Armagh take command in second half to keep Westmeath at bay

All-Ireland Senior Football Championship - Group 1 Round 1

Armagh 0-16 Westmeath 0-11

The feelings of déjà vu were inescapable beforehand. Westmeath once again travelled to the BOX-IT Athletic Grounds to face an Armagh team trying to bounce back from an Ulster final defeat on penalties.

Ultimately, the result on Saturday night was also similar in that Armagh emerged victorious. Unlike last year, however, there was no ‘hard luck story’ for Westmeath on this occasion.

Last year, Westmeath came agonisingly close to a famous win, with Armagh needing a somewhat fortuitous goal from Conor Turbitt to swing the game in their favour, and they eventually prevailed 1-13 to 1-12.

Although the sides were level on four occasions during the first half on Saturday and Westmeath only trailed by the minimum at half-time (0-7 to 0-6), Armagh won with a degree of comfort in the end.

Westmeath had the advantage of the breeze in the opening half and were left to rue some missed opportunities, especially efforts that went short into Armagh keeper Blaine Hughes.

Armagh laid the platform for victory with a dominant start to the second half - scoring four points within six minutes of the restart – and Westmeath rarely looked like recovering despite their spirited efforts.

The Orchard men pushed up on Westmeath’s kickouts in the second half and proceeded to dominate the battle for possession from restarts.

Overall, Armagh’s power and pace proved too much and they punished Westmeath on the counter attack several times. Kieran McGeeney was also able to call on a strong bench with Oisín O’Neill and Aidan Nugent among the substitutes to impress.

Armagh's Rory Grugan pulled the strings to great effect throughout, feeding plenty of good ball to his inside forwards. The Ballymacnab player also scored five points, including two from play. Influential defender Ciarán Mackin was regularly a threat going forward.

For Westmeath, Sam McCartan was among those to impress for a team that never stopped trying even when the cause looked lost. But it was notable that full-back Kevin Maguire was the team’s joint top scorer from open play with two points.

Westmeath must now turn their attentions to facing Connacht champions Galway at TEG Cusack Park in their second Sam Maguire Cup group game next Sunday (3pm).

Scorers – Armagh: R Grugan 0-5 (3 frees); O Conaty, A Nugent (1f) and C Turbitt (2f) 0-2 each; S Campbell, T Kelly, C O’Neill, C Mackin and A Murnin 0-1 each. Westmeath: J Heslin 0-3 (3f); S McCartan, K Maguire and R O’Toole 0-2 each; R Forde and L Loughlin 0-1 each.

Westmeath: Jason Daly; Jamie Gonoud, Kevin Maguire (captain), James Dolan; Sam McCartan, Ronan Wallace, Charlie Drumm; Ray Connellan, Andy McCormack; Jonathan Lynam, Ronan O'Toole, Conor Dillon; Luke Loughlin, John Heslin, Robbie Forde. Subs: Matthew Whittaker for Dillon (40 mins); David Lynch for Forde (54); Kieran Martin for Gonoud (60); Stephen Smith for Loughlin (67).

Armagh: Blaine Hughes; Barry McCambridge, Aaron McKay, Peter McGrane; Conor O'Neill, Ciaran Mackin, Aidan Forker (captain); Tiernan Kelly, Ben Crealey; Joe McElroy, Rory Grugan, Stefan Campbell; Oisín Conaty, Andrew Murnin, Conor Turbitt. Subs: Greg McCabe for O'Neill (inj. 26 mins); Oisín O'Neill for Crealey (half-time); Jason Duffy for Campbell (51); Aidan Nugent for Turbitt (60); Jarly Óg Burns for Murnin (67).

Referee: Conor Lane (Cork).

*See more in next week's print edition.