Lake men find scoring boots to shoot down Monaghan

Will the real Westmeath team please stand up? An up-and-down National League campaign from the Lake County's senior footballers took another turn for the better in Cusack Park last Sunday afternoon with a terrific performance by Pat Flanagan's troops seeing off hot favourites Monaghan by a deserved five-point margin. In truth, other than Tyrone's domination of the group, there seems to be nothing between the remaining seven teams on any given day. By virtue of this splendid win, Westmeath - who looked utterly doomed to Division 3 after a really dreadful showing against Meath only five weeks previously - are now right back in the mix to retain second tier status in 2013. Ironically, Westmeath are now level on four points with the Royal County, in conjunction with Monaghan and Derry, with Louth propping up the table on three points. The Oak Leaf men travel to Mullingar on April 8 in what increasingly looks like a winner-takes-all scenario unless, of course, Westmeath can take something out of next Sunday's visit to Newbridge. And he would be a brave man who would confidently predict any upcoming results in this really topsy turvy Division 2. Maybe Westmeath Gaels' budgets had reached their limits after the St. Patrick's Day trip to Croke Park, but Monaghan had far bigger numbers than the home county in the crowd of 980 on Sunday. Thankfully immune to their poor vocal backing, Westmeath looked sharper in the early exchanges and were ahead by 0-2 to 0-1 after five minutes. The livewire Glennon brothers, Denis and David - the latter might have goaled - both pointed to wipe out Eoin Duffy's early strike for the visitors. Michael Ennis, who seemed to struggle with an injury from early on, spurned a great goal chance in the 13th minute and Denis Glennon overplayed the ball when a simple point opportunity beckoned. This profligacy was punished when Paul Finlay kicked a quality point at the other end, but four unanswered points from John Heslin, David Glennon, Kieran Martin and Michael Ennis had the winners seemingly in control by the 23rd minute. However, Monaghan pounced for 1-4 without reply between the 25th and 29th minutes, the goal an opportunist effort by Christopher McGuinness after a shot for a point from David Hughes had come back off the upright. The points came via Stephen Gollogly, James Turley, Paul Finlay (a '45') and Eoin Lennon. Remarkably, the men in maroon and white responded with 1-4 of their own by the break, with points from Ger Egan (who had his best game in quite some time) and Denis Glennon. These were followed by a freakish goal by Kieran Martin in the 34th minute, with a motionless Farney goalkeeper, Mark Keogh expecting the shot to go wide. Injury-time points from Egan and David Glennon left the scoreboard at the break reading: Westmeath 1-10 Monaghan 1-6. Ciaran Hanratty and Ger Egan traded points on the resumption of play, before the latter had a 'goal' perhaps harshly disallowed for a 'square ball' offence. Hanratty pointed again in the 48th minute as Monaghan fans became more restless, but the Westmeath attack continued to look lively and was rewarded with points from David Glennon, Ger Egan and Denis Glennon. A second yellow card for corner-back Colin Walsh in the 56th minute looked like a mortal blow for Monaghan but, after Paul Finlay (a free) and Callum McCormack exchanged points, the ever-dangerous Finlay shot the ball low to the net past Westmeath sub goalkeeper Darren Quinn to reduce the deficit to three points. Eight minutes of normal time remained, but a better-balanced Westmeath added to their tally in impressive fashion with four further points (three from play from Ger Egan, Philip Sheridan and Callum McCormack and a converted free by John Heslin), while Monaghan could only muster another brace of frees from Finlay, despite Kieran Gavin being a virtual passenger through injury as time ran out (Westmeath had used all five subs - the last, ironically, Kieran's brother Davy in the 67th minute). Scorers - Westmeath: G Egan 0-5, K Martin 1-1, David Glennon 0-4, Denis Glennon 0-3, J Heslin (1f) and C McCornmack 0-2 each, M Ennis and P Sheridan 0-1 each. Monaghan: P Finlay 1-5 (3f, 1'45'), C McGuinness 1-0, C Hanratty 0-2, E Lennon, J Turley, S Gollogly and E Duffy 0-1 each. Westmeath: Gary Connaughton; Micheal Curley, Kieran Gavin, Kevin Maguire; Daniel McDermott, Paul Sharry, Ben Moran; John Heslin, Paul Bannon; Kieran Martin, Ger Egan, Ronan Foley; Michael Ennis, David Glennon, Denis Glennon. Subs: Philip Sheridan for Ennis (inj., h/t), Callum McCormack for Martin (inj., 52 mins), Darren Quinn for Connaughton (inj., 60), Alan Giles for Foley (63), Davy Gavin for Moran (67). Monaghan: Mark Keogh; Gary McQuaid, Dessie Mone, Colin Walsh; Dermot Malone, Darren Hughes, Donal Morgan; James Turley, Dick Clerkin; Eoin Lennon, Paul Finlay, Stephen Gollogly; Eoin Duffy, Kieran Hughes, Christopher McGuinness. Subs: David Hughes for Mone (inj., 24 mins), Ciaran Hanratty for Gollogly (h/t), Drew Wylie for McQuaid (60). Referee: Maurice Condon (Waterford).