ARMAGH 1-13
WESTMEATH 1-12
RONAN FAGAN
A performance laden with courage and commitment was disappointingly unrewarded as the Westmeath senior footballers succumbed to a one point defeat to Armagh in their opening All-Ireland series round robin fixture on Saturday evening.
Afforded no chance by the vast majority of GAA commentators in advance of this contest, Westmeath proved their worth over the duration, a team display which certainly merited a result and one from which many positives can be gleaned prior to the county’s fixture with Galway in TEG Cusack Park, Mullingar, on Saturday evening (throw-in, 5pm ).
An aptly executed game plan almost came to fruition in the cauldron of the BOX-IT Athletic Grounds, Dessie Dolan and his fellow management coming so close to achieving a remarkable victory over the defeated Ulster finalists.
The victors momentarily held scoring ascendancy on four minutes, but the tenacity and sharpness exuded by the Westmeath players as a unit swiftly came to the fore, the Lake County’s possession dominance reflected on the scoreboard as the first half elapsed, Ronan O’Toole’s perfectly executed goal proving vital to the visitor’s in game aspirations.
An interval lead of three points was no less than Westmeath deserved and the second half continued in a similar vein, the well oiled cogs in the maroon machine maintaining territorial dominance as the game progressed.
Such was the manner of the performance, thoughts turned towards a possible victory and a brace of crucial points, but on 67 minutes, a hopeful punt into the Westmeath rearguard caused consternation from which Armagh substitute pounced to put his team into the lead for the first time since the opening stages of the contest.
It was a heartbreak concession for Westmeath, but not deflated, the players rallied retrieving a two point deficit in injury time to restore scoring parity, a result which would have been due reward for their championship toil.
A draw was not to be realised however, Ciaran Mackin’s sole score of the contest consigning the Lake County to the minimum loss.
In what was a team performance, reminiscent of that which achieved Tailteann Cup glory in 2022, Rosemount club player, Andy McCormack, starting his first intercounty senior championship game excelled from his centre back berth, always available to receive the ball from his colleagues and creative in his play going forward.
Such a spirited team display will need to be replicated when Galway visit Mullingar this weekend. Once again many GAA commentators will cast aside Westmeath’s chances but Padraic Joyce and his management team (who were present in Armagh on Saturday ) will be wary of the threat posed by a well drilled home team.
