GAA: Sweeney completes dramatic win for Donegal

Donegal 1-7, Westmeath 0-7

It was the deadly left boot of corner-forward Adrian Sweeney which steered Donegal to a dramatic victory over Westmeath in their Allianz Division 1A at Cusack Park, Westmeath, yesterday.

The game finished in a wave of excitement with referee Charlie Collins having to receive a police escort from the pitch.

Collins had incensed home supporters when he dismissed the homesides All-Star midfiedler, Rory O’Connell for a second yellow card offence.

When the referee blew the final whistle the dismissed O’Connell had to be restrained from the referee as he made he vented his feelings at the red card, but in the end Westmeath had their chances to force at least a share of the points.

However, Michael Ennis was guilty of a dreadful miss in the closing seconds, when he shot wide with a clear goal opportunity.

Donegal playing with a very strong breeze were finding it difficult to utilise the elements to their advantage.

In fact it was the homeside who looked the more impressive outfit during the opening fifteen minutes as their close possession football helped them retain possession.

Key players like Barry Monaghan, John Gildea and Michael Hegarty were finding it difficult to create space, as the superior passing movements of Westmeath allowed them control lengthy passages of play.

Donegal needed a cushion to take in at the break but it was Westmeath who opened the scoring through a Joe Fallon pointed 45 after just three minutes.

Both sides were finding it increasingly difficult to create scoring opportunities and it was a Fallon ninth minute pointed free which put the homeside 0-2 to 0-0 clear.

The referee wasn’t consistent with many of his decisions, the respective No. 8’s Rory O’Connell and John Gildea both receiving yellow cards during a tense opening 35 minutes.

Donegal had to wait until the tenth minute for their opening score when Raymond Sweeney emerged in an attacking role out of defence to kick and excellent point.

Rory O’Connell was a very much in the thick of the action.

O’Connell was harshly penalised in the square when punching a high ball clear and from the resulting penalty, Adrian Sweeney coolly placed the ball in the bottom right hand corner of the net.

The half finished with the sides exchanging points through Joe Fallon, the homesides only score from play during that opening spell, and Donegal through substitute Johnny McCafferty, which left the visitors with a 1-3 to 0-3 interval lead.

The Ulster side were coming off the back of a marvellous victory over their neighbours Tyrone seven days earlier, while for Westmeath they were attempting to put behind a defeat to Dublin which had left them with just a single victory from their opening two games.

As the second half developed it looked as if Westmeath were going in control with Rory O’Connell beginning to stamp his authority on midfield.

Points followed from Joe Fallon and two from J.P. Casey to bring the sides level, 0-6 to 1-3 after 42 minutes.

Donegal were finding it difficult to lift themselves, but the homeside were dealt a devastating blow when O’Connell was dismissed in the 50th minute.

Donegal used their numerical advantage but it was the homeside, through a J.P. Casey pointed free, which separted the sides with sixteen minutes remaining.

Amazingly Westmeath failed to score for the remainder of the game, with Donegal storming back for points from two Adrian Sweeney frees before the tall midfielder put two between the sides one minute from the end when he coolly tapped over the bar with only the keeper to beat.

Westmeath: C. Mullin, J. Devitt, K. Ryan, K. McKinley, D. Murphy, D. Healy, J.Keane, R. O’Connell, D. O’Shaughnessy, D. Heavin, J. Fallon (0-4, 0-3 frees), P. Conway, J.P. Casey, ( 0-3, 0-2 frees). Subs: D. Gavin for Heavin; D. Mitchell for Murphy.

Donegal: T. Blake, D. Diver, M. Crossan, N.McGinley, R. Sweeney (0-1), B. Monaghan, K. Cassidy (0-1), J. Gildea, K. Rafferty, C. Toye, M. Hegarty (0-1), J. McGuinness, A. Sweeney (1-2, 1-0 pen, 0-2 frees), C. McFadden, B. Roper. Subs: J. McCafferty (0-1) for Roper (inj); P. McConigle for McGinley; J.Joran for McGuinness; P. McGonigle for McCafferty.

Referee: C. Collins (Mayo).