Gaelic Games

Westmeath win by 18 points as Waterford fail to build on Clare display

Ronan O’Toole scored the hosts goal as Westmeath had 10 different scorers

Westmeath’s Ronan O’Toole scores a goal against Waterford. Photograph: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho
Westmeath’s Ronan O’Toole scores a goal against Waterford. Photograph: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho
Sun Jun 09 2019 - 17:40

Westmeath 1-22 Waterford 0-7

Waterford never came close to replicating their competitive display against Clare in the Munster championship, as they were beaten by 18 points in a lacklustre first round qualifier in Mullingar on Sunday afternoon.

With the wind advantage in the first half, the hosts led from start to finish and had six points on the board - three of them from Ger Egan, including two frees - by the time Tommy Prendergast opened Waterford's account in the 24th minute. Another brace of successful frees from Egan and a fisted point from defender Ronan Wallace stretched Westmeath's lead to 0-9 to 0-1 by the interval.

The visitors had strong claims for a penalty waved away in the 39th minute when Fearghal Ó Cuirrín bore down on goal, but three unanswered points during the ensuing six minutes did bring them briefly back into contention. However, the Lake County totally dominated the remainder of the contest.

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Ronan O’Toole’s well-worked goal in the 55th minute put his team 1-14 to 0-4 ahead, and the closing stages saw a range of players in maroon and white making the score sheet in what was a very comfortable victory.

Westmeath: E Carberry; B Sayeh, K Maguire, R Wallace (0-1); K Daly, F Boyle, D Lynch (0-1); D Corroon (0-1), K Martin (0-2); J Dolan (0-1), R O'Toole (1-2, one '45'), J Halligan (0-4); T McDaniel (0-1), G Egan (0-8, six frees), C McCormack. Subs: J Smith for Boyle (55 mins), N Mulligan for Corroon (58 mins), S Pettit for McDaniel (61 mins), N O'Reilly (0-1) for Egan (63 mins), C Slevin for Lynch (65 mins), S Flanagan for Pettit (69 mins).

Waterford: P Hunt; S O'Donovan, R Ó Ceallaigh, J McGrath; B Looby, S Ryan, T Ó hUallacháin; S Ahearne, T Prendergast (0-2); JJ Hutchinson, D Guiry, C Murray (0-2); D Hutchinson (0-2), F Ó Cuirrín, M Curry. Subs: D Corcoran for Ó Ceallaigh (24 mins), S Whelan-Barrett for Guiry (46 mins), J Mullaney for O'Donovan (50 mins), J Allen for JJ Hutchinson (51 mins), J Curry for Prendergast (65 mins), D Fitzgerald (0-1) for Ó Cuirrín (67 mins).

Referee: J Henry (Mayo).