Last-gasp Duke goal earns Meath victory in Westmeath

A goal from Conor Duke with the very last kick of the game controversially won the day for Meath against their neighbours Westmeath in a pulsating game played in front of a very big crowd in Mullingar, the winners thereby maintaining their drive for promotion from Division 2 while the losers remain pointless despite several close shaves in their campaign to date.

Meath had the aid of a useful wind in the first half, but it was the home team which started much the brighter with unanswered points from Danny McCartan and the lively Luke Loughlin (2) by the ninth minute. Duke got the Royal county on the scoreboard in the tenth minute, but Matthew Whittaker and Brandon Kelly (with his fist) put Dermot McCabe’s troops ahead by 0-05 to 0-01 with 12 minutes elapsed.

Meath had been out of sorts in the early stages but they got a huge boost in the 13th minute when the referee brought a free kick forward by 50 metres and, in a flash, Jordan Morris fired a great shot to the roof of the net. Robbie Brennan’s charges added points from Eoghan Frayne (a free), Duke (to take the lead for the first time, 1-03 to 0-05). A two-pointer from Jack Flynn followed and a single from Duke.

Robbie Forde and Whittaker tagged on points at the other end before Morris pounced for a terrific two-pointer. Sandwiched between points from Forde and Lorcan Dolan, Conor McCormack brilliantly saved a penalty by Morris after the officials penalised Forde for a throw ball on his own goal line after he appeared to have prevented a certain goal.

Meath's Jack Flynn celebrates at the final whistle

With just seconds remaining on the countdown clock, a delivery from Morris was fielded by Adam O’Neill who turned and found the net.

This left Meath ahead by a flattering five-point margin at the break, 2-08 to 0-09.

Points from Sam McCartan, Brían Cooney and Loughlin by the 40th minute had the gap down to two points. However, the home team were wasteful from frees and open play and should have edged in front, but the sides were on level terms (2-10 to 0-16) at the end of the third quarter.

A Frayne point put the visitors in front, but veteran sub Kieran Martin pounced for a bundled goal approaching the hour mark, after a two-point attempt from a free – controversially awarded – by Sam McCartan had come back off the upright.

This set the game up for a rip-roaring finale.

Points from Bryan Menton and Frayne levelled the contest before Forde and Frayne again traded points.

A draw looked certain until sub Keith Curtis fed Duke just as the hooter was about to sound and he buried the ball in the Westmeath net to the delight of the huge Meath crowd present.

The timing of when it was scored caused great anger from the home side, feeling the game was over.

The fallout is likely to continue into next week.

Westmeath: Conor McCormack; Jamie Gonoud, Jack Geoghegan, Conor Dillon (0-01); Joe Moran, Sam McCartan (0-01), Matthew Whittaker (0-02); Ray Connellan, Fionn O’Hara; Danny McCartan (0-01), Brían Cooney (0-01), Robbie Forde (0-03, 1 f); Lorcan Dolan (0-01), Luke Loughlin (0-06, 1 tpf, 1 f), Brandon Kelly (0-01).

Subs: Andrew Kilmartin for Cooney (temp, 26 – 30), Kieran Martin (1-00) for Kelly (52), Ronan Wallace for Dolan (57), Andrew Kilmartin for Cooney (65).

Meath: Billy Hogan; Seamus Lavin, Seán Rafferty, Donal Keogan; Brian O’Halloran, Adam O’Neill (1-00), Ciarán Caulfield; Jack Flynn (0-03, 1 tp), Bryan Menton (0-01); Conor Duke (1-03), Jack Kinlough, Thomas O’Reilly; Jordan Morris (1-03, 1 tpf), Shane Walsh, Eoghan Frayne (0-04, 2 f).

Subs: Cillian O’Sullivan for O’Reilly (25), Sean Coffey for O’Neill (47), Aaron Lynch for Walsh (50), Keith Curtis for O’Sullivan (63), Michael Murphy for O’Halloran (inj., 70).

Referee: Barry Judge (Sligo).

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