O’Byrne Cup: Ronan Wallace stars as Westmeath beat Kildare in final

O’Byrne Cup: Westmeath 1-18 Kildare 1-16

Luke O’Loughlin nailed the stoppage time winner as Westmeath were crowned not just O’Byrne champions but two-point kings in Mullingar.

Down by eight points with only 16 minutes remaining, Mark McHugh’s side conjured a magical comeback to claim just a fifth title.

Tailteann Cup All-Star Loughlin was inspired again, reeling off 0-8 in total and pouncing four minutes into stoppage time with the two-point score that split the teams.

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But even those heroics were outdone by Ronan Wallace who engineered the comeback with 1-7 in total.

That haul comprised three two-pointers as Westmeath reeled off five in the second-half and six in the entire game.

Captain fantastic Wallace also nailed a 48th-minute goal despite wearing number five and playing wing back.

Westmeath’s Ronan Wallace after the game. Photograph: Tom O'Hanlon/Inpho

It’s a terrific start to life under new manager McHugh and augurs well ahead of Sunday week’s Allianz League Division 3 opener against Sligo.

Aside from lifting a rare piece of silverware, it was also a useful three-game campaign from the point of view of assessing new talents like Harry Niall while there was a welcome return for former AFL player Ray Connellan.

Veteran Kevin Feely took on the early responsibility for Kildare and boomed over a two-pointer that cracked a seal.

Full forward Loakman found space at the top of the arc soon after and split the posts for another one. Clearly inspired, Brian McLoughlin then took on a two-point attempt from way out on the right wing and, again, an orange flag score was the result.

The exhibition of long-range scoring left Kildare 0-6 to 0-1 up after just eight minutes – and apparently ready to cut loose.

But they then went 21 minutes without scoring and only hit the interval with a 0-8 to 0-4, a wasteful period that would come back to haunt them.

Westmeath: J Connaughton; T Baker, C Drumm, B Sayeh; R Wallace (1-7, 3 tp), D Scahill, J Lynam; H Niall, R Connellan; S Baker (0-1, 1f), B Guerin, B Kelly; D McCartan (0-2), L Loughlin (0-8, 3 tp, 1 45), M Whittaker.

Subs: B Cooney for Guerin h/t, K O’Sullivan for Niall h/t, R Forde for Kelly 42, T Molloy for McCartan 42, TJ Cox for S Baker all 42, J Duncan for Lynam 52.

Kildare: C Burke; H O’Neill, P Spillane, R Burke; J Harris, E Lawlor, B Byrne; K Feely (0-2, tp), B Gibbons; B McLoughlin (0-4, 1 tp), A Beirne (0-5, 1 tp, 1f), C Bolton (0-1); S Doran, B Loakman (0-3, 1 tp), E Cully (0-1)

Subs: L Kelly (1-0) for Doran h/t, M Spillane for Lawlor 45, D Swords for P Spillane 53, D Mangan for Gibbons 57.

Referee: K Williamson (Offaly).