WESTMEATH PIP LILIES AND GO BACK TO FINAL
THIS Leinster semifinal started out with an almost eerie atmosphere in a sparsely-attended Croke Park, the sense of deflation from Ireland’s exit from the European Championships seeming to carry over to the limited number of hard-core supporters who put their county first.
By the end, it finished in a welter of excitement, Kildare desperately chasing an equaliser after Westmeath channelled the ghost of last year’s semi-final heroics to turn a six-point deficit into a three-point lead with just five minutes to go.
After going nearly half an hour without a score, two late frees from Neil Flynn weren’t enough for a Kildare team whose lack of ambition was dispiriting from the off, playing for the most part with 13 men behind the ball.
And so despite plummeting from Division 1 of the National League to Division 4 in successive seasons, Westmeath made another bit of Championship history. For the first time, the county will compete in successive Leinster senior football finals.
Nothing bar wining a provincial title can top last year’s milestone Championship victory over Meath and yesterday, Westmeath beat Kildare for the first time since 1960 and only the second time in nine meetings.
In the two years under Tom Cribbin, the county has more than made up for any spring failings.
Asked if the Leinster competition was still relevant, given Dublin’s dominance, he had this reply as to what this result meant. ‘Just incredible. Just ask the people of Westmeath. It’s up to everyone else to get up to Dublin. It’s up to us to get up to their standard. It’s up to the rest to get up there and try and challenge them. Eventually we’ll all wake up and we’ll do that.
‘It can be done. It has to start at underage though. Making excuses is the easy option. You’ve to start at underage, put the proper structures in place. It’s not all about money either.’
In League terms, the provincial final pits arguably the greatest Dublin team of all time and one that clinched a fourth Division 1 title in a row back in April, against a team who will be operating in Division 4 in 2017.
At least Westmeath have the experience of last year’s build-up to count on.
Kildare’s biggest bugbear was a disallowed goal in the 69th minute, substitute Cathal McNally booting the ball to the net after it spilled loose in the square only for referee Derek O’Mahoney to adjudge that Tommy Moolick had fouled goalkeeper Darren Quinn under the dropping ball.
If the decision went Westmeath’s way, they deserved it for the manner in which they stormed back and took control of the second half after a first period dominated in depressing fashion by defensive set-ups. The lack of ambition in Kildare’s game plan meant that their most potent forward, Neil Flynn, didn’t really touch the ball in the first half.
Maybe it was understandable after conceding 14 goals in their previous three Croke Park outings but with little offensive threat, they trailed 0-5 to 0-2 after 20 minutes.
During that spell, Paul Sharry’s point with the outside of the left boot for Westmeath, along with John Heslin’s place-kicking out of the hand, one from 50 metres landing on the roof of the net, were the paltry highlights.
In that period, the only goal chance also fell Westmeath’s way, Heslin playing a beautifully judged through ball over the top to David Lynch. Midfielder Fergal Conway did well to get goal-side of him and make a diving block on Lynch’s shot at goal.
Kildare were making inroads down the left side of the attack with Emmet Bolton clipping two points as they finished the half strongly, Adam Tyrrell kicking a big point to edge them in front at the break, 0-7 to 0-6.
Neil Flynn added a close range free on the restart and then set up the game’s first goal on 40 minutes, cutting in along the endline before playing a very clever ball to the back post where goalkeeper Darren Quinn, back-pedalling, could only get a hand to it allowing Tommy Moolick to palm it to the net. From three down, Kildare were six ahead, 1-9 to 0-6, when Eoghan O’Flaherty kicked a boomer from distance.
The manner of their collapse from there to the finish will haunt Cian O’Neill.
James Dolan, so impressive in an attacking capacity for Westmeath, stole forward unmarked to hit the crucial goal in a run of scoring that saw last year’s provincial finalists hit 1-6 without reply to make another bit of history.
PHILIP LANIGAN reports from Croke Park