Derry end Westmeath dream

Derry 2-9 Westmeath 0-13

Even at half-time on Saturday, the expectation was still that Westmeath would advance to the last four for the first time in their history. That, despite the fact that they were trailing to a pair of sucker-punch goals.

The reality is that Derry’s victory was the best example of rope-a-dope tactics since Muhammad Ali bushwhacked George Foreman in Zaire all of 30 years ago. From the first minute to the 60th, Westmeath kept the scoreboard ticking over.