Leinster U20 FC: Wins for Westmeath, Longford, Wicklow, and Wexford
Ben McGauran scored 1-2 in the final stages of this first round Leinster U20 Championship tie at St Conleth's Park as Westmeath snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in a thrilling finale.
Kildare led by thee points on three occasions during a first half that they largely dominated but Westmeath scored three of the last four points to trail by 0-7 to 0-6 at half-time.
It was nip and tuck through the second half and in a tight game a goal was always going to be crucial. Kildare looked to have positioned themselves well to go and win the game when substitute Neil Aherne sidestepped goalkeeper Michael Lynam and score to make it 1-12 to 0-12 in the 53rd minute.
Kevin O’Sullivan replied with a good score but when Mikey McGovern landed a beauty from the left sideline, Kildare looked well set for victory.
However, McGauran finished off an unforgettable night for himself and his team with late burst of a goal and two frees and Westmeath march on into the next round.
Westmeath: M Lynam; J Gaham, C Drumm, C Daly, E Gaffney, D Seery, M Byrne; J Murtagh, C Daly; S Flemming 0-1, K O’Sullivan 0-2, B Kelly 0-1, J Torpey, B McGauren 1-10 (0-10fs), D Hill. Subs: S O’Connor 0-1m for Flemming, 46; S Baker for Torpey, 46; L Moran for Daly, 49; J McDonnell for Kelly, 49.
Kildare: C Burke; D O’Donoghue 0-1, C Boran, D Higgins, T Martin 0-1, P McDermott 0-1, T Gill 0-1; J Cleary, L Killian; M Curtin 0-1f, P Behan, N O’Regan 0-1, J Dalton, A Browne, E Bagnall 0-5 (0-3fs),. Subs: S Farrell 0-1 for Browne, 19; S Moore for Higgins, 40; N Aherne 1-0 for Dalton, 43; M McGovern 0-1 for Behan, 49.
Referee: Fintan Piece (Offaly)
Referee Shea Farrelly thrust himself firmly into the spotlight as Longford repelled a gutsy Louth fightback in Haggardstown.
The Dublin official appeared to signal a Louth win when he blew for full-time triggering wild celebrations by the home side. However, after a long delay, during which he consulted his umpires and officials from both sides, he awarded the victory to Longford.
All that came after what had been a sensational game. Longford surged into a 3-3 to no score lead inside five minutes. A Jay Hughes goal for Louth cut the half-time gap to five, 3-7 to 1-8. A second goal from Hughes set up a dramatic second-half, but Longford managed to keep their distance until a stunning strike by Louth wing-back Gabriel Bell made it 4-11 to 3-12 in the final minute of normal-time before the late drama.
Scorers for Longford: K McGann 1-5, D Reynolds 1-3 (2f), E Finneran 1-0, J Duggan 1-0, E McCormack, T McNevin, F Hourican 0-1 each.
Scorers for Louth: J Hughes 2-2, G Bell 1-2, C McCaul 0-3 (2f), C Gillespie 0-4 (2f), L Matthews (’45), G Stewart 0-1 each.
LONGFORD: O Duffy; J Kajan, D Moffett, J Kiernan; J Donnelly, J Moran, F Hourican; M Kajan, T McNevin; D O’Connell, J Martin, T McNevin; K McGann, E McCormack, D Reynolds. Subs: C Leonard for J Martin (ht), J Duggan for E McCormack (50).
LOUTH: J Gordon; G Browne, G Stewart, D Lally; J McDonnell, C Murphy, G Bell; S Healy, C McCaul; J Commins, D Nally, B Collier; M Begley, J Hughes, C Gillespie. Subs: T Jackson for C Lally (18), L Matthews for J Commins (47).
Ref: S Farrelly (Dublin)
Laois led by three points with 54 minutes on the clock but a sensational turnaround from Wicklow saw them kick 1-1 in injury time to advance to the next round of the U20 football championship.
Laois had the upper hand throughout but the introduction of Matthew Ging with 10 minutes to go changed the game with the Tinahely man kicking four points to help steer his side to a big win on home soil.
Goals from Rioghan Murphy and Adam Dunne had Laois in control at half time but they never put Wicklow away.
Wicklow never gave in and snatched it at the end to advance while Laois are out of the championship.
Scorers for Laois: R Murphy 1-2 (0-2f), C Dunne 0-4 (0-3f), A Dunne 1-1, K Swayne 0-1 Scorers for Wicklow: E Darcy 2-1, M Ging 0-4 (0-3f), J Keogh 0-3f, K Quinn 0-2 (0-1m), E Byrne 0-1.
LAOIS: T Wright; C Bennett, A Dunne, S Greene; E Delaney, A Connolly, F Holland; K Swayne, C Burke; R Murphy, D Larkin, S O'Neill; R Bolger, C Dunne, C Goode. Subs: Sean M Corcoran for K Swayne (temp 34-36), D Galvin for R Bolger (48), B Dempsey for F Holland (48), J Lacey for S O'Neill (57), Sean M Corcoran for E Delaney (60+3)
WICKLOW: J Sargent; C Grimes, M Stone, T Moran; G Fogarty, Z Cullen, C Maguire; E Byrne, S Crowley; S O'Dowd, J Keogh, C McDonald; E Darcy, K Quinn, O Cullen. Subs: J Brady for C Maguire (40), M Ging for O Cullen (49)
Referee: A Coyne (Westmeath)
Wexford goals in each half from forwards Jack Higgins and Conor Kehoe provided the platform for a seven point victory for the Model County over hosts Carlow, in an uninspiring 1st round Leinster U-20 FC tie at Netwatch Cullen Park last evening.
The major difference between the sides was that Wexford had a cutting edge in attack, with the outstlanding Kehoe nabbing 1-3 from open play. By comparison no Carlow forward scored from play with their midfielders, Luke Connolly and Niall Hickey, two of their best players, scoring a brace of points apiece, while full back Jack McCullagh was their other stand-out player.
Wexford led 1-5 to 0-2 at half time and a cracking goal from Kehoe immediately after the second water break killed off a wasteful Carlow side, who kicked a total of 12 wides.
Scorers for Wexford: C Kehoe 1-3, J Higgins 1-1, C Regan 0-2, A Larkin (f), J O’Leary, R Fitzpatrick 0-1 each.
Scorers for Carlow: A Keating 0-3f, L Connolly, N Hickey 0-2 each, B Byrne 0-1f.
Wexford: A Larkin; C Lyne, B Cushe, P Darcy; Z Firman, J Bolger, S Carley; C Hughes, L Doyle; A Mahoney, S Pettitt, J Higgins; C Kinsella, J O’Leary, C Kehoe. Subs: C Regan for Mahoney (39); J O’Leary for Darcy (45); J Curtis for Doyle (50); R Fitzpatrick for Hughes (injured) (53); R O’Brien for O’Leary (55).
Carlow: C Kavanagh; A Nolan, J McCullagh, J Dunne; S Smithers, F Kavanagh, P McDonnell; L Connolly, N Hickey; P Regan, B Dorgan, F Fitzpatrick; A Keating, C Byrne, B Byrne. Subs: S Buggy for Dunne (25); M Foley for C Byrne (34); P Deering for Nolan (39); C O’Brien for B Byrne (49).
Referee: G Hurley (Westmeath).
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