Martin’s wonder goal seals historic Tailteann victory for Westmeath

Tailteann Cup senior football final: Westmeath 2-14, Cavan 1-13

Westmeath’s Kieran Martin came off the bench to score a cracker of a second half goal for the Lake County, as Jack Cooney’s charges defeated Cavan to win the inaugural Tailteann Cup football final in Croke Park.

The Maryland man soloed through a forest of Cavan defenders before firing to the net in the 67th minute of today’s entertaining encounter at Headquarters.

This shot in the arm came at the right time for Westmeath, who missed a host of chances in the third quarter and found themselves behind when Padraig Faulkner punched to the net for the Breffni men.

The Maroons trailed 1-13 to 1-11 at the 58th minute when the turning point came – a red card for Cavan midfielder Thomas Galligan, who floored Westmeath’s Ronan O’Toole with a robust shoulder.

Westmeath kicked on from there and scored 1-3 without reply, including Martin’s stunning strike, to run out four-point winners, with Ronan Wallace nabbing the insurance score.

The late rally was a just reward for the Lake County, who were the better side over the course of the 70 plus minutes.

They led 1-8 to 0-9 at half-time, getting a strangehold on the game after Cavan took an early 0-3 to 0-1 lead. John Heslin and man of the match Ronan O’Toole led the way with scores, but their opponents recovered and led by two coming up to the half-hour mark.

However, on 28 minutes, a pass across the goal from Ronan O’Toole found Luke Loughlin. The Downs man was felled by a challenge, but managed to play the ball along the ground to Lorcan Dolan, who found the net with a soccer style finish. Loughlin also scored a peach of a point from out left in the run-up to the break.

It was nip and tuck for the first quarter of the second half as both sides missed opportunities, but Faulkner’s goal looked to have put Cavan firmly in the driving seat.

However, Galligan’s dismissal, and the introduction of the experienced Kieran Martin and Ger Egan, gave Westmeath a second wind, as deserving team captain Kevin Maguire became the first man to lift the Tailteann Cup.

Scorers – Westmeath: R O’Toole 0-5, L Dolan and K Martin 1-0 each, S McCartan (1 ’45’) and J Heslin (1f) 0-3 each, L Loughlin 0-2, R Wallace 0-1. Cavan: G Smith, G McKiernan (1f) and P Lynch 0-3 each, P Faulkner 1-0, J McLoughlin, J Smith, O Kiernan and S Smith 0-1 each.

Westmeath: Jason Daly; Jack Smith, James Dolan, Kevin Maguire (captain); Ronan Wallace, David Lynch, Jamie Gonoud; Sam Duncan, Ray Connellan; Sam McCartan, Ronan O’Toole, Jonathan Lynam; Lorcan Dolan, John Heslin, Luke Loughlin. Subs used: Ger Egan for Lynam (58), Kieran Martin for L Dolan (60), Alex Gardiner for Loughlin (70).

Cavan: Raymond Galligan (captain); Niall Carolan, Killian Brady, Padraig Faulkner; Oisín Kiernan, Conor Brady, Jason McLoughlin; Thomas Galligan, Killian Clarke; Gerard Smith, Gearóid McKiernan, Conor Moynagh; Cian Madden, Paddy Lynch, James Smith. Subs used: Stephen Smith for Madden (h-t), Martin Reilly for C Brady (51), Luke Fortune for Moynagh (66), Cormac O’Reilly for K Brady (71), Conor Madden for Clarke (72).

Referee: Barry Cassidy (Derry).