‘Luck was a factor, and we got it,’ admits Dolan

Westmeath enjoyed a huge slice of luck in last Sunday’s National Football League Division 3 game against Clare at TEG Cusack Park, with the visitors having a goal controversially ruled out for a square ball infringement late on before Ronan O’Toole slotted over the winning point in the sixth minute of added time.

In real time it was almost impossible to call as Clare substitute Cormac Murphy fisted home from close-range, but Cork referee David Murnane consulted with his umpires before awarding a free out. Westmeath manager Dessie Dolan felt the correct call was made, though subsequent footage suggests the visitors can feel unlucky.

Dolan was impressed with the character his side showed to earn their second victory of the campaign and keep alive their bid for promotion.

“We were five points down with 11 minutes to go and I was very concerned. It’s the composure in the group, the leaders in the group (which proved vital), and the bit of know-how was very important. Pushing up on the kick-outs is really important as well. I think it was eight out of 12 times we won their kick-outs and that gave us the opportunity. There are good finishers there. I know in the first half the finishing was poor, but certainly when we needed it and there were clutch moments; there were some great scores,” he enthused.

Westmeath will travel to Aughrim on Sunday week in confident form, though Dolan knows there is no room for complacency.

“I’ve been in Aughrim before and you get a good welcome, to say the least. We know what to expect. They are very spirited down there and they have taken many a team. Like a lot of teams playing us, they seem very motivated and very up for the matches, and respect us as well. At the same time, we know Wicklow and Oisin (McConville), a good friend of mine; they will be waiting for us in the long grass. We have to be ready for that and better. We need to improve again,” he remarked.

“It’s a very difficult Division. They are very honest teams, they are very hard working and there are very even teams; there’s not much in any of the games. And being honest, luck was a factor today and we got it.”

Reflecting on the game, Dolan felt the strong breeze was a major factor, while a lack of composure in the first half proved frustrating.

“It was very difficult. I suppose in the first half we created a few decent opportunities and butchered them. I was worried at the time, there was probably easy enough scores for us to get and we came away with nothing on a couple of occasions. It gave them good momentum then, they got a couple of really good scores,” he observed.

“They have a couple of really good players and, to be fair to Clare as well, they deserve a lot of credit because that was a very spirited performance. I think it took our lads an awful lot to find their way back into the game and to get the result eventually, but it is a credit to Clare as well.

“We created great opportunities, there were two or three more goal opportunities, and we came away with nothing. I might say to the lads, good scores, good shots, we came away with nothing. That fuelled Clare who had a couple of players: Coughlan on the wing, he got three points in the first half. They were well able to shoot from long-range, from distance. People were dismissing Clare, but they came down from Division 2; they were there for eight years; they have great players and great know-how and you could see that today.”