LEINSTER SFC
WESTMEATH 0-16 WICKLOW 1-10
FOR three years now the word from the Mick O’Dwyer school of thought in Wicklow has been that league doesn’t matter.
On Sunday in Tullamore as Westmeath pushed past the Garden county in the latter stages of extra time and the Wicklow attack were blocked, dispossessed, harried and harassed, the whole footballing world saw just how important league actually is.
Wicklow will look back on this game and see that the main reason they lost this game was lack of killer instinct.
Being too slow on the ball and not taking opportunities when they arrive in the wheelbarrow load like they did on Sunday might work in Division 4.
And while Westmeath are certainly no world beaters and now face a possible annihilation in front of 82,000 people providing the Dubs find their shooting boots, the Lakemen still looked the sharper and meaner and more assured when they needed to be. A harsh season in Division 1 team taught them that.
At key stages of the game they scored when they needed to. From the off they had Wicklow on the back foot.
Corner forward Conor Lynam pointed after two minutes. Fergal Wilson benefited from one of the many questionable decisions made by Joe McQuillan and pointed from a free to score the first of his five points before half forward Scally put the Midlanders three in front.
In between this Wicklow won a penalty, after Earls was put through by a lovely long fist pass from Furlong. But again, a split second delay from the St Patrick’s sharp shooter gave the Westmeath defence time to tackle him. Tony Hannon opted to take the penalty and gifted Connaughton an easy save.
A lengthy 17 minutes would pass before the misfiring Hannon would bag Wicklow’s first point. The Wicklow defence was performing manfully however. Hyland looked impenetrable at full back on Glennon while " hAnnaidh, McWalter and Paddy Dalton grew into their roles with each passing minute.
Up front Wicklow looked to have possibilities. Glynn, while not his usual rampaging self, pounced to pop over Wicklow’s second before corner back Fergal Boyle added Westmeath’s fourth after 22 minutes when set up by David O’Donohue.
Then Wicklow enjoyed a spell of dominance but awful handling and poor shooting options left only two wides recorded until Hannon pointed a free earned by Furlong following a searing run by Hyland from the back.
Minutes later a world record hand-passing attempt resulted in Dara " hAnniadh skewing wide before lightning fast corner forward Dean Odlum pounced on a Gary Conaughton dropped ball to fire in a goal.
It was a miracle how Paul Earls was not severely injured after he had followed in the wayward Thomas Walsh shot and collided with the metal post.
The restart saw Odlum show brilliantly for the long ball, turn and shoot off his left straight over the bar. Seconds later Glynn would fire wide before a Hyland foul on Glennon offered the full forward the chance to find his bearings in front of goal with an easy point.
Conor Lynam bagged a nice score before another Glennon effort as the Wicklow defence started to pick up game-ending injuries.
First Paddy Dalton left the battle clutching his shoulder. Then Damien Power picked up a nasty injury to his ankle. Referee Joe McQuillan waved play on and in the ensuing confusion Lynam slotted over another to put Westmeath ahead. Shortly after Alan Byrne would be lost to another shoulder injury.
Onwards we journeyed in this error-strewn episode as Wicklow chased Westmeath with all their might. David Duffy and Fergal Wilson kept the Westmeath score ticking over while Furlong and Hannon offered Wicklow a lifeline.
Then up stepped James Stafford with the point of the match to draw the sides level before Hannon slotted over a point in the 68th minute.
A Michael Ennis wide left Wicklow ahead by the slenderest of margins and thoughts of confusing toll charges and a baying Hill 16 played in the minds of the Wicklow faithful.
Glynn set off on a lovely run through the middle. With time and space he dallied ever so slightly where he might have shot for the point and was blocked brilliantly.
Westmeath launched up field and bagged the equalising score. A last-gasp 45 was miss hit by Hannon and extra time loomed.
Experience and playing football at a higher standard told in the pressure cooker of extra time. Glennon, for once, escaped the attentions of Hyland and pointed.
The imperial Dessie Dolan bagged another while all Wicklow had to offer was a pitiful shot for substitute Ciaran Jones that was easily gathered by Connaughton.
Hyland, stung by Glennon’s audacity, began to get on top. JP Dalton shot over a nice score to keep the Garden men in touch before Westmeath finally pulled away in the last half of extra time thanks to poor handling from Wicklow and a mercenary defence.
Wicklow will now head to the qualifiers without three of their best defenders and face a massive task depending on the draw.
Of all the balls spinning round the drum probably the least desired would be a stung Kerry. But either way the league matters, no matter what anyone says.
When did a Division 4 team last lift the Sam McGuire?
Wicklow: Meryvn Travers; Ciaran Hyland, Damien Power, Alan Byrne; Paudge McWalter, Dara " hAnnaidh, Paddy Dalton; James Stafford (.-.), Thomas Walsh; Tony Hannon (.-., .f), Leighton Glynn (.-.), Rory Nolan; Dean Odlum (.-.), Seanie Furlong (.-.), Paul Earls. Subs: Brian McGrath for Dalton (..mins), Darren Hayden (.-.) for Power (..mins, inj), Stephen Kelly for Byrne (.. mins), Ciaran Jones for Nolan (..mins), JP Dalton (.-.) for Jones (..mins), Paul Cunningham for Earls (..mins), Jones resumed as ..th man on for extra time.
Westmeath: Gary Connaughton; F Boyle, K Gavin, John Keane; David O’Donoghue, Derek Heavin, W Murtagh; Martin Flanagan, David Duffy; K Scally, J Smyth, D Harte; Fergal Wilson, Dennis Glen-non (.-...f), Conor Lynam. Subs: Michael Ennis for Scally (..mins), D Healy for Heavin (..mins), Dessie Dolan (.-., a free) for Harte (..mins), D O’Shaughnessy for Flanagan (..mins), J Connellan for Murtagh (..mins), Harte for O’Donoghue (..mins), Flanagan for Duffy (..mins), C Reilly for Smyth (..mins).
Ref: Joe McQuillan (Cavan)