Westmeath v Carlow, Leinster SFC: Live Blog

Join Paul Hughes for live coverage of today's Leinster senior football championship match between Westmeath and Carlow at Cusack Park.

Refresh the page for regular updates.

 

FULL TIME: Westmeath 3-15, Carlow 1-10 – It was hardly a vintage performance from Pat Flanagan's men, but they did the necessary, and now await a Croke Park quarter-final meeting with the mighty Dublin. 

70 min: WM 3-15, CW 1-10: At the other end, Paul Sharry saunters through the Carlow defence to restore Westmeath's lead to 11.

69 min: WM 3-14, CW 1-10: Brian Murphy slots over another score for Carlow. 

67 min: WM 3-14, CW 1-9: A decent point from Carlow's Brendan Murphy, with the left boot. 

67 min: WM 3-14, CW 1-8: A point from Caulry defender Kevin Maguire. The game is stumbling to its inevitable conclusion.

64 min: Final Westmeath substitutions – Damian Dolan for Doron Harte; Lorcan Smyth for Kieran Martin.

63 min: Westmeath substitution – Darragh Daly for David Duffy. 

60 min: WM 3-13, CW 1-8: Another mighty free from John Heslin puts eleven betwen the sides.

56 min: WM 3-12, CW 1-8: A good free from Carlow's Brian Murphy from the right corner.

53 min: Subs for Westmeath – Mullingar Shamrocks duo Denis Corroon and Ciaran Curley on for Dessie Dolan and Ger Egan.

52 min: WM 3-12, CW 1-7: Brendan Murphy knocks over a '45' for the visitors.

51 min: WM 3-12, CW 1-6: "Form is temporary, class is permanent," a scribe utters in the press box, as Dessie Dolan delivers a magnificent point from the terrace sideline.

50 min: WM 3-11, CW 1-6: Eoghan Ruth gets Carlow off the mark again with a decent point, but there's a weight of expectation on Westmeath to add to their 11-point lead. 

46 min: WM 3-11, CW 1-5: Des Dolan with a point for Westmeath, off the upright.

45 min: WESTMEATH GOAL – WM 3-10, CW 1-5: James Dolan steals in for a third Westmeath goal, after a pass from Ger Egan. Pat Flanagan's men are cruising now.

44 min: WM 2-10, CW 1-5: John Heslin's putting on another masterclass in free-taking. He extends Westmeath's lead to eight after a foul on David Duffy.

41 min: WM 2-9, CW 1-5: A terrific and deserved point for James Dolan, who has easily been Westmeath's most impressive player today. Kieran Gavin also having a fine game at full back, with John Gaffey and David Duffy also impressing. 

39 min: WM 2-8, CW 1-5: Another point for Murphy reduces the arrears. Lively start to the second half by Carlow. Westmeath respond with a wide from John Heslin.

38 min: WM 2-8, CW 1-4: Point for Carlow by Brendan Murphy.

 

HALF TIME

35 min + 2: WM 2-8, CW 1-3: Darragh Foley converts a free for Carlow.

35 min + 1: WESTMEATH GOAL – WM 2-8, CW 1-2: Kieran Martin fires a terrific left foot shot to the net, at the end of a move which started with Callum McCormack intercepting a poor Carlow kickout. 

35 min: WM 1-8, CW 1-2: John Heslin converts a free from close range after an off-the-ball foul on Denis Glennon. Wides count so far: 13, six for Westmeath.

28 min: WM 1-7, CW 1-2: After a poor start including five wides, Carlow star Brendan Murphy dissects the posts with a terrific reply for Carlow. 

27 min: WESTMEATH GOAL – WM 1-7, CW 1-1: A low shot from Kieran Martin finds the net, after a final pass from Dessie Dolan. Westmeath in the ascendant. 

26 min: WM 0-7, CW 1-1: Heslin and Denis Glennon link up with Tyrrellspass's Ger Egan, who kicks a fine point with his back to goal. 

24 min: WM 0-6, CW 1-1: Darragh Foley converts a close range free for Carlow. 

21 min: WM 0-6, CW 1-0: John Heslin with a free from a similar position.

18 min: WM 0-5, CW 1-0: John Heslin converts a fine free from the terrace sideline. 

16 min: WM 0-4, CW 1-0: The dependable Des Dolan knocks over a fine point after a good passing move. 

13 min: Callum McCormack (Westmeath) handpasses wide, despite having Ger Egan in a goalscoring position. Westmeath shellshocked by Carlow's goal.

10 min: CARLOW GOAL - CW 1-0, WM 0-3... Put under fierce pressure by Sean Gannon (Carlow), Gary Connaughton lets a high ball from Brendan Murphy slip into the net. Softest of soft goals. 

9 min: Darragh Foley misses an easy free for Carlow, struck off the upright. Carlow fluff the follow-up.

7 min: WM 0-3, CW 0-0: A superb pass from Ger Egan finds Des Dolan, who slots over his second point after an equally impressive catch.

6 min: Brendan Murphy kicks a wide for Carlow. 

4 min: Denis Glennon wide for Westmeath. Incidentally, this is Westmeath's first Leinster SFC to take place at Cusack Park in the new millennium.

3 min: WM 0-2, CW 0-0: James Dolan sets up his cousin Des for a second Westmeath point.

2 min: WM 0-1, CW 0-0: Denis Glennon puts the Lake County in front with a handpassed point. 

1 min: Des Dolan with an early wide for Westmeath.

15.41: Finally under way here at Cusack Park. Brendan Murphy starts at full forward for Carlow.

15.28: Game delayed for ten minutes due to safety issues, as Cusack Park attempts to deal with a huge queue for tickets outside the ground.

15.28: While we're waiting, Carlow line out as follows: Trevor O'Reilly; Conor Lawler, Shane Mernagh, Barry-John Molloy; Kieran Nolan, Shane Redmond, Benny Kavanagh; Darragh Foley, John Murphy; Brian Murphy, Brendan Murphy, Eoghan Ruth; Seán Gannon, Paul Reid, Derek Hayden.

15.25: A possible delay here at Cusack Park, with a huge crowd of supporters outside queuing for tickets. Massive interest in this fixture. 

15.15: Westmeath take to the field. They line out as follows: Gary Connaughton; Mark McCallon, Kieran Gavin (capt.), Kevin Maguire; Doron Harte, Paul Sharry, John Gaffey; David Duffy, John Heslin; Kieran Martin, Callum McCormack, James Dolan; Ger Egan, Denis Glennon, Dessie Dolan.