Improved Westmeath fade after very promising start in opening league game

Despite a wonderful display in the opening quarter of an hour, Westmeath ultimately lost out by seven points to Donegal in last Sunday's first round of the National Football League at Cusack Park, with a brilliantly taken goal from left half back, Kevin Cassidy, in the third minute of the second half proving to be the crucial score of the afternoon.Unbackable favourites Donegal arrived in Mullingar as McKenna Cup champions for 2010, in contrast to their hosts who had endured a far-from-impressive O'Byrne Cup and Shield campaign in January, and that on the back of a wretched 2009. However, Brendan Hackett's troops took the game by the scruff of the neck from the throw-in and they raced into a 0-5 to 0-0 lead by the 14th minute, with Denis Glennon creating havoc in the visitors' rearguard. Unforced errors then began to creep in to the Lake County's play, but Westmeath still deserved their narrow interval lead (0-6 to 0-5). Within three minutes of the resumption, team captain Kevin Cassidy brought the large Donegal contingent in the 1,700 crowd to their feet with a great strike from 25 metres to the roof of the net, giving Gary Connaughton no chance. This goal gave the visitors a lead which, in truth, they never looked likely to relinquish and John Joe Doherty's troops emerged as worthy winners, despite the maroon and whites plugging away manfully to the final whistle.Denise Fulham's rousing rendition of Amhrán na bhFiann preceded a new NFL campaign for Westmeath. The smaller than expected numbers supporting the home side could not have dreamt of a better start as their heroes burst out of the traps, taking red-hot favourites Donegal by surprise. Within 30 seconds of the throw-in, David Duffy fed Denis Glennon and the Tyrrellspass maestro cut in goalward before fisting over a point. Brief confusion then reigned in the referee's mind as Donegal's Neil Gallagher claimed a 'mark'. It took a timely intervention from the ever-reliable Gary Connaughton to keep out Adrian Hanlon and the home team made the most of this by doubling their lead, fine work by Tommy Warburton and a neat lay-off from Denis Glennon freeing Gavin Hoey for a well-taken point on the run. Glennon was on top of his game and he rifled over a tremendous point with his left foot to put the maroon and whites three points to the good in the ninth minute. At the other end, returning veteran Damien Healy showed all his experience with a timely punched clearance. A somewhat fortunate free awarded to Conor Lynam resulted in a terrific left-footed conversion from Paul Greville. Denis Glennon was off target from a difficult free but soon made amends with a composed score from play, leaving Westmeath an amazing 0-5 to 0-0 ahead in the 14th minute and seemingly making a mockery of the 13/2 odds many bookmakers had offered on a home victory.The visitors opened their account at the midpoint of the half when Doran Harte was penalised, harshly it seemed, for touching the ball on the ground and Michael Murphy had the simple task of tapping over the resultant free. Gary Connaughton had to be alert in the 22nd minute when he held Adrian Hanlon's weakly-struck shot from ten metres when a goal seemed certain. Hastily-taken frees from Paul Greville and Denis Glennon both came to nothing and an improving Donegal got right back into the game with impressive substitute Conall Dunne making a score for Adrian Hanlon and then taking one himself in style to reduce the deficit to two points, approaching the half-hour mark. The respective full forwards, Colm McFadden and Denis Glennon exchanged points from frees as the first moiety neared its conclusion. There was still time for the men in green and gold to further narrow the margin, a needlessly-conceded free by Conor Lynam being converted by Colm McFadden with the last kick of the half. This left the scoreboard reading 0-6 to 0-5 in Westmeath's favour at the break, a scenario even the most optimistic of home fans could not have envisaged 37 minutes earlier.David Walsh shot a very disappointing wide within 25 seconds of the resumption, but his captain Kevin Cassidy was to lead by example some two minutes later when he was picked out in space moving out of defence and the left half back duly rifled a fabulous shot to the roof of Gary Connaughton's net for a superb goal. Westmeath were in need of a response but some hasty shooting resulted in poor wides. In the 12th minute, the winners went a goal in front courtesy of a converted '45' by Michael Murphy. Soon afterwards, a real goal opportunity was spurned at the other end, Gavin Hoey failing to pick out an unmarked Conor Lynam as the Donegal defence was caught napping. Unforced errors were rampant in the losers' game at this juncture but a by-now rare well-constructed move was rewarded when Paul Greville tapped over a straightforward free in the 18th minute. With Denis Glennon withdrawn in clear discomfort with his shoulder, Conor Lynam was taking on the leadership mantle in the home attack, but it was John Joe Doherty's troops who looked the likelier side to increase their total. This they did in some style by adding four unanswered between the 21st and 26th minutes. A great score from Adrian Hanlon was quickly followed by a simple free from Colm McFadden. Directly from the kick-out, David Walsh soloed through and duly put his name on the scoresheet. Highly-rated corner forward Michael Murphy was becoming more influential and he set up Colm McFadden for the winners' tenth point. A poorly-struck free from Paul Greville was easily collected by Donegal netminder Paul Durcan, but the Ulster side were more clinical with Michael Murphy soon converting a free from a similar range. A wild kick skywards from David Duffy summed up Westmeath's woes and it took a returning Denis Glennon to fist Westmeath's eighth point. With one minute of normal time remaining, substitute Ronan Doolin was rewarded for his persistence under pressure with a well-taken point. However, this proved to be the losers' last score of the contest and Donegal wrapped up a valuable brace of league points with two injury-time points from the boot of Colm McFadden (the first from a 30-metre free).While defeat is never palatable, Westmeath's performance was a definite improvement on the O'Byrne competitions. However, picking up points is the name of the game and a near 70-minute display on similar lines to the wonderful opening quarter of an hour last Sunday will be needed from Brendan Hackett's men in Crossmaglen next weekend.Donegal: Paul Durcan; James Keeney, Neil McGee, Paddy McDaid; Owen Waide, Frank McGlynn, Kevin Cassidy (capt) (1-0); Fergal McNulty, Neil Gallagher; Karl Lacy, David Walsh (0-1), Leo McLoone; Adrian Hanlon (0-2), Colm McFadden (0-6, 0-3 from frees), Michael Murphy (0-3, 0-2 from frees, 0-1 from a '45'). Subs: Conall Dunne (0-1) (for McDaid, 23 mins), Stephen Griffen (for McLoone, 33 mins), Anthony Thompson (for Waide, 44 mins), Barry Monaghan (for McNulty, 54 mins).Westmeath: Gary Connaughton; Damien Healy, Michael Ennis (capt), John Gaffey; Ger Egan, Donal O'Donoghue, Doran Harte; David Duffy, Stephen Bracken; Tommy Warburton, Paul Greville (0-2, both from frees), John Smyth; Gavin Hoey (0-1), Denis Glennon (0-5, 0-1 from a free), Conor Lynam. Subs: Aidan Finnan (for Warburton, 32 mins), Paul Bannon (for Glennon, inj, 44 mins), Willie Murtagh (for Gaffey, 65 mins), Ronan Doolin (0-1) (for Bracken, 65 mins), Denis Glennon (for Hoey, 67 mins).Referee: Cormac Reilly (Meath).