Croker heartbreak for Kingdom

ANOTHER Christy Ring title for Westmeath, their third since winning in the inaugural season of 2005, cementing their position as the best of the teams-in-waiting beneath the top tier.

Heartbreak though for gallant Kerry, beaten by a superb injury-time point from young Westmeath substitute Andrew Dermody but denied seconds earlier what appeared a clear, potentially game-winning, free for a Westmeath foul handpass well within scoring range for free-taker Darragh O’Connell – then denied again seconds later of any opportunity to equalise as referee Tony Carroll from Offaly blew for full-time immediately on the subsequent puckout.

“The throw-ball is for ye to call,” said a bitterly disappointed Kerry manager John Meyler, “but he also played only 36min 8secs, that’s with three substitutions by us and three more by them in the second half – surely that was a couple of minutes on its own? There should have been at least three minutes.”