It had to happen some time, of course, but when you've cloaked yourself inside an aura of invincibility for almost three years, it's hard to accept when your time is up. Yesterday, Westmeath's under-21 footballers - champions of their domain for the past two campaigns - surrendered the provincial crown in a first-round match that mixed the bizarre with the brilliant.
This wasn't the way that Westmeath would have wished to relinquish their hold on a championship they have owned in recent times. After just 15 minutes, however, the writing was on the wall as a Kildare team with plenty of know-how and footballing skill accepted one present after another from their hosts to establish a lead that was to prove insurmountable.
Much of the bizarre occurred in that opening quarter, which, co-incidentally, was also the period in which Kildare - hardly believing their good fortune - opened up a huge lead. In fact, after just 15 minutes of play, Kildare, thanks to a tame opening goal and then a penalty, were 2-5 to 0-1 ahead and, apparently, coasting to an easy win which, given Westmeath's reputation in this grade for the past three years, beggared belief.
The first goal set the scene. It came in the seventh minute when the immensely talented John O'Dongohue sent in a high ball which goalkeeper Eoin Farrell seemed set to claim comfortably. Perhaps he saw the inrushing Ken Donnelly out of the corner of his eye, or maybe the slippery ball played its part. Whatever. The result was the ball squirmed out of his arms and spun over the goal-line.
Two minutes later, it got worse for Westmeath. Another high ball in towards the square, this time from Padraig Hurley, resulted in corner-forward Terry Rossiter being fouled by Maurice Quinn. Referee Eddie Whelan's outstretched arms immediately signalled a penalty and Ronan Sweeney dispatched the kick to the net with nerveless aplomb.
Westmeath were rocked and struggled to find their composure. Wayward clearances either found an opposing pair of hands or else wandered harmlessly over the sideline. Either way, the result was unrelenting pressure from a Kildare side who played some quite breathtaking football. Donnelly, in particular, had a field day but, all around him, Kildare players were responding to the task and by halftime they had deservedly forged a 2-8 to 0-5 lead.
Any hint of Westmeath resistance was provided by cornerforward and captain Fergal Wilson who took to moving far outfield in an effort to claim possession from the marauding Kildaremen. Yet, the general impression was that it was mere token resistance and, when Gary Dolan was sent-off in the 39th minute, for what referee Whelan indicated was stamping on the foot of Padraig Mullarkey, it seemed that Westmeath might as well throw in the towel. One man down and seven points behind at that stage, their plight seemed hopeless.
When a team is reduced to 14 men, however, it has a strange effect - and Westmeath played like men inspired thereafter. Meanwhile, Kildare, who had played exhillarating football in the first-half, switched to an alien gameplan of playing containment football in an effort to protect their lead. The result was that Kildare scored only one point in the entire secondhalf, from the boot of Rossiter, while, in contrast, Westmeath played as if they had nothing to lose and made a real match of it.
Bit by bit, Westmeath reduced the deficit with Wilson's freetaking primarily responsible for keeping them in the game. And when Wilson received a pass from Vinny Gavin and slammed the ball home for his side's goal in the 58th minute, it made for a frantic final few minutes of action. It was time for the Kildare defence to stand firm, and they did.
Centre-half back Michael Wright led by example in those critical closing minutes while Sweeney moved deeper and made a couple of timely catches and clearances which ultimately ensured that the Lilywhites would progress to a second round meeting with Offaly.
KILDARE: P White; J Sharpe, P Mullarkey, M Dunne; B Dunne (0-1), M Wright, A Flood; R Sweeney (1-0, penalty), P Hurley (0-1); C O'Reilly (0-1, free), J O'Donoghue (1-1, frees), D McCormack (0-1); B McGrogan, K Donnelly (0-3), T Rossiter (0-1). Subs - M Browne for Rossiter (44 mins), T J Waters for O'Donoghue (46 mins), B Moyles for O'Reilly (56 mins), P Gorman for Waters (60 mins).
WESTMEATH: E Farrell; M Quinn, M Rohan, B Murphy; D Kelly, J Keane, S O'Donoghue; D Curley (0-1), J Brennan; J A Claffey, G Duffy, J Duignan; F Wilson (1-7, six frees), A Bradley, G Dolan. Subs - V Gavin (0-1) for Kelly (28 mins), P Ratigan for Bradley (Half-time), N Molloy for Duignan (45 mins), J Conroy for Claffey (54 mins).
Referee - Eddie Whelan (Laois).
