Westmeath 0-20 Laois 2-20
Laois defeated Westmeath to advance to the semi-finals of the Leinster U20 Football Championship, with extra time required to split the sides.
Westmeath looked to be in pole position to win the match, when they held a four-point lead just after half-time, but Laois showed great character to secure a draw, before pushing on for a comfortable victory in extra time.
Westmeath played with Paul Gorman as a sweeper, in order to curb the high balls delivered to Laois full-forward Dan McCormack, with Gorman standing in front of the Laois full-forward line.
The better team did win on the day and Laois showed their class in extra time and they have now eliminated reigning All-Ireland champions Kildare and a strong Westmeath outfit.
It was the home side who opened the scoring in the fourth minute courtesy of midfielder Ned Cully, before Alan Kinsella levelled proceedings.
Adam Flanagan and Kinsella traded scores, before a Dan Heavin placed-ball effort gave his side a one-point lead with ten minutes played.
Diarmuid Whelan responded with a free for Laois before the away side got the game's opening goal, with Michael Doran's 14th-minute effort finding the net, after an excellent catch and set-up from McCormack.
Laois almost had another goal straight away, as they won possession from the resulting kick-out, but Kinsella's effort came back off the post.
Westmeath responded well to the set-back, however, with Heavin registering a free and the teams were level with 27 minutes played, after a point from Cully.
It was a draw game at half time, with the score-board reading Westmeath 0-09 Laois 1-06, but the Lake County registered the first four points of the second half to give themselves the lead.
The visitors were not deterred, however, and Billy O’Loughlin’s side scored the next three points to reduce the deficit to one before Ciaran Nolan’s fisted point settled Westmeath.
Diarmuid Whelan and Adam Neary then traded scores, before Laois substitute Jack Owens reduced the deficit one.
Laois could not get the point that they craved to level the game and a number of shots went wide, with one hitting the post, but their equaliser finally arrived courtesy of a free from Kinsella before six minutes of additional time were signaled by the referee.
Neither team could find a score in those minutes, as extra time was required to separate the teams.
Laois dominated the first half of extra time and the game's key score arrived in the 70th minute, just before half time, as McCormack made a superb catch, before beating the goalkeeper to give his side a 2-17 to 0-18 lead at half-time.
The hosts needed a strong start to the second period of extra time, but the opposite occurred, as McCormack added two points to stretch his sides lead to seven.
Laois held out for a six-point win and can look forward to a Leinster semi-final, while Westmeath’s season is over after one match.
Westmeath: Jordan Nugent; Eoghan Bracken, Aidan Robinson, Sean Rock; Paul Gorman; James Maxwell, Diarmuid Martin (0-1), Eoin Mulvihil; Ned Cully (0-3), Adam Flanagan (0-1); Sam McCartan, Kevin Stone; TJ Cox (0-4, 0-1f), Dan Heavin (0-6, 0-4f), Ben Cox (0-2, 0-1 S/L).
Subs: Ciaran Nolan (0-1) for Stone (22), Adam Neary (0-2, 0-1f) for McCartan (35), Jason Coughlan for Flanagan (45), Colin Murphy for Heavin (47), Aaron Nugent for TJ Cox (50), Stephen McGonagle for Murphy (60 + 5, B/C), Adam Flanagan for Bracken (e-t), TJ Cox for Coughlan (e-t), Sam McCartan for Flanagan (70), Josh Beaumont for Neary (73).
Laois: Matthew Byron; Alex Mohan, Seamus Lacey, Michael Dowling; Colin Slevin, Jack Lacey, Dean Brophy; Robert Tyrrell (0-1), Eoin Dunne (0-2); Niall Dunne, Michael Doran (1-1), Ronan Coffey; Alan Kinsella (0-5, 0-1f), Dan McCormack (1-2), Diarmuid Whelan (0-8, 0-5f).
Subs: PJ Daly for Coffey (37), Jack Owens (0-1) for Dunne (37), Jason Maher for Doran (49), Ronan Coffey for Colin Slevin (69), Kevin Byrne for Lacey (76), Niall Dunne for Kinsella (77).
Referee: Brendan Cawley (Kildare)
