Westmeath 1-16 Wicklow 2-8
Westmeath recovered from a very slow start to record a deserved win against Wicklow in miserable conditions for football in Mullingar .
Wind-assisted Wicklow got off to the best possible start in the Division Three encounter when Darragh Fitzgerald rolled the ball to the net after 70 seconds. When Eoin Darcy rifled the ball past Jason Daly from a tight angle for Wicklow's second goal in the 13th minute the visitors led by 2-3 to 0-1.
Wicklow's Malachy Stone was black-carded in the 22nd minute and Rory Stokes was dismissed in the 33rd minute on a second yellow card, but his side led by 2-6 to 0-7 at the interval.
A John Heslin free, a fine point from play by Ronan O'Toole, and a great goal by Sam McCartan in the 41st minute levelled the contest. Ten minutes later, sub Lorcan Dolan edged Westmeath ahead for the first time.
All that Wicklow could muster in the second half was two successful placed balls from goalkeeper Mark Jackson, while Westmeath tagged on six points in the final quarter. Luke Loughlin was dismissed in the 69th minute after picking up a quickfire brace of yellow cards.
WESTMEATH: J Daly; J Smith, K Maguire, J Gonoud; D Giles, R Wallace, S McCartan (1-0); R Connellan, J Lynam; L Loughlin (0-2, one 45), C McCormack, D Lynch (0-1); R O'Toole (0-1), J Heslin (0-7, five frees), A Gardiner (0-1).
Subs: N Harte (0-2) for Maguire (inj, 7 mins), L Dolan (0-2) for McCormack (48), K Martin for Lynam (63), F Ayorinde for Connellan (70).
WICKLOW: M Jackson (0-2, one free, one 45); P O'Keane, N Devereux, E Murtagh; A Maher, N Donnelly, M Stone; D Healy (0-1), P O'Toole (0-1); E Darcy (1-0), M Kenny (0-1), D Fitzgerald (1-0); R Stokes, K Quinn (0-3), P Cunningham.
Subs: C Byrne for Cunningham (47 mins), C McDonald for Darcy (51), C Maguire for Stone (57), D Devereux for Fitzgerald (66), O McGraynor for Byrne (70).
Referee: J Molloy (Galway).
