Gaelic Games

Westmeath come within inches of shocking Tyrone in dramatic finish

Ulster men escape with draw that sends them through to the knockout stages

Westmeath’s David Lynch and Darragh Canavan of Tyrone. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho
Westmeath’s David Lynch and Darragh Canavan of Tyrone. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho
Francis Mooney
Sun Jun 18 2023 - 20:31

Tyrone 0-18 Westmeath 0-18

Westmeath came within inches of shocking Tyrone and claiming a place in the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-finals in a dramatic finish at Kingspan Breffni Park.

John Heslin’s stoppage-time free drifted just wide deep into stoppage time, and the Ulster men escaped with a draw that sends them through to the knockout stages.

They will have to travel to take on either Donegal, Kildare or Cork next weekend, and have Darragh Canavan to thank for the ticket to the knockout stages, his 10-point haul helping them recover from a flat first-half performance.

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They went three clear in the closing stages, but the Midlanders displayed immense courage and spirit to drag themselves back, with scores from Kieran Martin, Heslin and Ray Connellan to tie it up.

“We’re glad to be on the road next week, for it didn’t look there at the end like as if we were going to be on any road next week, only the road home,” said a relieved Brian Dooher, Tyrone’s joint manager.

“Thankfully we got a draw out of it, and we’re still going anyway, were still alive, and that’s the main thing.

“Ultimately we wanted a result today. We wanted a win, we didn’t get it, we got a draw. We’ll take it and go on.”

Westmeath boss Dessie Dolan expressed his pride in a group of players that emerged from the series with reputations greatly enhanced.

“The one thing our lads never did was drop their heads. I think that’s something which we can be very proud of that we gave the performance until the very end,” he said.

“It was a difficult group when you heard that you’re playing – Armagh away, Galway at home and then this game against Tyrone.

“You knew it was going to be difficult but I’m proud of the players because they played exceptionally well in the games and performed at a very high level.

“I’m proud of the fact that we played Galway who were in the All-Ireland final last year and at such a high level. There was a bit of commentary that we don’t deserve to be here in as Tailteann Cup winners.”

Tyrone’s Darragh Canavan. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho
Tyrone’s Darragh Canavan. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho

The sides were level on seven occasions in the first half, with Canavan hitting his side’s first five, and Heslin adding to early scores from Luke Loughlin and Sam McCartan.

Tyrone led just briefly in that opening period, and in added time, it was Westmeath who pushed in front through Loughlin and McCartan to lead by 0-8 to 0-7 at the interval.

Ruairi Canavan, on his first Championship start, joined older brother Darragh on the score-sheet with a couple of scores early in the second half, as Tyrone went two clear.

Kevin Maguire, Jack Smith and Connellan were immense as the Leinster side resisted a series of raids, to break for Heslin and Loughlin to shoot points, but the Red Hands built up a four points cushion through Kieran McGeary 15 minutes from the end.

They weren’t able to push on and crush their opponents’ spirit, however, and back came the Tailteann Cup holders to trim back the lead with Heslin’s first from play.

Going into stoppage time, Tyrone still led by three, but late scores from Kieran Martin, Heslin and Connellan, with a momentous equaliser, set up the drama that in the end favoured the pre-match favourites.

Tyrone: N Morgan; A Clarke, R McNamee, P Hampsey; C Quinn, M O’Neill, M McKernan; B Kennedy (0-1), C Kilpatrick (0-1); C Meyler, J Oguz (0-1), P Harte (0-1, one free); R Canavan (0-3, one free), M Donnelly, D Canavan (0-10, six frees).

Subs: K McGeary (0-1) for Oguz (40), F Burns for McNamee (51), N Devlin for Donnelly (64), N Kelly for Clarke (65), S O’Donnell for Harte (69)

Westmeath: J Daly; J Smith, K Maguire, J Dolan; S McCartan (0-2), R Wallace, C Dillon; J Lynam, R Connellan (0-1); A McCormack, R O’Toole (0-1), D Lynch; L Loughlin (0-4, two frees), J Heslin (0-8, seven frees), L Dolan.

Subs: S Smith for L Dolan (42), S Baker (0-1) for Dillon (45), J Gonoud for Smith (55), K Martin (0-1) for Maguire (65)

Referee: N Mooney (Cavan).