WESTMEATH 4-16 LONGFORD 0-9
An ultra dominant second half performance ensured Westmeath secured an important brace of Allianz National League Division 3 points in Pearse Park on Sunday afternoon.
Trailing by the scoreboard minimum at half time, the Lake County exerted possession and territorial dominance in the second half, goals from John Heslin, Sam McCartan, Lorcan Dolan and Luke Loughlin, giving due cause for league form optimism following the opening round defeat to Cavan.
Team manager, Dessie Dolan, will be content with his charges’ ability to raise their performance levels when they were needed, but will also realise that sterner tests await as Westmeath strive for ultimate promotion from the division prior to the start of their championship campaign at the end of April.
Over the duration, 10 Westmeath players impacted the scoreboard (another positive aspect from this performance ), John Heslin top-scoring with 1-5.
A 19 point victory is certain to build confidence within the squad as the league campaign progresses, a repeat of the Tailteann Cup semi-final awaiting on Sunday, February 19, when Offaly are the visitors to TEG Cusack Park.
Buoyed by two league victories to date, Offaly will journey to Mullingar brimming with confidence, the Lake County striving to maintain winning momentum and earn a repeat result of the Tailteann Cup semi-final in their quest for promotion.
Hurlers Taste Defeat
Meanwhile, the Westmeath senior hurlers were comprehensively defeated by Clare in their opening Allianz National League Division 1 encounter played in Cusack Park, Ennis, on Sunday afternoon.
Joe Fortune’s charges were no match for their Munster opposition who enjoyed a 25 point victory, Killian Doyle being Westmeath’s scorer in chief with eight points over the game’s duration.
Westmeath host Wexford in TEG Cusack Park, Mullingar, this Sunday afternoon (throw in, 2pm ) and will be hoping to add to their opposition’s woes, Darragh Egan’s team slipping to an eight point defeat to Galway in their opening league fixture on Saturday night.
