Westmeath withstand late Longford comeback to win the Andrew Corden Cup

Westmeath . . . 3-9   Longford . . . 2-11

Just a solitary point separated the sides in a very exciting end as determined Longford almost completed a dramatic comeback against Westmeath in the Leinster U-20 Football Andrew Corden Cup Final at TEG Cusack Park in Mullingar on Tuesday evening. 

Longford never gave up the fight against the physically stronger opposition but there appeared to be no way back when the outstanding Westmeath centre-half-forward Brian Cooney scored his third goal entering the final quarter of this entertaining encounter. 

That left the home county in a commanding eight points lead (3-8 to 0-9) and Kieran Carey’s charges looked to be dead and buried but they somehow found the energy to enjoy a new lease of life and were given a glimmer of hope when substitute Josh Kelly pounced on the breaking ball to find the back of the net in the 52nd minute.

A second Longford goal followed from Michael Flynn in stoppage time to close the gap to the minimum of margins in a remarkable revival which included a point apiece from Carey (free) and Flynn.

Westmeath’s only response in the frantic closing stages was a crucial point with time running out from a free converted by man of the match Cooney who clocked up the tremendous total of 3-3. 

A couple of excellent point-blank saves from keeper Oisin McManus in the opening minutes of the second half kept Longford in contention as the superior Westmeath outfit continued to squander goal chances but they managed to hold out for a worthy win in advancing to meet the Munster champions Limerick in the All-Ireland U-20 Tier 2 semi-final.

WESTMEATH: Stephen McNevin; Adam Keane, Cormac Monaghan, Seanai Bracken; Daragh Lowry (0-1), Jason Macken, Liam Daly; Tadhg Baker, Shane Ormsby; Jack Duncan (0-1), Brian Cooney (3-3, one free), Eoin Bracken; Rory Cole (0-2), Shane Hanley (0-1), Ronan Murray (0-1).

Subs:- Shane Corcoran for R Murray (half-time); Matthew Thornton for R Cole (49 mins); Tiernan O’Donovan for E Bracken (50 mins); Darragh Hall for T Baker (injured, 54 mins).  

LONGFORD: Oisin McManus (Killoe Emmet Og); Conor Smith (Clonguish), Ruairi O’Toole (Dromard), Eoghan Williams (Colmcille, 0-2); Gavin Farrelly (Killoe), Andrew Flynn (Clonguish), Jonathan Burke (Clonguish); Oisin Flynn (Ballymore), Caolan Lynch (Abbeylara); Paddy Moran (Killoe Emmet Og, 0-3), Matthew Carey (Clonguish, 0-3, all frees), Ross Shields (Clonguish); Michael Flynn (Clonguish, 1-2) Jamie Brady Hynes (St Mary’s Granard, 0-1, free), Brian Mulvey (Carrickedmond).

Subs:- Jack Belton (Mostrim) for O Flynn (half-time); Padraig Boyle (Ballymore) for B Mulvey (39 mins); Matthew Flynn (Clonguish) for A Flynn (41 mins); Josh Kelly (Kenagh, 1-0) for JB Hynes (48 mins). 

Referee: Colm McCullagh (Louth).