McAteer nets goal

Garrycastle ... 1-7 Portlaoise ... 0-8: A well-takenJustin McAteer goal 11 minutes into the second half propelled Westmeath champions Garrycastle to victory in Mullingar yesterday.

Garrycastle made better use of the wind after Portlaoise built up a 0-5 to 0-2 half-time advantage as captain Ian Fitzgerald kicked three points.

Six minutes into the second half Fitzgerald stretched the visitor's lead before Garrycastle hit a purple patch. First Alan Daly popped over a point before McAteer drilled the ball to the net. Three minutes later McAteer put Garrycastle back into the lead for the third time and they never looked back.

Des Dolan added on three points - one from a penalty after McAteer was impeded - as Garrycastle moved closer to a first provincial championship victory.

PORTLAOISE: M Nolan; E Bland, M Brophy, B Gaynor; P Phelan, C Byrne, M McNulty; E Coleman, T Conroy; B McCormack (0-1), A Fennelly, C Murphy (0-1); I Fitzgerald (0-5), K Fitzpatrick (0-1), D Mullins. Subs: P McNulty for Mullins; T Fitzgerald for Phelan; B Fitzgerald for Murphy.

GARRYCASTLE: C Mullin; P Rattigan, K Henson, J O'Shaughnessy; D Harte, S O'Donoghue, E Mulvihill; D O'Shaughnessy, S O'Reilly; J McAteer (1-1), N Galvin (0-1), D Ryan; A Daly (0-1), G Dolan, D Dolan (0-4). Subs: E Nugent for D Ryan; J Duignan for Galvin; P Dillon for Duignan.

Referee: E Murtagh (Longford)