Clancy¹s heroics can¹t save Westmeath from Stamford

By Mike Fitzpatrick

There was never much to choose between the sides in this game. Westmeath held the lead in the first half thanks enormously to Paddy McKeever’s goal, which followed over the bar efforts from Damian Gavin and Brian McCabe. Westmeath hit back through Clancy, who had three consecutive points for his side registering, and at half time the score was increased in Westmeaths favor due to a goal from Gavin. Leading by six points at half time, Westmeath began to look as if they were odds on to clinch the victory, but Stamford had other ideas. Scoring five points in succession to Westmeaths solitary McKeever effort, Clancy and co. appeared to have Westmeath on the ropes.

With only a point semerating the sides, Paul Clancy’s goal gave Stamford their first lead of the afternoon, and from then on seldom looked as if they were to sacrifice it. Haughian knocked over a goalbound shot from, you guessed it, Clancy to keep Westmeath in the tie, but and McKeever went on to bring his side back into the fray with a well taken point at the other end. Westmeath were stunned into silence though, when a late goal from Mike Martin gave Stamford a well fought two point victory. Westmeath will be sorely disappointed, but Tyrone, watching from the wings, will no doubt be much indebted to Stamford for this victory.

The mathematicians were out in force at Gaelic Park on Sunday, attempting to work out the various permutations and combinations of results required to figure out just what each team needed to qualify for the next round of senior football. Basically it works like this:

Donegal beat Tyrone on Saturday in the Catskills, leaving them with 11 points, and home safe.

Stamford won this game, and they were also home and dry.

That leaves three teams fighting for two spots. If Westmeath had won, they would have gone through and Tyrone’s season would have come to an end.

Following Tyrone and Westmeath both losing, Leitrim are through. Therefore, we have Tyrone and Westmeath battling for the final place. 

Westmeath: Emmet Haughian, Jimmy Hughes, Frank Kavanagh, Collie Mathers, Tom Quinn, Kenny McKinlay, Tom Moriarty, James Kavanagh, Sean O’Donnell, Damian Gavin (1-2), Jarlath Fallon, Sam Yore, Paddy McKeever (1-4), Mike Healy, Brian McCabe (0-2). Subs: Martin Murtagh, Dave Fitzgerald.

Stamford: John Wallace, Martin McDermott, Pat Coyne, Brendan Brady, kDeclan Curtin, Richie Purcell (0-2), Mark Comerford (0-1), Ronan Mooney, James Glennon (0-1), Paul Clancy (1-6), Keith Hennessy, Justin O’Halloran, Mike Martin (1-0), Ted Steede, Niall Slattery. Subs: Eric McDonald