WESTMEATH SFC FINAL Castledaly 0-10 Garrycastle 0-8: CASTLEDALY WERE crowned Westmeath senior football champions for the first time at Cusack Park, Mullingar yesterday, after a deserved win over favourites Garrycastle.
The new champions lost three county finals this decade and yesterday they played with a tremendous spirit. This, combined with less profligacy in front of goals - they went the first half without a single wide - and a string of vital saves from goalkeeper James Kinihan ensured the Flanagan Cup made its way to the south Westmeath village.
It was nip and tuck in the opening half. The two best points came from intercounty stars - Castledaly's only regular Westmeath player, centre half back Derek Heavin, careering though for a terrific point in the 13th minute, while former All Star Dessie Dolan, who had a quiet game, chipped in with a fabulous score for the losers three minutes before the end of normal time in the first half. Dolan had three of his team's eight first-half wides, but despite their wastefulness, Garrycastle were on level terms at the break at 0-6.
Castledaly's first point of the second half came in the sixth minute from man-of-the-match Alan Kelly. The winners led by 0-9 to 0-6 midway through the half when James Kinahan produced his most important save to keep out Paddy Mulvihill's goalbound effort, at the expense of an unconverted 45. Points from Dolan (a free) and Paddy Mulvihill (from play) reduced the margin to the bare minimum with six minutes to go but a converted free in the 26th minute from MJ McLoughlin (after referee Barry Kelly had brought the ball forward for dissent) wrapped up victory.
CASTLEDALY: J Kinahan; M Gavin, N O'Neill, C Henson; E Kelly (0-1), D Heavin (0-1), S Kavanagh; G Duffy, N Duffy (0-1); A Fitzgerald, MJ McLoughlin (0-2, one free), P Kelly (0-2); M Duffy (0-1), J Galvin (capt), B Kelly (0-2). Subs: A Kelly for Henson, R Casey for Kavanagh, T Warburton for M Duffy.
GARRYCASTLE: C Mullin; K Henson, S O'Donoghue (capt), P Rattigan; D Harte, J Gaffey, J Dolan; A Browne (0-1), S O'Reilly; R McGowan (0-2), G Dolan, J Duignan; P Dillon (0-1), D Dolan (0-2, one free), P Mulvihill (0-2). Subs:C Cosgrove for Duignan, J McAteer for McGowan, E Mulvihill for Rattigan, A Daly for Dillon.
Referee: B Kelly(Mullingar Shamrocks).
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/YVIRIOZQ35EWRPZXR27KGMO6YU.png)