First-half push takes Westmeath past Clare in Ennis

Sam McCartan had five points for Westmeath. Pic: ©INPHO/James Lawlor

Allianz FL Division 3: Westmeath 2-19 Clare 1-17 

A tale of contrasting form as Westmeath maintained their flawless start to 2026 with a gritty away victory over a Clare side struggling for consistency in Zimmer Biomet Pàirc Chiosóg.

Soaring to a first O’Byrne Cup in seven years a fortnight earlier, Mark McHugh’s side rode their luck against Sligo but were much more recognisable when leading the home side for the last 50 minutes in a merited triumph.

The sides were level at 0-4 to 0-4 by the 26th minute but it was a wind-assisted Westmeath that upped the ante considerably for the remainder of the half as they royally punished any errors to outscore their hosts by 1-6 to 0-1.

Talisman Sam McCartan lofted over his second two-pointer, Matthew Whittaker, substitute TJ Cox and Ronan Wallace opened their accounts before capping their final flourish with an injury-time goal. It stemmed from a Clare kick-out that went straight out for a lineball, with Danny McCartan feeding Luke Loughlin to crash his shot off the crossbar and out before Whittaker teed up Ronan Wallace to make no mistake with the rebound at 1-10 to 0-05.

With Loughlin himself ensuring a nine point cushion for the visitors immediately on the restart, the only way was up for Clare and they duly obliged with a pair of two-pointers through Aaron Griffin and Mark McInerney lifting the home spirits before Cormac Murray centred for corner-back Alan Sweeney to crash home a 42nd minute goal at 1-13 to 1-09.

A resurgent Banner would actually lower the arrears to just two by the turn of the final quarter when Eoin Cleary’s two point attempt came in off the left post at 1-15 to 1-13. However, having expended great energy just to get within striking distance, Paul Madden’s side simply couldn’t maintained that momentum.

Instead, a relieved Westmeath kept the scoreboard ticking over with points through Cox and Loughlin before grabbing the clinching goal entering the final ten minutes. It would be a fortuitous score as Sam McCartan’s point attempt ricocheted off the upright to the waiting arms of substitute Brian Cooney to finish to the net on their way to a 2-18 to 1-13 advantage by the 62nd minute.

Clare admirably bounced back off the ropes with the next four points including a second two-pointer for Aaron Griffin to half the arrears to just four. However, it was Westmeath that largely dictated the five minutes of additional time on their way to a second successive league win.

Scorers for Westmeath: S McCartan 0-5 (2tp); R Wallace 1-2; L Loughlin 0-3 (1f); B Cooney 1-0; K O’Sullivan, M Whittaker, R Connellan, TJ Cox 0-2 each; R Forde 0-1 

Scorers for Clare: A Griffin 0-7 (2tp, 1f); E Cleary (1tp), M McInerney (1tp, 1f) 0-3 each; A Sweeney 1-0; B McNamara 0-2; C Murray, J Stack 0-1 each 

WESTMEATH: J Connaughton; D Scahill, C Drumm, B Sayeh; B Guerin, T Baker, R Wallace; J Lynam, R Connellan; M Whittaker, S McCartan, K O’Sullivan; S Baker, L Loughlin, D McCartan 

Subs: TJ Cox for Guerin (29), B Cooney for S. Baker (HT), T Molloy for D. McCartan (56), R Forde for O’Sullivan (70), S Allen for Connellan (73) 

CLARE: S Ryan; A Sweeney, R Lanigan, M Doherty; D Coughlan, I Ugwueru, C Brennan; B McNamara, D Bohannon; B Rouine, E Cleary, A Griffin; J Rafferty, M McInerney, C Murray 

Subs: C Meaney for Rafferty (47), C O’Dea for Rouine (56), G Murray for C. Murray (61), M Garry for Brennan (62), J Stack for Cleary (67) 

Referee: D Murnane (Cork)