Longfort - Iarmhi

[Maguire01]

Entertaining enough.  Westmeath took their foot off at the end and were lucky that time was up - Longford had gained the momentum, if only they had woken up 10 minutes earlier.
Some very nice scores - the Longford goal in particular was a cracker.

[ExiledGael]

Didn't see the game, half decent report on Hoganstand already though.

Leinster SFC: Westmeath see off Longford
11 May 2008

Westmeath had two first-half goals to thank for this 2-10 to 1-10 Leinster SFC victory over Longford at Pearse Park in the season's championship opener.
Score-wise, the winners did most of the damage in the first period and were on top for much of the 70 minutes, but still had to withstand a spirited late Longford revival.
Tomas O'Flatharta will be delighted with the result as this is Westmeath's first win in the provincial phase of the knockout competition since they took their breakthrough crown four years ago. The victory books a quarter-final meeting with Offaly.
There wasn't an awful lot between the team in the first half but timely - and fortuitous - goals from Alan Mangan and Dennis Glennon saw the Westmeath men into a 2-4 to 0-5 interval advantage.
Westmeath made a late change to their starting line-up, with talismanic attacker Dessie Dolan coming in at corner forward after shaking off the ankle injury that kept him out of the Division Two decider.
Former Lake County boss Luke Dempsey started with the previously-announced XV, which meant no Declan Farrell, no David Barden and an inexperienced half-back line containing championship rookies Enda Williams and Paul Kelly.
The mean Westmeath blanket defence was nowhere to be seen in the second minute as Kevin Mulligan powered through unchallenged to pop over a nice opening point off his left boot. At the other end, Dennis Glennon had a sight of goal but took too much out of the ball and was closed down well by Diarmuid Masterson.
Martin Flanagan won and converted a free beautifully to level the scores on five minutes. In the sixth minute, Glennon was awarded a controversial penalty after going to ground under pressure and the kick was taken by the man who had started that move - Alan Mangan.
The No.13 took a very poor kick straight at Damien Sheridan but the home county's goalkeeper fumbled the ball to the corner of the net for a vital early score. Moments later, Dolan - wearing No.28 - was mere inches off target with a delightful goal effort off the outside of his right boot.
At this stage, the men in blue were in all sorts of trouble, with the visitors dominating possession, winning all the ball from kick-outs, and leading by that Mangan goal.
Longford has some respite with a couple of attacks but Brian Kavanagh missed the target twice, with 13 Westmeath players swarming around inside their own half. When Flanagan clipped another free over the black spot on 13 minutes, Westmeath led by 1-2 to 0-1.
Kavanagh had a bad wide after carving the Westmeath defence open on the quarter-hour mark. Clearly he wasn't going to repeat his 2007 haul against the same opposition. Francis McGee struck a post from a long-range free before Dolan opened his account from a soft free after Glennon had seemingly been cleanly dispossessed but Tyrone referee Michael Hughes spotted an indiscretion of some sort.
Another strange call from the official gifted Longford a free, which McGee converted for his side's second score on 20 minutes. Three minutes later, the hosts scored again when McGee claimed another free after Flanagan was harshly adjudged to have thrown the ball to himself.
Westmeath had momentarily lost their way in the sweltering heat. They were defending tenaciously but offering little attacking threat. McGee missed his next free but Kavanagh swung over a great sideline kick on 26 minutes to close the gap to two. The response was supreme from Flanagan, who showed his class with a wonderful score from play: 1-4 to 0-4.
Kevin Mulligan became the second Longford man to hit the post and their luck was out again when Masterson was penalised and booked after executing a textbook shoulder-to-shoulder tackle. Jamesie Martin knocked over an inspirational point off his left foot to again reduce the gap to two but Longford's joy was short-lived.
Just after the half-hour, Glennon scored a freak goal from an impossible angle. The big full forward seemed to have lost control of the ball after cutting in along the endline from the left and there was a question of overcarrying and also a suspicion that he threw the ball onto the ground, but he got his foot to the rolling ball and it went through the keeper's legs for a fairly bizarre and crucial score.
The two goals had the Division Two winners in charge on the scoreboard, while wides #7 and #8 from Martin and midfielder Liam Keenan did little to help Longford's cause. On the stroke of half time, Kavanagh found himself in a one-on-one with Gary Connaughton but the Westmeath netsman won the battle to keep his goal intact.
David Barden came in at half time for Longford and Fergal Wilson opened the second-half scoring from a free after Flanagan went to ground all too easily. That was the only score inside the first eleven minutes of the second period and Longford could make no inroads into the two-goal deficit until Paul Barden struck one off his left foot after Westmeath were guilty of over-elaborating in defence.
Dolan converted a free from his hands in the 49th minute after he had been fouled by Keenan (yellow card) as he tried to take the ball up off the ground. Martin popped over a free at the other end and there were five points between the teams with three-quarters of the game gone - 2-6 to 0-7.
Wilson restored the two-goal cushion with yet another free and Glennon finished a rapid counter-attack with a smart point when he collected a precise pass from Dolan after getting out in front of Kevin McArthur to buy himself a precious split-second.
Workaholic Mangan finally got his first score following a wonderful break out of defence from Damien Healy and the match was well and truly over with ten minutes remaining - 2-9 to 0-7.
Martin's late free seemed to be of little relevance until Paul Barden followed it up with a stunning 65th-minute goal that had the gap suddenly down to four. Within seconds, Kavanagh slammed over a great point with his left peg and suddenly - unbelievably - there was just a goal in it, 2-9 to 1-9. Where had the eight-point gap gone?
Glennon hit a post and Kavanagh kicked wide in a frantic finish. Longford needed a goal to force a replay but Masterson opted to take his point in the second minute of added time. The tension was at fever pitch now but the last score of the match fell to Wilson, who knocked over his third free to confirm victory for the visitors.

[INDIANA]

first game out so can't expect much, thught it was poor enough though. too much ball given away by both teams, questionable shot selection and an indifferent refeering display. westmeath much the better side,even though they need to improve. had all the excitement really of a wet weekend in ballyhaunis.

[Main Street]

It was a mercy killing of sorts even if the Longford goalie will be having nightmares about that game.

The blight of Divers.
You should be allowed to kick a player rolling on the ground after they have dived.

[Shamrock Shore]

Very disappointing game - some awful football from both sides. Surprised the margin was 3 at the end. If Westmeath were any good it would have been more. Some awful misses by us and the two soft feckin goals (I know one was a penalty but it was a dreadful effort) and I think we may have seen the last of Damien Sheridan in goals. He has had a nightmare season so far.

Fogra

Please please please please get rid of that shaggin Pipe Band

In summary two poor teams with Westmeath just about less bad.

[LaurelEye]

I think we may have seen the last of Damien Sheridan in goals. He has had a nightmare season so far.

Doubt that, Shamrock. Leaving out the industrial relations aspect, there are no very obvious successors. Not sure that young Watters or Burns from Killoe would be ready to step up to the big time yet.

[thejuice]

Went down to the local to see it , and they had fuckin' Man U and Chelsea on.  Load of boring bollocks, Irish pub me hole! Saw the goals, penalty was desperate goalie was worse, 2 goal was stoppable but the forward did well to make the opportunity.

[Tankie]

Went down to the local to see it , and they had fuckin' Man U and Chelsea on.  Load of boring bollocks, Irish pub me hole! Saw the goals, penalty was desperate goalie was worse, 2 goal was stoppable but the forward did well to make the opportunity.

I think you also know that it was a bit optimistic to expect a Longford v Westmeath game on ahead of the the last day of the premiership.

[Shamrock Shore]

Both Westmeath goals were dubious according to the Sunday Game.

Penalty was soft and Denis Glennon took 12 steps before he poked it in.

Missed that at the game but I am quite cross now. Not saying we deserved to win it, by no means, but with an incompetant ref then the odds are really stacked against you.

Just like the disallowed goal v Laois last year.

Bah 

[thejuice]

Went down to the local to see it , and they had fuckin' Man U and Chelsea on.  Load of boring bollocks, Irish pub me hole! Saw the goals, penalty was desperate goalie was worse, 2 goal was stoppable but the forward did well to make the opportunity.

I think you also know that it was a bit optimistic to expect a Longford v Westmeath game on ahead of the the last day of the premiership.

I dont think it needed both games on, the Chelsea game was irrelevent unless Man U lost so they could easily had the GAA on the 2nd TV, ah well, thank f**k its over for now anyway.

[Mentalman]

Just watched the game there again on the Sunday game.

For Westmeath a lot of our players will be taking a good look at themselves after today. Good save from Connaughton. Boyle only showed later in the game. Gavin must have got a rocket at halftime, he really started to get out in front in the second half. I still feel John Keane hasn't got back to his best form. Our half backs weren't as impressive as during the league, probably with the exception of Healey, who could have had a goal, and definitely should have taken a point. O'Donoghue worked his socks off and put some great blocks in, and a few more than decent passes. At the end of the day Flans scores were the difference between the sides, and while he was a lot better than this time last year, I'd still reckon he wasn't mobile enough. Then again I could say that about a lot of the players out there today, the heat was definitely a factor, but playing the first round in Pearce also seems to effect Westmeath too, there is definitely apprehension, if not a fear factor. Smyth and Harte worked themselves into the ground without having much to show for it. Up front we were not great. Wilson, despite taking his scores from frees, was only a shadow of himself in the league - why was he switched to rthe right from the left where he is obviously more comfortable? Buddha gave a couple of little cameos, and with 1-1 would seem alright, but hand passed a couple of balls away in vital positions. Denis was Denis. You would just wish sometimes he would take on shots earlier instead of always feeling the need to beat his man twice. Very lucky with his goal also. As for Dessie? I think most would agree at the least he shouldn't have started. I hate to say anything bad about the lad, as he isa legend in my eyes, but today he wasn't at the pace of the game, and was very slopy with his handpassing. He also took on a chance for glory when there was a player better positioned. I got the feeling reading his body language that he was battling with himself as much as the opposition. Hopefully the couple of weeks before the next match will allow him to get back up to match pace as he would want.

Luke had obviously done his homework, and left a man in front of our front two at all times, and it worked well. We were also murdered in the half forwards, which is not unusual for us as we only play two at most, but today it was very obvious that we will struggle with that tactic in the Championship, but it's not like we are suddenly going to find another scoring half forward at this stage of the year.

From a Westmeath point of view we'll just be glad to get out with a victory. A well needed reminder that league is league but championship is championship.

Going by the Sunday game it appears the likes of Westmeath & Longford really shouldn't bother their arse annoying the rest of the country? But what can you do...I suppose the GAA could put some of the bigger counties out earlier, and see quite how impressive they would be two weeks out from a league campaign?

Also Luke would want to dry his eyes a bit. Westmeath got two more frees than Longford. Longford also got a series of frees on the 40 infornt of the posts, which luckily for us 13 missed. I have a lot of time for Luke but there is no need to remind us we owe him a lot every time he is on the box, mentioning 2001 for the umpteenth time. We had similar problems as Longford seem to suffer now - lovely players going forward, but no shape or tactics at the back. I'm a fan of the way he wants to see football played, the pity is that's not the reality of the game. You need a bit more than nice football and nice footballers, you need a tough edge, and do need a fair bit of cynicism unfortunately. And you also need to cut your clothes to suit your cloth.

On another point, saw Evanne Ní Chuilinn up close in the flesh for the first time. Grrrrrrrr!!!!  

[LaurelEye]

Both Westmeath goals were dubious according to the Sunday Game.

Penalty was soft and Denis Glennon took 12 steps before he poked it in.

Missed that at the game but I am quite cross now. Not saying we deserved to win it, by no means, but with an incompetant ref then the odds are really stacked against you.

Just like the disallowed goal v Laois last year.

Bah 

Good news is that there were no serious injuries and no coffins (either real or metaphorical) need to be measured yet.

[Jinxy]

Luke has never been the most gracious loser however I'd have to agree that the 2nd Westmeath goal in particular was a joke.

[Maguire01]

Good save from Connaughton.

It was straight at him at a very tight angle to be fair - the only way it would have went in is if he had stepped to the side.

[DUBSFORSAM1]

As a totally unbiased neutral I thought Westmeath got the benefit of nearly every decision going...very hard to see where the penalty came from, disgraceful decision to allow the 2nd goal taking into account the 10/12 steps and the throwing the ball in the air....Booking for No4 after a perfect shoulder...and some other really soft decisions...

Watching that game I don't feel there is too much to fear from a Dublin viewpoint....Westmeath will suffer badly with all that handpassing against a strong forward line...