Derry 1-18
Westmeath 0-07
Nobody said it was going to be easy. And it wasn’t. Derry, away, are never an easy proposition. On this occasion it was too big of an ask for a Westmeath outfit who, despite their best efforts, were outclassed by a hungrier, slicker home side. The opening 20 minutes aside, Derry controlled this game in almost every sector.
Only four points separated the sides at the break (0-9 to 0-5 ) but Derry took complete control during the second period and ran out comfortable 14 point winners.
After an encouraging opening round performance against Galway, this defeat and the nature of it, is a major cause of concern. With no points in the bag to date it’s only natural that one would wonder where we are going to get the wins to provide the necessary points to keep us in the topflight.
Mayo, Donegal, and Dublin are all beatable if Westmeath have a full hand to choose from and up their performance. The first two sit on one point apiece following their draw last weekend in Ballybofey, Mayo doing a Houdini in the final 20 minutes. Dublin were made to look very ordinary by a Galway side who struggled to beat us and are also pointless after two outings.
Looking ahead, in my view, it won’t reflect well on Leinster football if the metropolitans add their fifth provincial title on the trot this year. Westmeath are the last county to have beaten the Dubs in Leinster and that was back in 2004. Last year was a missed opportunity from our point of view. Perhaps we can make amends this year but a poor league campaign will not help our championship prospects. Kildare could be the dark horse to watch in Leinster this year.
Kerry and Tyrone however are at least two steps ahead of the posse and at the present time we couldn’t expect to get anything from either game. Avoiding heavy defeats against these two kingpins should be the goal. I remember how the embarrassing defeats to Tyrone, Mayo, and Kerry back in 2005 lowered morale and sapped confidence from the squad. Needless to say our championship too was a washout.
Hopefully things will work out differently this year but Sundays drubbing does send out alarm signals. It shows that without our strongest 15 footballers available we cannot compete with the top teams. Derry were missing a host of regulars but have greater strength in depth than us at present.
I know it’s a pointless exercise to daydream but what a difference it would make at present if Damien Healy could be persuaded to cut short his travels, if a fit Martin Flanagan was available to pull the strings in midfield and if Fergal Wilsons trusty left boot on the wing was complemented by the speed and cunning of an in form John Connellan in the corner.
I know you can only play the hand you are dealt but these four would give us a genuine chance of maintaining our division one status and make us serious contenders in Leinster. Without them we could be in for a rough ride in the coming weeks.
Rossies robbed by last minute point
Limerick 0-14
Roscommon 1-10
A share of the spoils looked to be the most likely result when Karol Mannion kicked the equalizing point as the game entered time added on in Kilmallock on Sunday last. However in the third minute of injury time, Limerick substitute Kieran O’Callaghan broke the hearts of the travelling contingent with a late point that sealed a valuable win for the home side.
Having had it all too easy against Offaly in their opening game, this result is a reality check for O’Donnell and his men.
Four points behind midway through the first half, Roscommon finished the half strongly and trailed 0-6 to 0-5 at the break. An outstanding goal from team captain Gary Cox, who impressed throughout, brought the sides level with ten minutes remaining. Clann na Gaels’ Jonathan Dunning then put his side ahead for the first time before Cox made it 1-9 to 0-10. It looked as if the primrose and blue were on track to record their second league win.
It ain’t over till it’s over though, and Limerick fought back with three quick points to make a nail-biting finish.
O’Donnell will be hoping his men are quicker off the blocks when neighbours Longford come to visit on March 8, in a game that now has even greater importance for the Rossies following this defeat.
