Sport

Glennon's late point breaks Wicklow hearts yet again

LEINSTER SFC Westmeath 0-15 Wicklow 1-11 A LATE INJURY-TIME point by Westmeath’s Denis Glennon knocked Wicklow out of the Leinster…

Mon Jun 07 2010 - 01:00

LEINSTER SFC Westmeath 0-15 Wicklow 1-11A LATE INJURY-TIME point by Westmeath's Denis Glennon knocked Wicklow out of the Leinster championship for a second year in a row at O'Connor Park, Tullamore, yesterday afternoon.

Moments earlier it looked as if we were going to have a repeat of last year’s extra-time when Paul Earls finished to the net for the equalising goal after Seánie Furlong and Nicky Mernagh were both denied by Gary Connaughton’s crossbar.

However, it was Westmeath who had the sharper edge to their game for most of the match, with Paul Greville and Conor Lynam punishing Wicklow with a string of points in the second half that kept the eventual winners in front right up to injury-time.

And Westmeath continued to play with defiance right to the end even though they were reduced to 13 men for the last 10 minutes of the game.

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Corner back John Gaffey and centrefielder David Duffy both saw red in the final phase after picking up second yellows from Cork referee Michael Collins, while Wicklow’s Leighton Glynn was also dismissed after receiving two yellows.

Wicklow trailed by 0-4 to 0-5 at half-time with three of those scores coming from frees by Tony Hannon, who kicked some marvellous points, though he may rue other lost opportunities.

Greville stretched Westmeath’s lead after the restart with a point, but inside five minutes Hannon and Furlong had brought Wicklow level at 0-6 each.

Unfortunately for them Wicklow spilled too much possession to their opponents who looked the much better side all over the field with Michael Ennis, Ciarán Martin and full forward Martin Flanagan also catching the eye.

Centre forward Conor Lynam and Greville kicked some smashing points for the winners, putting them 0-11 to 0-7 ahead after 50 minutes, and 0-13 to 0-9 in front after 57 minutes Wicklow did rally in the closing phase and points by Nicky Mernagh and Ciarán Hyland cut the margin to just a goal 0-14 to 0-11 as the game approached injury-time.

In one last assault, Furlong and Mernagh saw their attempts for a goal come back off the crossbar, before Earls grabbed the equaliser.

Just as it looked as if the game was going to go to extra-time, Glennon, who played most of the game as an extra centrefielder, broke Wicklow hearts yet again by drilling over the winning point that sends Westmeath into a semi-final clash with Louth.

WESTMEATH:G Connaughton; F Boyle, D O'Donoghue, J Gaffey; M Ennis (0-1), C Martin, D Harte (0-1); D Duffy, P Bannon (0-1); J Smyth, C Lynam (0-4), A Gaughan; P Greville (0-3), M Flanagan (0-3), D Glennon (0-2). Yellows cards:D Duffy, J Gaffey, D Donoghue, C Lynam, P Bannon. Red cards:J Gaffey, DD Duffy.

WICKLOW:M Travers; S Kelly, D Ó hAnnaidh, A Byrne; C Hyland (0-1), B McGrath, D Hayden (0-1); J Stafford, JP Dalton; L Glynn, T Hannon (0-5, frees), N Mernagh (0-1); P Dalton, S Furlong (0-2), P Earls (1-1). Subs:J Flynn for M Travers, S Canavan for B McGrath. Yellow Cards:James Stafford, L Glynn. Red Card:L Glynn.

Referee:M Collins (Cork).