Westmeath wilt after early promise as DIT advance

Westmeath's interest in the pre-season O'Byrne senior football tournaments is at an end for 2012 after a largely experimental Lake County side bowed out to DIT in Kinnegad last Sunday afternoon, the students looking the sharper and more cohesive outfit in the second half of a reasonably entertaining contest. A small crowd packed the impressive new stand in Kinnegad for the maroon and whites' second competitive game of the new year. As often happens when a college team is involved, the atmosphere was muted, but the diehard Westmeath fans will have been reasonably happy with the first half display, despite Mayo star Aidan O'Shea (ironically, a native of Mullingar) dominating much of the play for the visitors. However, the home side's two-point interval lead was quickly wiped out on the change of ends, with Dublin U21 player Harry Dawson the central figure, and ultimately the students were worthy winners, outscoring the losers by 0-9 to 0-4 in an often-ragged second moiety. Westmeath had wind advantage in the first half, but the students settled more quickly and scores from Alan Freeman (third minute) and Colin Walshe (sixth minute) had them two points to the good, sandwiched between which the home side shot three wides. Mark Gorman, who played well overall on his home pitch, soon opened Westmeath's account from a 20-metre free, but DIT (whose incisive kicking was often in sharp contrast to the losers' weak strikes) stretched their lead courtesy of a point apiece from their two most dangerous forwards, Bernard Allen and Harry Dawson (the latter hitting a sublime score with the outside of his right boot). However, Westmeath rallied well and were level by the midpoint of the half, thanks to points from Mark Gorman (a routine free), overlapping wing-back Kevin Maguire and hard-working midfielder Trevor English. Harry Dawson then doubled his tally in style (albeit unchallenged), but a terrific point from Philip Sheridan tied up the scoring at five points each. A good Westmeath spell then yielded further points from play via Callum McCormack and a brace from Mark Gorman. Alan Freeman struck for a brace of his own (the first from a free), but Westmeath rounded off first half scoring with a very well-judged left-footed free from Kieran Martin, to leave the scoreboard at the interval reading: Westmeath 0-9 DIT 0-7. Within five minutes of the restart, DIT were ahead with Harry Dawson pointing twice (the second from a '45') and Colin Walshe adding another - again, worryingly, he sauntered through the losers' rearguard from his centre half-back slot. Aidan Finnan soon levelled with a neat point, before good interplay between Michael Ennis and Callum McCormack ended with the young Maryland man having a palmed effort from close range well saved by Alan O'Mara. The students then struck for three unanswered points from the boots of Tubber's Bernard Allen, Harry Dawson and Alan Freeman (a free). Michael Ennis got the point his typically enterprising runs deserved but, directly from the kick-out, Alan Freeman hit the winners' 14th point. Substitute Daniel McDermott was in the thick of much of what was good in Westmeath's play at this juncture and he hit Westmeath's 12th point, with ten minutes of normal time remaining. Paul Sharry (facing his usual Lake County team-mates on the day) pointed for DIT and, in the time remaining, Allen and McCormack (free) traded points, as a low-key game came to a limp conclusion. In truth, the O'Byrne competitions are a very limited - and often misleading - barometer of a county's wellbeing in any given January. Accordingly, Westmeath's consecutive defeats by Offaly and DIT will be totally and utterly forgotten if a decent league campaign ensues. However, seven difficult games will unquestionably test the maroon and whites' mettle and a fully fit and focused panel (the influential Garrycastle contingent apart) will be required ahead of the trip to Louth on February 5. A good start will be imperative for Pat Flanagan's troops, with arguably even bigger guns than the Wee County lining up in the ensuing two months. Scorers - DIT: H Dawson (1 '45') and A Freeman (2f) 0-5 each, B Allen 0-3, C Walshe 0-2, P Sharry 0-1. Westmeath: M Gorman 0-4 (2f), C McCormack 0-2 (1f), K Maguire, T English, P Sheridan, A Finnan, M Ennis, D McDermott and K Martin (f) 0-1 each. DIT: Alan O'Mara; Jonathan Gallagher, Paul Cunningham, Robert Tierney; Eoin Reilly, Colin Walshe, David Hughes; Ross Hazley, Aidan O'Shea; Paul Sharry, Darragh Nelson, Harry Dawson; Bernard Allen, Mark Schutte, Alan Freeman. Subs: David Shatwell for Nelson (23 mins), Tom Parsons for Hazley (44), Jeremy Mahon for Cunningham (inj., 48), Shane Flynn for Tierney (62), Darren O'Reilly for Schutte (65). Westmeath: Darren Quinn; Mark Dalton, Kieran Sheridan, Willie Coyne; Micheal Curley, Michael Ennis, Kevin Maguire; Trevor English, Aidan Finnan; Kieran Martin, Mark Gorman, Ronan Foley; Philip Sheridan, Callum McCormack, Declan Mullen. Subs: Daniel McDermott for Curley (42 mins), Alan Stone for Mullen (42), Stephen Gilmore for Dalton (inj., 57), Shane Flanagan for English (69). Referee: Noel Hand (Louth).