Westmeath SFC Final/ The Downs 1-10 Garrycastle 0-10: The Downs dethroned reigning champions Garrycastle to claim their ninth county title in a pulsating senior football final at Cusack Park, Mullingar, yesterday.
The Downs finished the game with 14 men after Seán Loughlin was sent-off early in the second half but Garrycastle were unable to capitalise on their numerical advantage.
Dessie Dolan scored nine points, all from frees, but no other starting Garrycastle player registered a score. A Stephen Devine goal just before half-time saw The Downs lead by 1-6 to 0-5 as the sides changed ends.
Despite the introduction of four substitutes, Garrycastle were unable to get any closer than three points in the second half as points from Tommy Cleary, James Conroy and Barry Conroy enabled The Downs to take the title in a tense finish.
THE DOWNS: C McCormack; S Loughlin, S O'Leary, S Cleary; C Carley, D Devine, G Crowley; J Corroon, B Murtagh; L Folan, J Smyth, B Conroy (0-1, free); T Cleary (0-7, five frees), J Conroy (0-2), S Devine (1-0). Subs: D O'Reilly for Folan (43 mins), K Shanley for Smyth (64).
GARRYCASTLE: C Mullin; T McHugh, K Henson, P Rattigan; D Harte, S O'Donoghue, E Mulvihill; D O'Shaughnessy, J McAteer; J Duignan, G Dolan, R Fox; A Daly, P Dillon, D Dolan (0-9, frees). Subs: N Galvin for Fox (half-time), P Mulvihill (0-1) for Daly (half-time), D Ryan for Dillon (48 mins), R Shine for Duignan (49).
Referee: A McCormack (Kilbeggan Shamrocks).
