Bun' keep Westmeath flag flying

Gerry Buckley reportsWestmeath Intermediate Football champions, Bunbrosna made it a clean sweep for Lake County clubs in the interprovincial championships on Sunday when they ended the interest of Offaly kingpins.Played in Cloghan, Co. Offaly on what was a fine surface, given the torrential rain of the previous days, Bunbrosna were out of the trap early and registered a wide followed by a Peter Tormey point when Liam Mitchell collected the kickout and passed to the corner forward.The Offaly champions registered their first courtesy of Gary Mahon. When Finian Newman was fouled Peter Tormey was on hand to put the free over the bar. Both sides registered wides before the St. Rynagh’s corner forward Niall Wynne put over from a free in the 15th minute to level the sides at 0-2 each.A delay in getting the ball and kicking it out was punished by referee Eddie Kinsella with a throw-up on the twenty metre line resulting in a free for the Offaly man and another point from the the Saints’ Niall Wynne Brian Maguire followed up with a point for Bunbrosna after getting a pass from Finian Newman. Finian Newman himself registered a point with Peter Tormey providing a pass with 22 minutes gone to move Bunbrosna ahead 0-4 to 0-3.Both sides registered wides before Brian Maguire - the Bunbrosna full forward-played a one two with Finian Newman and finished off with a lovely point with half time almost there, leaving the visitors two points to the good, 0-5 to 0-3. This deficit was cleared within a few minutes of the restart with two points from play from Ciaran Flannery and Pat Camon. They moved ahead when a free followed a foul by the Bunbrosna corner back was converted by Niall Wynne in the fifth minute.Bunbrosna fought back and when their centre forward Finian Newman was fouled, Fintan Finnan stepped up to equalise again with about seven minutes of the half gone.St. Rynagh’s began to dominate play and succeeded in getting the ball past the Bunbrosna defence which Ciaran Flannery with the opportunity to rattle the net. Another attack resulted in a wide for St. Rynagh’s. The kickout was collected by Bunbrosna and a movement upfield finished with a Ronan Scally point.An attack by St. Rynagh’s was broken down by Bunbrosna defenders and a move out of defence, involving Conor Newman, Aidan Finnan and Finnan Newman resulted in corner forward Barry O’Mara getting the ball to the back of theSt. Rynagh’s net.A switch by Bunbrosna management shortly before that moved Aidan Finnan out of full back to his more familiar area of the field.Andy Whitney and Brian Maguire both raised the white flag. St. Rynagh’s fought back but without their influential corner forward failed to register another score. Their efforts were dealt another blow when centre half forward, Ciaran Flannery was shown a red card and Peter Tormey put the resultant free over the bar to leave the score 1-10 to 1-6 with three minutes of ordinary time left on the clock.Bunbrosna added three more points between them and the end of the game with Peter Tormey scoring two and Ronan Scally one. Final score Bunbrosna 1-13 St. Rynagh’s 1-6.Bunbrosna: Damien McCormack, Conor Newman, Aidan Finnan, Sean Walsh, Darren Geerah, Liam Mitchell, Conor Lyons, Padraic Walsh, Andy Whitney (0-1), Ronan Scally (0-2), Finian Newman (0-1), Fintan Finnan (0-1), Peter Tormey (0-5, 0-3f), Brian Maguire (0-3) and Barry O’Mara (1-0). Subs: Kevin Tormey for Darren Geerah inj, John Casey, Tommy Murphy, Alan Maguire, Colm McCormack, Fintan Connaughton, Paul Connaughton, John McCormack and David Newman.St. Rynagh’s: Gary Kelly, Thomas Flaherty, James Rafferty, Stephen Clancy, Joe Carroll, Ger Rafferty (capt.), Joseph O’Connor, Pat Camon (0-1), Pat McIntyre, Stephen Wynne, Ciaran Flannery (1-1), Gary O’Connor, Gary Mahon (0-1), Paudie Mulhare and Niall Wynne (0-3). Subs: Dessie O’Connor for James Rafferty (inj), Enda Corcoran for Niall Wynne (inj), Aidan Hanrahan for Gary Mahon and Eunan Martin for Paudie Mulhare.Referee: Eddie Kinsella, Laois.