“Westmeath Crowned Division Three Victors with 2-10 Win Over Down 0-13
Down had a golden opportunity to bury their finals hex, particularly as they approached the 30th anniversary of their last All-Ireland triumph. Even though they led by a single point as the 60th-minute mark approached, it seemed like their frustrating record was about to be amended. However, they were not able to change the course of history and their dreaded jinx lived on.
Jonathan Lynam hammered the final nail in the coffin for Down with a decisive 60th minute goal, his second for the night, positioning Westmeath for victory. With a fantastic finish, Westmeath went on to secure the trophy, largely due to the remarkable efforts of Sam McCartan. McCartan, from Mullingar, contributed four points and made two critical late scores from 45s, which included a crucial role in the decisive second goal for Westmeath.
Westmeath Manager, Des Dolan, showered praise on McCartan, commenting on the exceptional performance the Westmeath player exhibited at Croke Park. Lynam’s double goal was also crucial, adding a cherry on top of the cake for the UCD student who was named among the third level team of the year.
Speaking about Westmeath’s Division Three title success, Dolan said, “Although the main objective of the year had been to secure promotion, winning the title is a delightful bonus. However, there’s no time for us to rejoice as we must gear up for our next match on Sunday.”
Westmeath’s following match will be against Wicklow in the Leinster SFC, while Down will be returning the next weekend against Antrim for the Ulster SFC. There’s uncertainty surrounding the availability of Westmeath captain Kevin Maguire, who was pulled from the starting lineup. When questioned about Maguire’s return, Dolan didn’t divulge any specifics.
The game was tense and narrow for the vast majority, with Down holding a slim lead at the halftime break, 0-8 to 1-4. Lynam’s initial goal, in which he got past Down’s goalkeeper John O’Hare and slammed the ball in, provided a lifeline for Westmeath.”
The final scoreline showcased the resilience of Pat Havern from Down, who was the main contributor scoring 0-7, all through frees, but their overall gameplay lacked depth and precision, resulting in nine wides. McCartan from Westmeath seized the opportunity, he assisted Lynam to net the pivotal second goal and followed it up with two scores from 45s, thereby securing their win.
Starting line-up for Westmeath included J Daly, D Scahill, C Drumm, J Gonoud; S McCartan (0-4, two 45s), J Dolan, D Lynch (0-1); R Connellan, J Lynam (2-0); A McCormack, R O’Toole, C Dillon (0-1); L Loughlin (0-1, one free), S Smith, and R Forde (0-3, one free). The substitutions that were brought on were S Baker for Smith (45 mins), L Dolan for Loughlin (50), M Whittaker for Dillon (54), N Harte for Gonoud (60), and J Heslin for Forde (71).
As for Down, the team comprised of J O’Hare; R McEvoy, P Fegan, P Laverty; F McElroy, D Magill, C Doherty; P Havern (0-7, seven frees), J Flynn; M Rooney (0-1), L Kerr (0-3), D Guinness; J Guinness, O Murdock (0-1), J McGovern. Their replacements were O Savage (0-1) for McGovern (39 mins), S Annett for J Guinness (44,) C Francis for McElroy (54), B O’Hagan for Rooney (61), and R Mason for Flynn (66). The game was officiated by B Tiernan from Dublin.