Rules star spearheads win for Westmeath
International Rules star Dessie Dolan played his first game under the new Westmeath manager, and the Kerry man must have been pleased with what he saw.
Another enormous attendance of 5,100 cheered warmly when Dolan was introduced in the 22nd minute of this keenly-contested O'Byrne Cup semi-final at Cusack Park, Mullingar. The Garrycastle clubman suffered a recent bout of 'flu, but returned to full training with the squad on Tuesday night last.
His influence on the game was enormous as he was fouled for four of Westmeath's points, and provided the final pass for three other scores.
In common with his Westmeath playing colleagues, Dolan declined to talk to the media after the game, but Ó Sé said it was "great to have Dessie and Martin Flanagan back in the side."
Dolan's wiles were badly needed as Westmeath found it hard to shake off a dogged Carlow side that is clearly improving under manager Mick Condon. Carlow were level at 1-8 to 0-11 with just five minutes remaining, and were feverishly chasing another big scalp following the defeat of Dublin last week.
Westmeath exploded into life and had points from Alan Mangan, Flanagan, David O'Shaughnessy, Joe Fallon and Denis Glennon (2, one free.)
This eased Westmeath clear, but they leaked a soft goal deep in injury-time, when Mark Carpenter finished to the net.
Soft goals were a problem for Westmeath yesterday though Carlow will justifiably argue that their persistence had something to do with both strikes. The first came in the 16th minute of the first-half, when Tom Stuart Trainor needlessly kicked away possession from a free.
Grateful Carlow immediately played the ball deep into the Westmeath full-back line, where Damien Gavin and Fergal Murray got their wires crossed. Possession fell to full-forward Patrick Hickey, who drew the thin line of cover remaining, before flicking across to Brian Kelly who blasted home.
"We weren't happy with the two goals," said Ó Sé afterwards. "We have an amount of work to do yet, but we are happy just to be getting games. It will not be possible to judge us until we meet the Tyrones and the Corks and the Kerrys and the Mayos."
Kelly's goal gave Carlow a one-point cushion (1-1 to 0-3) which they scarcely deserved after coming under heavy pressure in the first quarter.
It is a worry for Ó Sé that Westmeath are not clocking up big scores when they are on top in matches.This failing, allied to a tendency to make elementary errors that result in easy scores for the opposition, will keep the management team busy in the coming weeks.
Carlow carried a one-goal lead into half-time (1-5 to 0-5) and they battled on bravely when once again losing out in the possession stakes for 30 minutes of the second-half.
The intelligence of Dolan's promptings gradually brought the best out of his attacking colleagues Fallon, Mangan and Glennon, and between them they notched up eight of the eleven points second-half tally.
Carlow boss Condon was upbeat afterwards. "Our lads can be proud of how they played there today," he said. "We had three good games in January, and the lads are really up for it this year, and hopefully we will go on from here."
Westmeath's January odyssey continues, and concludes, on Sunday next when another 5,000 souls can be relied upon to turn up in Cusack Park for the O'Byrne Cup final against Meath.
Scorers: Westmeath D Glennon 0-4 (3f), J Fallon 0-3 (2f), F Wilson 0-3 (2f), A Mangan 0-2, F Dardis 0-1, D Dolan 0-1 (f), M Flanagan 0-1, D O'Shaughnessy 0-1. Carlow B Kelly 1-2 (2f), M Carpenter 1-1, S Rea 0-3 (3f), B Carpenter 0-1, J Nevin 0-1.
WESTMEATH: A Lennon; J Davitt, D Gavin, F Murray; T Stuart-Trainor, D Kilmartin, D Heavin; R O'Connell, D O'Shaughnessy; M Ennis, F Dardis, A Mangan; F Wilson, S Colleary, D Glennon. Subs: D Dolan for Dardis, 22; J Fallon for Colleary, 31; D O'Donoghue for Stuart-Trainor, 40; M Flanagan for Ennis, 47; N Kilmartin for Wilson, 71.
CARLOW: J Clarke; P Cashin, S O'Brien, B English; K Walker, J Hayden, J Kavanagh; T Walshe, M Brennan; B Carbery, J Nevin, M Carpenter; S Rea, P Hickey, B Kelly. Subs: D Byrne for Brennan, 46; J Bynre for O'Brien, 49; J McGrath for Walker, 55; G Walker for Kelly, 59.
Ref: P Reilly, Longford.
