Westmeath minors make strong start to Leinster campaign
Westmeath 3-15
Longford 0-12
The Westmeath minor footballers started their Leinster minor championship campaign with a comprehensive win over Longford on Thursday night.
The rescheduled fixture, played in Newtownforbes, saw Westmeath dominated proceedings with goals from Finn Brennan, Dean Kelly and Moate All White's Daragh Murray proving pivotal to the outcome.
Westmeath held a narrow three point interval lead, but exerted their authority in the second half to claim victory by twelve points to esnure a positive start to their provincial campaign.
The Lake County host Dublin in Kinnegad on Tuesday, March 3, before concluding their Group 2 fixtures against Offaly on Tuesday, April 14.
The provincial knockout phase will start on Tuesday, April 21, culminating in the Leinster final on Friday, May 22.
Scorers – Westmeath: D Murray 1-2; J Murtagh 1-1; F Brennan 1-0; S McWade 0-4 (2 frees); A Mullen Adamson and A Connaire 0-2 each; C Cleary, D Kelly, Cian McKeogh and H Hughes 0-1 each. Longford: E Beattie 0-4 (3 frees): N O’Donnell 0-2; O McNerney, C Fagan, D Toher, T Tiernan (free), O McHugh and L Madden 0-1 each.
Westmeath - Tom McCaul; Tom Weir, Tomas Brennan, Louie Dillon; Cian McKeogh, Eoghan Daly, Gary Staunton; Dean Kelly, Billy Stenson; Conor Cleary, Daragh Murray, Alex Mullen Adamson; Stephen McWade, Aaron Connaire, Hugo Corroon. Subs: Finn Brennan for McKeogh (half-time); Josh Murtagh for Corroon; Harry Hughes for McWade; Mark Monaghan for Stenson; Darragh Deegan for Mullen Adamson.
Longford - Jack Cassidy; Sean Hagan, Jack O’Farrell, Brayden Francis; Niall O’Donnell, Oren McNerney, Rian Hogan; Cillian Fagan, Robert Rowan; Ruairi Flynn, Senan Buckley, Daire Toher; Troy Tiernan, Eoin Beattie, Oisin McHugh . Subs: Shane Hannify for Hogan (injured); Conor Shannon for Flynn (43 mins); Leon Madden for Toher (45); Mark Keegan for Tiernan (48); Charlie Reilly for McHugh (57); Sean Finlass.
Referee - Fergal Smyth (Offaly).