Armagh 'a wee bit sloppy' but still see off gritty Westmeath
WEE BIT SLOPPY: Armagh manager Kieran McGeeney before the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Round 1 match between Armagh and Westmeath at the Box It Athletic Grounds in Armagh. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile
ARMAGH encountered difficulty in brushing off the challenge of a gritty Westmeath side in this All-Ireland qualifier Group 1 game at the Athletic Grounds.mac
The home side had been hoping for a morale-boosting victory in the wake of their setback against Donegal in the Ulster final but instead they found themselves immersed in a compelling battle in which their opponents neither sought nor gave any quarter.
Yet when Armagh slipped into a 0-4 to 0-2 lead within the opening eleven minutes it looked as if they might build comfortably on this advantage.
But Westmeath were not to be deterred and with Ray Connellan a significant force at midfield and Sean McCartan a thorn in the side of the hosts, Dessie Dolan’s side launched a series of forays into their visitors’ territory.
However, their inability to take scoring chances and surrender possession on other occasions did not help their cause and with Conor Turbitt, Rory Grugan and Oisin Conaty in form up front, Armagh held a 0-6 to 0-4 interval advantage.
But when they exerted a much more efficient attacking surge in the third quarter, it appeared as if Kieran McGeeney’s side might be about to unleash a scoring blitz.
In the event, though, they were contained by the visitors’ defence and although Turbitt, Grugan and substitute Aidan Nugent all found the target, Westmeath were still very much in contention.
When Luke Loughlin and John Heslin landed points for the midlands side , they ensured that the visitors would not find themselves adrift although Armagh managed to close the game out without undue difficulty.
Afterwards their manager Kieran McGeeney was philosophical as he pondered his team’s performance in the light of their upcoming All-Ireland qualifiers against Derry and Galway, teams which have not been kind to them in the past.
“There was a wee bit of sloppiness but sometimes that happens after a penalty shootout” said McGeeney, referring to his team’s heartbreak penalty shoot-out that decided the recent All-Ireland final.
“They are hard ones to get over, there’s no point saying otherwise. We knew Westmeath were going to be tough and we had to be ready for them. Thankfully we have moved on and now we have two other important qualifier ties to come which we have to be ready for.
“There was a very strong breeze in the first half which dropped in the second half but the boys put in a good shift, I was happy with it.
“Obviously you are always looking for improvements yet at the same time you have to try and cope with injuries. Rian O’Neill missed this game against Westmeath but we hope to have him back shortly but on the other hand it was a big blow to lose Conor O'Neill on Saturday night.
“The indications are that he could be out for a spell and that is not encouraging for us.”
R Grugan (0-5, 2f), C Turbitt (0-3, 1f), O Conaty and A Nugent (0-2 each), C O’Neill, C Mackin, T Kelly, S Campbell, (0-1 each).
J Heslin (0-3, 2f), R O’Toole, S McCartan, K Maguire (0-2 each), R Forde, L Loughlin (0-1 each).
B Hughes; B McCambridge, A McKay, P McGrane; C O’Neill, C Mackin, A Forker; T Kelly, B Crowley; J McElroy, R Grugan, S Campbell; O Conaty, A Murnin, C Turbitt.
G McCabe for O’Neill (25 mins), O O’Neill for Crealey (half-time), A Nugent for Turbitt (59), J Og Burns for Murnin (68).
J Daly; J Gonoud, K Maguire, J Dolan; S McCartan, R Wallace, C Drumm; R Connellan, D McCormack; J Lynam, R O’Toole, C Dillon; L Loughlin, J Heslin, R Forde.
M Whittaker for Dillon (37), D Lynch for Fire (54), K Martin for Gonoud (60), S Smith for Loughlin (68).
Conor Lane (Cork).
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