Galway 0-13 Westmeath 1-10
JOHN HESLIN LANDED a late pressure free to maintain Westmeath’s unbeaten start in Division Two.
Despite trailing by six at the break Westmeath staged a gutsy second half comeback to rescue a share of the spoils.
Galway, with Johnny Duane excellent at centre back, dominated vast chunks of an error strewn opening period.
Westmeath created a couple of goalscoring opportunities, but they weren’t clinical and Galway were that little bit slicker at the other end initially.
Michael Meehan did drag a goal chance wide, but despite that miss the Tribesmen were motoring well with Paul Conroy also providing a threat.
The locals were ahead 0-4 to 0-2 at the end of the first quarter and from then until the interval Galway hit four points without reply.
Conroy kicked two smashing efforts, while Micheal Boyle and Gary O’Donnell also split the uprights as Galway went in at the break with a decent 0-8 to 0-2 advantage.
Westmeath improved after the restart with Kieran Martin (2), Callum McCormack, and John Heslin clipping scores to trim the deficit.
Conroy replied with a delightful score for Galway, but Westmeath remained defiant and only trailed by two in the 54th minute.
Then Pat Flanagan’s charges hit the front when Denis Cooroon ended a sweeping move with a tidy goalscoring finish.
Callum McCormack added a Westmeath point, but Galway substitute Michael Martin rifled over two frees to restore parity.
Another Galway replacement Gareth Bradshaw nudged the Tribesmen into the lead, but Heslin ensured Pat Flanagan’s outfit nicked a draw.
Scorers for Galway: Paul Conroy (0-4), Michael Martin (0-3, 3fs), Michael Meehan (0-2, 2fs), Eoin Concannon (0-1), Gary O’Donnell (0-1), Micheal Boyle (0-1), Gareth Bradshaw (0-1).
Scorers for Westmeath: Kieran Martin (0-4, 2fs), Denis Cooroon (1-0), Denis Glennon (0-2), Callum McCormack (0-2), John Heslin (0-2, 1f).
Wexford 0-10 Derry 0-19
Wexford’s Joey Wadding and Sean McGoldrick of Derry. Credit:INPHO/Ryan Byrne
DERRY OVERPOWERED WEXFORD in this afternoon’s Allianz NFL Division 2 clash at Wexford Park.
The visitors claimed a comfortable nine-point victory as Wexford paid the price for missed goal chances.
Derry finished the match with 14 players as captain Mark Lynch was dismissed late on for a second bookable offence.
But that was the only black spot on a satisfactory afternoon for the Oak Leafers, who made the long trip home with maximum points.
Each line of the field, bar goalkeeper, made a scoring contribution for classy Derry.
And their matchwinning haul included a couple of real beauties from midfielders Patsy Bradley and PJ McCloskey.
Two points separated the teams at half-time but Wexford played in fits and starts and went 16 minutes without a score in the second half.
In that time, Derry tagged on six points to gain a firm stranglehold on proceedings.
Michael Furlong and Shane Roche went close to netting Wexford goals but Derry strolled to victory in the closing stages.
Wexford managed just four points in the second half – split evenly between play and placed balls.
- Report by Jackie Cahill
2 McIlroys. A and B and flips and flops to suit himself and the circumstances. Would prefer if he just said the big money and attention is still in the US rather than skirt around the obvious!
@David Gaffney: But that is what he is saying. He lives in the state’s cause that’s where the money is and he’s never made a secret of that. He’s saying as good as the changes to the European tour are, they aren’t enough to entice the top players to change what they are doing. It’s overtly implied it what he said. Just cause he doesn’t blatantly state it doesn’t mean he’s skirting the question
@Phil Redmond:
Married to an American, his family is in America… The bggest payouts are in America… Totally understandable…
Shane is in the same boat… To play in the top competitions you have to play in the highest ranking tournaments…
@Cowboy Paddy: Exactly and the European tour events need to get much closer to the PGA in terms of prize money and ranking points if they want to start attracting the top players away from it. I doubt that will ever happen though. The PGA want to protect their place as the no 1 tour like anyone in their position would so any sign that the European tour are going to make any significant inroads into that they’ll up the prize money and keep the top players coming back to them
@Phil Redmond: it absolutely does mean he is skirting around it! Why not just say it. Why talk like a politician that is evasive and won’t commit!?
@David Gaffney: Non committal choker and mercenary. #136daystillmoreRorycomedygold