Westmeath overcome Laois challenge to progress to Tailteann Cup quarters
What's the best remedy when you've been on the wrong end of a litany of heroic comebacks and tense finishes over the course of a gruelling year?
Westmeath answered that question in spectacular fashion this evening in Mullingar when they crushed Laois in a one-side midlands derby, marking themselves out as the form team in the Tailteann Cup heading into next weekend's quarter-finals.
After six one-score league games yielded five defeats and one draw, followed up by a two-point loss to Kildare in Leinster and last week's 0-19 to 0-18 loss to Limerick in the Tailteann Cup, Westmeath made sure that there was no danger of another tight game when they took on Laois, as they dominated from start to finish.
Even on a day when Trevor Collins put in a superb performance to curb dangerman Luke Loughlin, the rest of the Westmeath team stepped up with a superb all round performance.
First among equals was midfielder Sam McCartan, who hoisted over two outstanding two-pointers in the first half and went on to score 0-8 from play in an outstanding effort. Team captain Ronan Wallace was also imperious, scoring 1-5, including goal after the first half hooter that came from a move that began with a McCartan turnover.
Loughlin also found the net with a penalty, as Westmeath took a 2-12 to 0-7 lead into the dressing room that was the very least that they deserved.
The third quarter was a landslide, with Matthew Whittaker adding a third goal with a superb finish, while McCartan and Wallace both kicked highlight reel scores in a 1-10 to 0-2 run.
Laois were a broken team by the end, and Jonah Kelly's goal – also after the hooter – will be scant consolation at the end of a tough evening for Justin McNulty's side. It was a tough evening for the rest of the Tailteann Cup contenders too, particularly Kildare, Fermanagh and Wicklow, one of which will have to derail a runaway train next weekend.
Scorers for Westmeath: S McCartan 0-8 (2tp), R Wallace 1-5 (1tp), L Loughlin 1-2 (1-0 pen, 1tpf), M Whittaker 1-1, R Forde 0-2 (0-1f), S Smith 0-2 (0-1f), K O'Sullivan 0-2, S Allen 0-1, N Harte 0-1, D McCartan 0-1, J Moran 0-1.
Scorers for Laois: R Coffey 0-3 (0-2f), M Barry 0-3f, J Kelly 1-0, K Roche 0-2 (1tpf), P Kirwan 0-2, D Larkin 0-1, B Byrne 0-1, N Corbet 0-1, K Swayne 0-1, C Lee 0-1.
WESTMEATH: C McCormack; J Gonoud, J Geoghegan, S Smyth; B Guerin, R Wallace, J Moran; S McCartan, K O'Sullivan; M Whittaker, N Harte, S Allen; L Loughlin, S Smith, R Forde.
Subs: D Scahill for Gonoud (44), D McCartin for Smith (46), T Baker for Guerin (46), E McCabe for Whittaker (53), S Ormsby for Wallace (60).
LAOIS: K Roche; L Knowles, B Dempsey, T Collins; P Kirwan, A McEvoy, P O'Sullivan; S Lacey, D Larkin; R Coffey, K Swayne, C Heffernan; N Corbet, M Barry, B Byrne.
Subs: M Doran for McEvoy (half-time), J Darcy for Knowles (43), C Lee for Corbet (44), J Kelly for Coffey (55), J Brennan for Heffernan (63).
Referee: Martin McNally (Monaghan).
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