McCartan goal helps Lake County to opening day NFL win
Allianz NFL Division 3: Westmeath 1-16, Wicklow 2-8
Westmeath’s senior footballers recovered from a Wicklow blitz in the opening quarter to record a comfortable win in their Allianz NFL Division 3 opener at TEG Cusack Park this afternoon.
The Garden County were up 2-3 to 0-1 after 13 minutes following goals from Darragh Fitzgerald and Eoin Darcy, and to compound matters for the hosts, skipper Kevin Maguire went off injured.
Westmeath got their bearings thereafter with John Heslin and Luke Loughlin among the scores, but the Maroons still trailed by 2-6 to 0-7 at the break.
Wicklow, managed by former Westmeath boss Colin Kelly, lost Rory Stokes to a second yellow card, and in the second half, the home side made the numerical advantage count.
The St Loman’s, Mullingar trio of John Heslin (a free), Ronan O’Toole and Sam McCartan (a well-taken goal) levelled matters, before sub Lorcan Dolan put them ahead ten minutes later.
Westmeath tagged on six scores in the final quarter to secure a five-point win, and had their work done by the time Luke Loughlin was dismissed in the 69th minute after picking up a quickfire brace of yellow cards.
Westmeath: Jason Daly; Jack Smith, Kevin Maguire, Jamie Gonoud; David Giles, Ronan Wallace, Sam McCartan (1-0); Ray Connellan, Jonathan Lynam; Luke Loughlin (0-2, 1 ’45’), Conor McCormack, David Lynch (0-1); Ronan O’Toole (0-1), John Heslin (0-7, 5f), Alex Gardiner (0-1). Subs: Nigel Harte (0-2) for Maguire (inj., 7), Lorcan Dolan (0-2) for McCormack (48), Kieran Martin for Lynam (63), Fola Ayorinde for Connellan (70).
Wicklow: Mark Jackson (0-2, 1f, 1 ‘45’); Patrick O’Keane, Nicky Devereux, Eoin Murtagh; Andy Maher, Niall Donnelly, Malachy Stone; Dean Healy (0-1), Padraig O’Toole (0-1); Eoin Darcy (1-0), Mark Kenny (0-1), Darragh Fitzgerald (1-0); Rory Stokes, Kevin Quinn (0-3), Paul Cunningham. Subs: Conor Byrne for Cunningham (47), Cillian McDonald for Darcy (51), Craig Maguire for Stone (57), Dave Devereux for Fitzgerald (66), Oisín McGraynor for Byrne (70).
Ref: James Molloy (Galway).