WE GUIDED YOU through every kick of the ball in Croke Park. Get in touch in the usual ways.
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12 Jul 2015
1:35PM
Hello and welcome to our coverage to the 2015 Leinster football final.
This is very much a case of David versus Goliath but Westmeath fans will take heart from the fact their side has managed to score 7-54 in three championship games so far against Louth, Wexford and, of course, Meath.
However, Dublin have amassed 9-43 in just two facile wins over Longford and Kildare so fans of the Lake County have every reason to be fearful.
12 Jul 2015
1:38PM
History is not on Tom Cribben’s men’s side either with Dublin claiming four of the last five championship meetings between the pair, Westmeath’s last win coming 11 years ago:
13. Dean Rock (Ballymun Kickhams)
14. Kevin McManamon (St Judes)
15. Bernard Brogan (St Oliver Plunketts/Eoghan Ruadh)
12 Jul 2015
1:50PM
There are two changes for the Westmeath from the side named earlier in the week with John Connellan and Daragh Daly missing out, 17. Frank Boyle (Killucan) and 24. David Lynch coming in.
Westmeath team
1. Darren Quinn (Tyrrellspass)
2. Killian Daly (Mullingar Shamrocks)
3. Kevin Maguire (Caulry)
4. John Gilligan (Ballymore)
5. Paddy Holloway (Castledaly)
6. Kieran Martin (Maryland)
7. James Dolan (Garrycastle)
8. Denis Corroon (Mullingar Shamrocks)
17. Frank Boyle (Killucan)
10. Ger Egan (Tyrrellspass, capt.)
11. Paul Sharry (St Loman’s)
12. Ray Connellan (Athlone)
24. David Lynch (St. Malachy’s)
14. John Heslin (St Loman’s)
15. Shane Dempsey (St Loman’s)
12 Jul 2015
1:56PM
Here are the substitutes for today’s game:
DUBLIN: 16. Michael Savage (St. Vincent’s), 17. Paddy Andrews (St. Brigid’s), 18. Denis Bastick (Templeogue/Synge Street), 19. Tomás Brady (Na Fianna), 20. Alan Brogan (St Oliver Plunketts/Eoghan Ruadh), 21. David Byrne (Naomh Olaf), 22. Cormac Costello (Whitehall Colmcille), 23. Michael Fitzsimmons (Cuala), 24. Eric Lowndes (St. Peregrine’s), 25. Emmet Ó Conghaile (Lucan Sarsfields), 26. John Small (Ballymun Kickhams).
WESTMEATH: 16. Gary Connaughton (Tubberclair), 9. Daragh Daly (Mullingar Shamrocks), 18. John Egan (Athlone), 19. Ronan Foley (Coralstown/Kinnegad), 20. Ciarain Gavin (Mullingar Shamrocks), 21. Denis Glennon (Tyrrellspass), 22. Jamie Gonoud (Tyrrellspass), 23. Paul Greville (Killucan), 13. John Connellan (Athlone), 25. Callum McCormack (Maryland), 26. Alan Stone (Castledaly).
12 Jul 2015
2:02PM
The crowd stands for the national anthem and we’re almost under way.
12 Jul 2015
2:03PM
Dublin 0-0 Westmeath 0-0
Joe McQuillan from Cavan starts the 2015 Leinster football final.
12 Jul 2015
2:05PM
Westmeath 0-1 Dublin 0-0
John Heslin gets the first score of the game from a close-range free. He’s the only Westmeath man with 45 yards of goal too.
12 Jul 2015
2:06PM
Westmeath 0-1 Dublin 0-0
Diarmuid Connolly asks for Hawk-Eye as he’s sure his shot is over but the technology says Níl.
12 Jul 2015
2:09PM
Westmeath 0-1 Dublin 0-0
Joe McQuillian gives Westmeath the advantage but eventually calls it back for a free. Kieran Martin takes this one with his left and it goes horribly wide.
12 Jul 2015
2:10PM
Westmeath 0-1 Dublin 0-1
After Dublin string together two dozen passes, Philly McMahon points a lovely score.
12 Jul 2015
2:12PM
Westmeath 0-1 Dublin 0-1
Yellow: Michael Darragh Macauley picks up the game’s first for an off-the-ball incident.
12 Jul 2015
2:16PM
Westmeath 0-1 Dublin 0-1
An awful lot of the play so far has been in the middle of the park and Dublin’s shooting hasn’t exactly been stellar so far, their last two efforts dropping well short.
12 Jul 2015
2:17PM
Dublin 0-2 Westmeath 0-1
Dublin lead for the first time, James McCarthy with the effort.
12 Jul 2015
2:17PM
Dublin 0-3 Westmeath 0-1
Michael Darragh Macauley storms through and fists over to make it a two-point game.
12 Jul 2015
2:20PM
Dublin 0-3 Westmeath 0-1
Lots of complaints on social media about Westmeath’s defensive tactics but it’s worth remembering that Kildare were already beaten at this stage.
12 Jul 2015
2:22PM
Dublin 0-4 Westmeath 0-1
The defending champions now lead by three points after Dean Rock’s tap-over free.
12 Jul 2015
2:23PM
Dublin 0-5 Westmeath 0-1
A soft free for Dublin there but Rock doesn’t care as he makes it a quick-fire double.
12 Jul 2015
2:28PM
Dublin 0-5 Westmeath 0-1
Yellow Cards: John Heslin and Jonny Cooper both see a flash of yellow for an incident in the Dublin defence.
12 Jul 2015
2:29PM
Dublin 0-5 Westmeath 0-2
Heslin has his and Westmeath’s second score from a free. The gap is down to three.
12 Jul 2015
2:31PM
Dublin 0-5 Westmeath 0-2
Diarmuid Connolly points a lovely score, his first of the day and Dublin lead by four again.
12 Jul 2015
2:33PM
Dublin 0-7 Westmeath 0-2
The first real goal chance for Dublin but Ciaran Kilkenny’s blasted effort goes over.
12 Jul 2015
2:36PM
Dublin 0-7 Westmeath 0-3
Kieran Martin with Westmeath’s first score from play with four minutes to the break.
12 Jul 2015
2:37PM
Dublin 0-7 Westmeath 0-3
Kilkenny with Dublin’s seventh wide of the game.
12 Jul 2015
2:38PM
Dublin 0-7 Westmeath 0-4
John Heslin kicks his third point, his first from play.
12 Jul 2015
2:38PM
Dublin 0-8 Westmeath 0-4
Kilkenny makes amends for his earlier miss to make it double scores almost immediately.
Well now. That’s not exactly the high-scoring, free-flowing affair many Dublin fans would have expected and while it may not be a spectacle, it’s certainly an intriguing affair.
Join us for the second half shortly.
Tommy Grealy / INPHO
Tommy Grealy / INPHO / INPHO
12 Jul 2015
2:47PM
“Barcelona would have trouble getting through this blanket defence.”
- Colm O’Rourke at half-time on The Sunday Game Live.
And just like that, this game is over. Two goals in the space of a minute as Dublin finally put pressure on the Westmeath kickout. Brogan and McCaffery with the maximums.
Connolly and Martin exchange points.
12 Jul 2015
3:09PM
Dublin 2-10 Westmeath 0-6
Frank Boyle gets his first point of the day to reduce the gap to 10.
Sub: Kevin McManamon is replaced by 17. Paddy Andrews
James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
Sub: 18. Denis Bastick is on for Michael Darragh Macauley while 25. Callum McCormack replaces Ray Connellan for Westmeath.
12 Jul 2015
3:15PM
Dublin 2-10 Westmeath 0-6
Sub: 21 Denis Glennon is on for Paddy Holloway.
12 Jul 2015
3:17PM
Dublin 2-10 Westmeath 0-6
Sub: 20. Alan Brogan replaces Dean Rock with 15 minutes to play.
12 Jul 2015
3:19PM
Dublin 2-11 Westmeath 0-6
And like he did against Kildare, Alan Brogan points with his first touch of the ball.
12 Jul 2015
3:25PM
Dublin 2-11 Westmeath 0-6
Kilkenny scores a lovely point for Dublin and they’re still in first gear.
Subs: 26. John Small is on for Philly McMahon while 18. John Egan is on in place of John Heslin for Westmeath. Worrying for the Lake County ahead of the Qualifiers.
12 Jul 2015
3:28PM
Dublin 2-13 Westmeath 0-6
Croke Park is devoid of all atmosphere with five minutes to play. You’d never think Dublin were about to win a provincial title. Brogan (Bernard) adds another point.
There you go, for the second time in 11 years, Dublin have made it five Leinster titles in a row. Westmeath only managed two points in the second half.
We’re sorry you had to endure that — unless of course you’re a Dublin fan — but you’d have to worry about what benefit the Leinster championship has been to Dublin as they get set for tougher tests from the All-Ireland quarter-finals on.
12 Jul 2015
3:37PM
That’s all from us. Be sure to flick over to our coverage of the Munster hurling final which should, hopefully, prove a better spectacle:
As it happened: Dublin v Westmeath, Leinster football final
WE GUIDED YOU through every kick of the ball in Croke Park. Get in touch in the usual ways.
Tweet us @The42GAA, find us on Facebook, send your emails to steve@the42.ie or leave a comment below.
Hello and welcome to our coverage to the 2015 Leinster football final.
This is very much a case of David versus Goliath but Westmeath fans will take heart from the fact their side has managed to score 7-54 in three championship games so far against Louth, Wexford and, of course, Meath.
However, Dublin have amassed 9-43 in just two facile wins over Longford and Kildare so fans of the Lake County have every reason to be fearful.
History is not on Tom Cribben’s men’s side either with Dublin claiming four of the last five championship meetings between the pair, Westmeath’s last win coming 11 years ago:
Oh and if you were thinking of backing Dublin today, there’s probably very little point unless you’re a millionaire:
A €10,000 bet on Dublin to win the Leinster final will win you just €20
The defending champions line-up exactly as Jim Gavin named them on Friday evening.
DUBLIN
1. Stephen Cluxton (Parnells)
2. Jonny Cooper (Na Fianna)
3. Rory O’Carroll (Kilmacud Crokes)
4. Philly McMahon (Ballymun Kickhams)
5. James McCarthy (Ballymun Kickhams)
6. Cian O’Sullivan (Kilmacud Crokes)
7. Jack McCaffrey (Clontarf)
8. Brian Fenton (Raheny)
9. Michael Darragh Macauley (Ballyboden St Endas)
10. Paul Flynn (Fingallians)
11. Ciaran Kilkenny (Castleknock)
12. Diarmuid Connolly (St Vincents)
13. Dean Rock (Ballymun Kickhams)
14. Kevin McManamon (St Judes)
15. Bernard Brogan (St Oliver Plunketts/Eoghan Ruadh)
There are two changes for the Westmeath from the side named earlier in the week with John Connellan and Daragh Daly missing out, 17. Frank Boyle (Killucan) and 24. David Lynch coming in.
Westmeath team
1. Darren Quinn (Tyrrellspass)
2. Killian Daly (Mullingar Shamrocks)
3. Kevin Maguire (Caulry)
4. John Gilligan (Ballymore)
5. Paddy Holloway (Castledaly)
6. Kieran Martin (Maryland)
7. James Dolan (Garrycastle)
8. Denis Corroon (Mullingar Shamrocks)
17. Frank Boyle (Killucan)
10. Ger Egan (Tyrrellspass, capt.)
11. Paul Sharry (St Loman’s)
12. Ray Connellan (Athlone)
24. David Lynch (St. Malachy’s)
14. John Heslin (St Loman’s)
15. Shane Dempsey (St Loman’s)
Here are the substitutes for today’s game:
The crowd stands for the national anthem and we’re almost under way.
Dublin 0-0 Westmeath 0-0
Joe McQuillan from Cavan starts the 2015 Leinster football final.
Westmeath 0-1 Dublin 0-0
John Heslin gets the first score of the game from a close-range free. He’s the only Westmeath man with 45 yards of goal too.
Westmeath 0-1 Dublin 0-0
Diarmuid Connolly asks for Hawk-Eye as he’s sure his shot is over but the technology says Níl.
Westmeath 0-1 Dublin 0-0
Joe McQuillian gives Westmeath the advantage but eventually calls it back for a free. Kieran Martin takes this one with his left and it goes horribly wide.
Westmeath 0-1 Dublin 0-1
After Dublin string together two dozen passes, Philly McMahon points a lovely score.
Westmeath 0-1 Dublin 0-1
Yellow: Michael Darragh Macauley picks up the game’s first for an off-the-ball incident.
Westmeath 0-1 Dublin 0-1
An awful lot of the play so far has been in the middle of the park and Dublin’s shooting hasn’t exactly been stellar so far, their last two efforts dropping well short.
Dublin 0-2 Westmeath 0-1
Dublin lead for the first time, James McCarthy with the effort.
Dublin 0-3 Westmeath 0-1
Michael Darragh Macauley storms through and fists over to make it a two-point game.
Dublin 0-3 Westmeath 0-1
Lots of complaints on social media about Westmeath’s defensive tactics but it’s worth remembering that Kildare were already beaten at this stage.
Dublin 0-4 Westmeath 0-1
The defending champions now lead by three points after Dean Rock’s tap-over free.
Dublin 0-5 Westmeath 0-1
A soft free for Dublin there but Rock doesn’t care as he makes it a quick-fire double.
Dublin 0-5 Westmeath 0-1
Yellow Cards: John Heslin and Jonny Cooper both see a flash of yellow for an incident in the Dublin defence.
Dublin 0-5 Westmeath 0-2
Heslin has his and Westmeath’s second score from a free. The gap is down to three.
Dublin 0-5 Westmeath 0-2
Diarmuid Connolly points a lovely score, his first of the day and Dublin lead by four again.
Dublin 0-7 Westmeath 0-2
The first real goal chance for Dublin but Ciaran Kilkenny’s blasted effort goes over.
Dublin 0-7 Westmeath 0-3
Kieran Martin with Westmeath’s first score from play with four minutes to the break.
Dublin 0-7 Westmeath 0-3
Kilkenny with Dublin’s seventh wide of the game.
Dublin 0-7 Westmeath 0-4
John Heslin kicks his third point, his first from play.
Dublin 0-8 Westmeath 0-4
Kilkenny makes amends for his earlier miss to make it double scores almost immediately.
We’ll have one minute of additional time.
HALF-TIME – Dublin 0-8 Westmeath 0-4
Well now. That’s not exactly the high-scoring, free-flowing affair many Dublin fans would have expected and while it may not be a spectacle, it’s certainly an intriguing affair.
Join us for the second half shortly.
- Colm O’Rourke at half-time on The Sunday Game Live.
47,840 is the official attendance in HQ today.
The second half is under way and we’ve three changes.
23. Michael Fitzsimmons replaces Jonny Cooper for Dublin while 20. Ciarain Gavin and 23. Paul Greville are on for Shane Dempsey and David Lynch.
Dublin 0-9 Westmeath 0-4
Dublin really forgot their shooting boots today as another effort, this time from a Dean Rock free, drops short.
Diarmuid Connolly didn’t get the memo though and he slices over his second point.
GOAL! BERNARD BROGAN – Dublin 1-9 Westmeath 0-4
GOAL! JACK MCCAFFERY – Dublin 2-9 Westmeath 0-4
Dublin 2-10 Westmeath 0-5
And just like that, this game is over. Two goals in the space of a minute as Dublin finally put pressure on the Westmeath kickout. Brogan and McCaffery with the maximums.
Connolly and Martin exchange points.
Dublin 2-10 Westmeath 0-6
Frank Boyle gets his first point of the day to reduce the gap to 10.
Sub: Kevin McManamon is replaced by 17. Paddy Andrews
The view moments before Bernard Brogans goal.
Sub: 18. Denis Bastick is on for Michael Darragh Macauley while 25. Callum McCormack replaces Ray Connellan for Westmeath.
Dublin 2-10 Westmeath 0-6
Sub: 21 Denis Glennon is on for Paddy Holloway.
Dublin 2-10 Westmeath 0-6
Sub: 20. Alan Brogan replaces Dean Rock with 15 minutes to play.
Dublin 2-11 Westmeath 0-6
And like he did against Kildare, Alan Brogan points with his first touch of the ball.
Dublin 2-11 Westmeath 0-6
Kilkenny scores a lovely point for Dublin and they’re still in first gear.
Subs: 26. John Small is on for Philly McMahon while 18. John Egan is on in place of John Heslin for Westmeath. Worrying for the Lake County ahead of the Qualifiers.
Dublin 2-13 Westmeath 0-6
Croke Park is devoid of all atmosphere with five minutes to play. You’d never think Dublin were about to win a provincial title. Brogan (Bernard) adds another point.
Sub: 19. Tomás Brady replaces Diarmuid Connolly
FULL-TIME – Dublin 2-13 Westmeath 0-6
There you go, for the second time in 11 years, Dublin have made it five Leinster titles in a row. Westmeath only managed two points in the second half.
We’re sorry you had to endure that — unless of course you’re a Dublin fan — but you’d have to worry about what benefit the Leinster championship has been to Dublin as they get set for tougher tests from the All-Ireland quarter-finals on.
That’s all from us. Be sure to flick over to our coverage of the Munster hurling final which should, hopefully, prove a better spectacle:
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