Tipp end Division 3 stint with defeat to fourteen-man Westmeath

GAA: Allianz National Football League Division 3 Round 7

Westmeath 1-13

Tipperary 0-10

Report: Kieran Galvin in Mullingar

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Ronan Wallace (Westmeath)

SCORERS - Westmeath: Ronan O'Toole 0-4 (1 free); Ronan Wallace 0-3; Lorcan Dolan 1-0; Luke Loughlin, Stephen Smith (1 free) 0-2 each; Sam McCartan, Shane Dempsey 0-1 each.

Tipperary: Jack Kennedy 0-4 frees; Stephen Quirke 0-2; Mikey O'Shea, Paudie Feehan, Sean O'Connor, Cathal Deely 0-1 each.

Despite having been already relegated to Division 4, Tipperary briefly threatened to pull off a surprise win over Westmeath in the final round of the National Football League on Sunday.

As this was a dead rubber for both teams, it was hardly surprising that there was a challenge match feel to proceedings at TEG Cusack Park.

The first half proved a very poor spectacle as a lacklustre Westmeath side struggled to find any cohesion, which opened up the prospect of a surprise win for Tipperary.

In that opening half, Westmeath registered as many yellow cards as points (three), with Anthony McGivney harshly sent off after receiving two of the former.

Winning this match was never going to do Westmeath much good with promotion from Division 3 already out of reach. But losing at home to an already relegated Tipperary side, missing some key players from recent years, would have been a major blow to morale ahead of the Leinster Championship clash with Louth on April 23rd.

Tipperary pretty much went with the same line-up as in recent games as they looked to find some consistency ahead of their Munster quarter final against Waterford on April 9th.

For their part, Westmeath took to the field without a number of first choice players such as John Heslin, Ray Connellan, Sam Duncan, Jack Smith and Jamie Gonoud (though the latter duo were introduced from the bench).

And to their credit, Dessie Dolan's men significantly improved their performance level in the second half, during which they outscored Tipp by 1-10 to 0-7 despite playing with fourteen men.

The only goal of the game, superbly finished by Lorcan Dolan in the 49th minute, laid the platform for Westmeath's victory. From that moment onwards, there only looked to be one winner.

On a bright day in Mullingar with spring making a welcome appearance after all the recent rain, Westmeath opened the scoring with a pointed free from the lively Stephen Smith (sixth minute). Smith added to the lead from open play and the same player secured a turnover which led to a rare good move, culminating in a Luke Loughlin point.

But this 18th-minite score proved Westmeath's last of the first half as Tipperary scored three unanswered points to leave the teams level (0-3 apiece) at half-time. The Tipperary points came from Stephen Quirke (well taken under pressure), Mikey O'Shea (a classy score) and Jack Kennedy (a 34th-minute free).

Westmeath were reduced to fourteen men on 32 minutes when Anthony McGivney was shown a second yellow card. His first yellow looked a harsh call but considering he was on a yellow, the challenge leading to his second was somewhat reckless.

Westmeath's frustrations in front of goal were shown by Ronan Wallace hitting the post with a left-foot shot, while Luke Loughlin opted for a risky pass when a handy point was there for the taking. The Westmeath management opted to take Andy McCormack off at half-time - a decision which was surely influenced by the fact that the Rosemount man was on a yellow card.

In any case, Westmeath were vastly improved when play resumed and showed far more urgency. Ronan O'Toole was penalised for taking a scoreable free from the wrong place, but he made amends moments later when pointing under pressure. Fine points followed from Loughlin (right foot) and O'Toole as Westmeath banished their frustrating earlier reluctance to shoot.

And although Kennedy replied with a free, further white flags from Wallace (whose blasted effort could easily have been a goal) and O'Toole left Westmeath 0-8 to 0-4 ahead.

David Power's charges kept in touch through Kennedy (free) and midfielder Paudie Feehan (a fine score), but then came Lorcan Dolan's goal. There was probably an element of good fortune about it as what seemed like a point attempt from Loughlin morphed into a pinpoint pass to the unmarked Dolan. The Castledaly man's finish was clinical, opening up a lead of 1-8 to 0-6.

Pointed frees were exchanged between Kennedy (long range) and O'Toole, before Quirke grabbed his second point for the 2020 Munster champions.

Sam McCartan added his name to the scoresheet and Wallace contributed his second point as Westmeath went six clear. The home side almost embellished their winning margin when, after a neat exchange of passes, James Dolan's shot was brilliantly saved by Tipp goalie Michael O'Reilly.

Substitutes Sean O'Connor and Shane Dempsey swapped points, before Wallace added his third. The last kick of a low-key contest saw Tipperary's Cathal Deely complete the scoring.

TEAMS - Westmeath: Jason Daly (6); David Giles (6), Kevin Maguire (6), James Dolan (6); Anthony McGivney (5), Ronan Wallace (8), David Lynch (6); Jonathan Lynam (6), Andy McCormack (6); Sam McCartan (6), Ronan O'Toole (7), Robbie Forde (6); Lorcan Dolan (7), Stephen Smith (7), Luke Loughlin (6).

Subs: Jack Smith (6) for McCormack (HT); Conor Dillon (6) for Forde (44); Tom Molloy (6) for S Smith (58); Shane Dempsey (7) for L Dolan (63); Jamie Gonoud (6) for Giles (65).

Tipperary: Michael O'Reilly (Clonmel Commercials 7); Shane O'Connell (Golden-Kilfeacle 6), Jimmy Feehan (Killenaule 6), Willie Eviston (Loughmore/Castleiney 6); Jack Harney (Moyle Rovers 6), Kevin Fahey (Clonmel Commercials 7), Colm O'Shaughnessy (Ardfinnan 6); Paudie Feehan (Killenaule 7), Mark Russell (Aherlow 6); Emmet Moloney (Drom & Inch 6), Jack Kennedy (Clonmel Commercials 7), Keith Ryan (Upperchurch/Drombane 6); Mikey O'Shea (Mullinahone 6), Stephen Quirke (Moyle Rovers 7), Cathal Deely (Clonmel Commercials 6).

Subs: Tommy Maher (Loughmore/Castleiney 6) for O'Connell (32); Sean O'Connor (Clonmel Commercials 7) for Eviston (43); Riain Quigley (Moyle Rovers 6) for O'Shea (43); Donough Leahy (Arravale Rovers 6) for Russell (53); Conor Cadell (JK Brackens 6) for Quirke (65).

Referee: Conor Dourneen (Cavan).