Goals take it away from Wexford

Wexford 1-14 Westmeath 2-15

(HT: Wexford 0-9 Westmeath 0-11)

Des Dolan was, as expected, the star of the first half, in a drizzly Croke Park with a swirling wind that saw a lot of poor handling, especially from the Wexford players.

Dolan scored five of Westmeath’s first-half tally of 11, with three coming in quick succession in the 23rd, 24th and 25th minutes.

Matty Forde was playing the star role for Wexford, also scoring five, but being shown the yellow card for rough play in the 31st minute.

In the second half, substitute Shane Colleary scored the game’s first goal for Westmeath in the 57th minute.

Not to be outdone, Des Dolan added another seven minutes later. Wexford didn’t have long to mull over Paídí Ó Sé’s men’s sudden untouchable status, as Jason Lawler soon grabbed a consolation goal for the Garden county. Unfortunately, with 67 minutes on the clock, it was too little too late.

Wexford did pick up their performance in the second half, and were just beginning to trouble Westmeath when the goals started to go in.

The misery of having a fight-back snatched away with those two goals was compounded for Wexford when local favourite Forde was sent off in the final minute for a second bookable offence.

Wexford: John Cooper, Darragh Breen, Phillip Wallace, Niall Murphy, Redmond Barry, David Murphy, Leigh O'Brien, Paddy Colfer, Willie Carley, David Fogarty, John Hudson (Darren Browne 53), Pat Forde (Robert Hassey 61), Jason Lawlor, Darren Foran (John Hegarty 35), Matty Forde (sent off 70).

Westmeath: Gary Connaughton, James Davitt, Donal O'Donaghue, John Keane, Michael Ennis, Damien Healy, Derek Heavin, Gary Dolan (Shane Colleary 46), David O'Shaughnessy, Brian Morley (Joe Fallen 54), Paul Conway, David Mitchell (Colin Galligan, 48), Alan Mangan, Denis Glennon (JP Casey 69), Des Dolan.