sharry (0-03, 0-02 ‘45s), A Gaughan; K Martin (1-02), J Heslin (1-06, 0-02 frees), C McCormack (0-01).
Subs: F Boyle (0-02) for Holloway (5), D Glennon for McCormack (35+2), J Egan (1-00) for Reilly (HT), T McDaniel (0-01) for Glennon (48), D Lynch for Stone (50), N Mulligan (0-01) for Daly (51 – temp), Mulligan for Gaughan (69)
Offaly: A Mulhall; B Darby, E Rigney, S Pender; N Darby (0-01, free), P Cunningham (0-04), C Donoghue; C McNamee (0-01), D Hanlon; N Dunne (0-05, 0-03 frees), J Moloney, M Brazil (0-01); R Allen, G Guilfoyle (0-01), N McNamee.
Subs: J Lalor for N Darby (HT), B Allen for N McNamee (41), A Sullivan for Brazil (48), J O’Connor for Rigney (55), S Doyle (0-02) for Moloney (58), D Hogan for Hanlon (70+2)
Referee: Rory Hickey (Clare)
