Impressive victory for talented U16 side

A clinical Westmeath booked the county's first appearance in a Ted Webb Cup Final with a surprisingly easy win over Dublin last Saturday in TEG Cusack Park. Whilst many would traditionally associate the Lake County with other U16 competitions, a restructuring of tournaments by the GAA has seen Westmeath compete in this competition (named after the late Mayo and Ballyhaunis footballer Ted Webb) since 2021, with Saturday's win representing a first semi-final win in that timeframe.

Westmeath have been the form side in the competition thus far and with Dublin fielding two teams at this age group (their other outfit overcame Donegal in the Buncrana Cup), the home side entered the contest as favourites. The early indicators were a tight affair was in store as Tadhg Mulvihill's point was responded to in kind by Dublin points from Peter Comer and Adam Kelly. With the wind in Westmeath's favour, Josh Scahill sliced over a two-pointer in the 10th minute to regain the lead.

The home side goaled in the 12th minute as good pressure from Jack Daly and Peadar Baird led to a counter attack that ended with Colm Clinton slipping Mulvihill in behind for a goal. The next kickout was intercepted by Jamie McGuinness and after both Caelan Keaveney and Mulvihill were both thwarted by Seán de Búrca, Keaveney rolled the ball home for another major.

Dublin steadied the ship with a pair of Kelly frees, including for a breach. Having gone 10 minutes without scoring, Westmeath got back on the board with another goal, as Ollie Keane finished to the top corner following Mulvihill's handpass over the top. A smart long ball from the away side in the 25th minutes saw Comer fouled, who duly converted the free to leave the score at 3-3 to 0-5.

Keaveney soon pointed after being placed by Ciaran McGrath, and this was followed by a Clinton goal, who benefitted from McGuinness's long kick in. Dublin were granted a lifeline on the stroke of half time as Kelly was fouled for a penalty but Tom McCaul got down to his right to keep Evan Fitzpatrick's effort out, leaving the interval score at 4-4 to 0-5.

The game resumed with an element of feistiness, with referee Vinny Cox having to deal with three different incidents, including a very heavy hit on Baird which ended his game. McCaul came forward to convert the ensuing two-point free from the deck and the next play saw McGuinness win the kickout and find Darren Corcoran inside, who rounded the keeper to goal. A foul on Mulvihill allowed Clinton to point as Westmeath now lead by 5-7 to 0-5.

Wind assisted Dublin opened their second half account through Will Herrick's point in the 40th minute from the right but any allusions of a comeback were quickly quelled. In the 43rd minute, Jamie McGuinness got a fist on a dropping shot to goal and in the next play Aodhan Cullen caught the kickout, leading to neat interplay between Shane Canning, Clinton and Mulvihill to set Keaveney up to palm home another goal.

Both sides rolled in their benches at this stage and the Westmeath substitutes were determined to stake their claim for the next day; Jason Moran's neat kick-pass found Billy Lambden inside who fed Keaveney who in turn put Liam O'Brien in for an 8th goal. Dublin replied with a point from James McAnally but another goal followed when Charlie McGauran's free fell kindly for Ciaran Berry to fist home. Next up was James Tierney who turned his man inside out only for Nathan Brady to save, but Niall Gaughan was on hand to fire the rebound in as the home side got to a decade of goals by the 55th minute mark.

A Dublin mini rally saw Cian Redmond goal after a blocked shot fell to him, whilst Aidan Barry soon blazed over, sandwiched either side of a smart Fionn Higgins' save. Westmeath tagged on late points as Ruairi Nicholson pointed from the right after intercepting a Dublin kickout, Gaughan converted a free after a foul on Tierney and Sam Byrne got in on the act with a neat point in injury time after good work from Lambden.

Whilst the Westmeath lads expected a much sterner test, one must commend them for the clinical way they went about their business, with the substitutes introduced pushing the side on further. With Cork overcoming Meath in the other semi final, Westmeath will now face the rebel outfit (1 of 2 sides Cork field at U16) in the final on Saturday 1st August in Ballyhaunis GAA grounds.

Westmeath: Tom McCaul (0-2, 1 2pf), Jack Daly, Shay Leavy (Captain), Peadar Baird, Shane Canning, Liam O'Brien (1-0), Ciaran McGrath, Tristan Duncan, Caelan Keaveney (2-1), Jamie McGuinness (1-0), Darren Corcoran (1-0), Ollie Keane (1-0), Tadhg Mulvihill (1-1), Colm Clinton (1-1, 1f), Josh Scahill (0-2,1 2p), Fionn Higgins, Jason Moran, Aodhan Cullen, Ruairi Nicholson (0-1), Niall Gaughan (1-1, 1f), Ciaran Berry (1-0), Billy Lambden, Sam Byrne (0-1), James Tierney, Charlie McGauran, Aidan Heduvan, Will O'Brien, Shane Glennon, Greg McDonnell.

Dublin: Seán de Búrca, Rory Collins, Darragh Carrick, Sean McFadden, Will Herrick (0-1), Darragh Gannon, Ben McDonnell, James McAnally (0-1), Donal Clair, Matthew Joyce, Evan Fitzpatrick, Darragh Baily, Adam Kelly (0-3, 2f), Peter Comer (0-2, 1f), Senan Doyle, Nathan Brady, Cian Redmond (1-0), Conor McCarthy, Robbie Cotter, Jack Brady, Ben Burgess, Aidan Barry (0-1), Terry Swan, Oisin Kenny, Cillian Connolly, Rory Cahill, Adam Slevin.

Referee: Vinny Cox (Rosemount).