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Details

Date Time Competition Season
3 June 2023 5:00 pm Sam Maguire Cup 2023

Match Report

Tribesmen Make It An Unbeaten Start To SFC Campaign

Galway were made to work hard for their second victory in Group 2 of this year’s All-Ireland Senior Football Championship against a dogged Westmeath side at TEG Cusack Park. 

Westmeath ended the game with 14 players after Ray Connellan was sent off for a second yellow card in the 52nd minute. Galway used their numerical advantage to retake the lead and then they kicked on from there. The introduction of Damien Comer proved a big boost for the Tribesmen; he kicked three points after he came on in the 55th minute. 

Westmeath tackled and hassled with fierce intensity in the opening half. A pointed free from John Heslin and a neat point from Ronan O’Toole gave them a two point lead in the fifth minute. Cathal Sweeney opened the scoring for Galway with a point in the seventh minute.

Westmeath keeper Jason Daly saved from Sean Kelly in the 10th minute and then James Dolan prevented a goal as the ball went out for a ‘45.

Galway went ahead for the first and only time in the half in the 21st minute when Paul Conroy fired over. A fine O’Toole point levelled matters for the third time in the 26th minute.

Points from Luke Loughlin and sub Jonathan Lynam restored the Lake County’s two point lead in the 32nd minute. Just before half-time Shane Walsh hit over a free to leave Galway trailing by one point at the break - 0-07 to 0-06.

Twice in the opening 10 minutes of the second half Westmeath were ahead by two points. Points from Walsh and Cian Heron drew Padraic Joyce’s side level in the 49th minute. Having already received a yellow card in the first half, Westmeath midfielder Connellan received a second yellow in the 52nd minute. It was a huge blow for Dessie Dolan’s side.

Walsh fired over the resulting free for Galway for them to go back in front and this time they didn’t relinquish the lead. Comer kicked over three points. Matthew Tierney (‘45), Heaney (mark), Sweeney and sub John Maher added late points for Galway.

Westmeath
1Jason Daly Goalkeeper
2Jack Smith 23 Defender 43'
3Kevin Maguire Defender
4James Dolan Defender
5Jamie Gonoud 19 Defender
6Ronan Wallace Defender 18'
7Andy McCormack 20 Defender
8Sam Duncan 22 Midfielder
9Ray Connellan Midfielder 8'
34'
52'
10Sam McCartan Forward 34'
11Ronan O’Toole Forward 5', 26'
12David Lynch Forward
13Luke Loughlin Forward 28', 48'
14John Heslin Forward 1', 40'
68'
15Stephen Smith 21 Forward 38'
16Trevor Martin Goalkeeper
17Lorcan Dolan
18Kieran Martin
19Eoin Mulvihill 5
20Conor Dillon 7 Defender
21Senan Baker 15
22Jonathan Lynam 8 Midfielder 32'
23David Giles 2 Defender
24Robbie Forde Forward
25Shane Dempsey
26Conor McCormack Forward

Galway
1Connor Gleeson Goalkeeper
2John McGrath Defender
3Sean Kelly Defender
4Jack Glynn Defender
5Cian Hernon 17 Defender 46', 50'
6John Daly Defender
7Cillian McDaid Defender
8Paul Conroy Midfielder 21'
9Peter Cooke Midfielder 15', 41', 72'
10Matthew Tierney Forward 62'
23Cathal Sweeney Forward 7', 71'
12Johnny Heaney Forward 19', 63'
13Ian Burke 11 Forward 14'
14Robert Finnerty 26 Forward
15Shane Walsh 22 Forward 35', 37', 49'
16Bernie Power Goalkeeper
17Sean Fitzgerald 5 Defender
18Sean Mulkerrin Defender
11Damien Comer 13 Forward 56', 58', 65'
19Billy Mannion Defender
20John Maher 26 Midfielder 74'
21Paul Kelly Midfielder
22Niall Daly 15
24Matthew Barrett
25Dessie Conneely Forward
26Tomo Culhane 20

Timeline

John Heslin 1' 
Ronan O'Toole 5' 
  7' Cathal Sweeney
  7' Robert Finnerty
Tomo Culhane
Ray Connellan 8' 
  14' Ian Burke
  15' Peter Cooke
Ronan Wallace 18' 
Sam Duncan
Jonathan Lynam		 19' 
  19' Johnny Heaney
  21' Paul Conroy
Ronan O'Toole 26' 
Luke Loughlin 28' 
Jonathan Lynam 32' 
Ray Connellan 34' 
Sam McCartan 34' 
  35' Shane Walsh
  37' Shane Walsh
Stephen Smith 38' 
John Heslin 40' 
  41' Peter Cooke
Jack Smith 43' 
  46' Cian Hernon
  46' Tomo Culhane
John Maher
Jack Smith
David Giles		 47' 
Luke Loughlin 48' 
  49' Shane Walsh
  50' Cian Hernon
Ray Connellan 52' 
Jamie Gonoud
Eoin Mulvihill		 55' 
  55' Ian Burke
Damien Comer
  56' Damien Comer
  58' Damien Comer
  62' Matthew Tierney
Andy McCormack
Conor Dillon		 63' 
  63' Johnny Heaney
  65' Damien Comer
John Heslin 68' 
  69' Shane Walsh
Niall Daly
  71' Cathal Sweeney
  71' Cian Hernon
Sean Fitzgerald
  72' Peter Cooke
  74' John Maher
  • 71'

    Cathal Sweeney with a point

  • 68'

    John Heslin is booked

  • 65'

    Comer with his third

  • 63'

    Johnny Heaney with a mark

  • 62'

    Matthew Tierney with the '45

  • 61'

    John Maher's effort is out for a '45

  • 59'

    Nice point from Westmeath sub Eoin Mulvihill

  • 58'

    Comer with a second point

  • 56'

    Damien Comer with his first touch points for Galway

  • 54'

    Walsh points the free

  • 52'

    Ray Connellan is sent off for Westmeath. Huge loss

  • 48'

    Stephen Smith is off

  • 48'

    Senan Baker is on

  • 47'

    Jack Smith is off

  • 47'

    David Giles is on

  • 46'

    Tomo Culhane is off

  • 46'

    John Maher is on

  • 46'

    Cian Heron with a fine point

  • 43'

    Jack Smith puts two between them again

  • 41'

    Peter Cooke with his second of the game.

  • 40'

    John Heslin with his first point from play puts Westmeath ahead by two

  • 38'

    Good play from Westmeath and Stephen Smith points

  • 37'

    Shane Walsh with a free and we are level again

  • 35'

    Shane Walsh kicks over a free. His first point of the game

  • 34'

    Sam McCartan is booked

  • 34'

    Ray Connellan is booked

  • 32'

    Nice point from Jonathan Lynam puts Westmeath ahead by two

  • 31'

    Westmeath are really up for this game

  • 28'

    Westmeath back in front. Good point from Luke Loughlin

  • 26'

    O'Toole with a second point to draw Westmeath level

  • 21'

    Paul Conroy puts Galway ahead for the first time

  • 19'

    Injured Sam Duncan is off

  • 19'

    Jonathan Lynam is on

  • 19'

    Johnny Heaney draws the sides level

  • 18'

    Ronan Wallace edges Westmeath back in front

  • 17'

    Jack Smith with a great block on Tomo Culhane's shot

  • 15'

    Peter Cooke draws Galway level

  • 14'

    Ian Burke point for Galway

  • 11'

    That '45 was caught on the line by Ray Connellan

  • 10'

    Great defending from James Dolan prevents a goal for Galway. '45 for the Tribesmen

  • 8'

    Ray Connellan with a mark

  • 7'

    Rob Finnerty is off injured

  • 7'

    Tomo Culhane is on

  • 7'

    Cathal Sweeney with a point for Galway

  • 5'

    Westmeath with a second point - Ronan O'Toole nice score

  • 3'

    Westmeath stifle a Galway attack

  • 1'

    Heslin points it

  • 1'

    Early free in for Westmeath. John Heslin to take

  • Westmeath lost their opening game in this group to Armagh. It was a disappointing defeat for Dessie Dolan's side who had led during the game. Galway had a three point win in their first game at home to Tyrone

  • It's a perfect afternoon for a game of football. The crowd are coming in too, many going to the terrace, wouldn't blame them on a day like this

  • Westmeath play as selected while there is one change to the Galway team - Cathal Sweeney in for Damien Comer

  • Welcome to TEG Cusack Park for this afternoon's All-Ireland Championship game between Westmeath and Galway

Ground

TEG Cusack Park
Cusack Park GAA Grounds, Royal Canal Greenway, Mullingar North Urban ED, The Municipal District of Mullingar — Kinnegad, County Westmeath, Leinster, N91 N796, Ireland

Deniese is a freelance sports journalist/broadcaster. She has worked for several local and national media outlets. GAA and soccer are her great loves and she also follows rugby league and snooker. She's a big supporter of her local clubs St. Mary's GAA Granard and Longford Town. She also follows Celtic, Liverpool and Leeds Rhinos. She presented and produced a popular sports podcast last year where she interviewed Ray Houghton, Chris Kamara and John Hartson. Deniese is currently Head of Communications for Boccia Ireland