Westmeath..0-16 Carlow..2-8: It's still January, the league has yet to even start, yet Páidí Ó Sé's Westmeath will find themselves competing for honours in the O'Byrne Cup final next Sunday, against Meath.
Another bumper crowd of 5,100 turned up to witness the revolution yesterday and although the football was sloppy, Westmeath eventually broke the back of Carlow with a rapid volley of scores in the final 10 minutes.
The side is continuing to take shape with Dessie Dolan and Joe Fallon both coming into the fray early on to good effect.
"I was extremely disappointed with the performance," said Ó Sé after the game. "But I am delighted that we got through. The one part of the game that I was very happy with was the battling qualities of Westmeath.
"There are a lot of basic errors that we have to iron out. But again, it's only January, this is the time to be blowing out the dirty petrol."
It took Westmeath the bones of an hour to finally cancel out Brian Kelly's 16th-minute goal. Points from Fergal Wilson and Fergal Dardis had set them on their way but Patrick Hickey capitalised on some poor defending to set up Kelly at the back post.
With the confidence of turning Dublin over last week still evident, Carlow proceeded to stretch the advantage with further scores from Mark Carpenter, Simon Rea and Kelly.
Dolan was thrown in soon after with immediate impact and his point, and a score from Alan Mangan, reduced the arrears. Yet the visitors still led 1-5 to 0-5 at the half-time interval.
In the second half, Dolan won free after free within scoring range, and Fallon (2) and Denis Glennon gratefully slotted them over to level up the match at 0-9 to 1-6 with 17 minutes to play.
Carlow regained the lead when Johnny Nevin nailed the solitary chance that came their way.
Three Westmeath points in a two-minute period finally ensured the victory. Mangan landed his second, which was followed up by Martin Flanagan and David O'Shaugnessy scores.
Carlow did grab a late goal, through Carpenter. However, Glennon landed two late points to set up the local derby, again at Cusack Park.
WESTMEATH: A Lennon; J Davitt, D Gavin, F Murray; T Stuart-Trainor, D Kilmartin, D Heavin; R O'Connell, D O'Shaughnessy (0-1); M Ennis, F Dardis (0-1), A Mangan (0-2); F Wilson (0-3, two frees), S Colleary, D Glennon (0-4, three frees). Subs: D Dolan (0-1, one free) for Dardis (22 mins), J Fallon (0-3, two frees) for Colleary (31 mins), D O'Donoghue for Stuart-Trainor (41 mins), M Flanagan (0-1) for Ennis (48 mins), N Kilmartin for O'Donoghue (71 mins).
CARLOW: J Clarke; P Cashin, S O'Brien, B English; K Walker, Hayden, J Kavanagh; T Walsh, M Brennan; B Carbery (0-1), J Nevin (0-1), M Carpenter (1-1); S Rea (0-3, three frees), P Hickey, B Kelly (1-2, two frees). Subs: D Byrne for Brennan (47 mins), J Byrne for O'Brien (49 mins), J McGrath for K Walker (55 mins), G Walker for Kelly (59 mins).
Referee: P Reilly (Longford).
