Sport

Offaly easily get second victory

Offaly 3-18 Westmeath 2-8: Offaly possessed too much class and panache for a hapless Westmeath side in this one-sided Division…

Mon Feb 28 2005 - 00:00

Offaly 3-18 Westmeath 2-8: Offaly possessed too much class and panache for a hapless Westmeath side in this one-sided Division Two A clash at Cusack Park, Mullingar, yesterday. In the end, 14-man Westmeath found themselves on the end of a 13-point drubbing as the visitors chalked up their second victory in the campaign.

The concession of goals immediately before and after the interval dented Westmeath's hopes but really, they were struggling throughout this game.

It was Paudie Mulhaire who unhinged the Westmeath defence before the break and when full forward Stephen Browne struck a wonderful overhead volley to the net three minutes into the second half, the game was as good as over.

The home side had played well at times in the opening half but they were seriously lacking in the scoring stakes with Emmet Dalton being the only starting forward to find the target over the 70 minutes. His goal in the 43rd minute gave his side a bit of a lift but sharper Offaly killed off the game with a Mick O'Hara goal midway through the second period.

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Carlow referee Pat Ahern certainly did not endear himself to Westmeath manager Tom Ryan when he yellow-carded four home players in the second period, forcing the side to play out the final minutes without the full complement.

With time almost up, Andrew Mitchell got a consolation goal .

OFFALY: D McDermott; N Claffey, J Brady, C Cassidy; D Hoctor, A McAndrew, K Brady; M Cordial 0-1, G Oakley; B Carroll 0-6, M O'Hara 1-1, P Mulhare 1-1; C Parlon 0-3, S Browne 1-4, D Murray 0-2. Subs: N Coughlan for G Oakley, R Hanniffy for B Carroll, A Hanrahan for P Mulhaire, H Ryan for D Hoctor, L Bergin for K Brady.

WESTMEATH: M Briody; M Murtagh, C Murtagh, D Curley; J Shaw, D McCormack, C Jordan 0-1; A Mitchell 1-3, E Loughlin; B Smyth, B Murtagh, B Lehart; D McNicholas, E Dalton 1-2, K Cosgrove. Subs: B Kennedy 0-1 for B Smyth, G Gavin 0-1 for B Lehart, O Devine for E Loughlin, D Cunningham for B Kennedy (yellow card), P Williams for D McNicholas, D Devine for A Mitchell.

YELLOW CARDS: Offaly: none. Westmeath: B Kennedy (46 mins) replaced by D Cunningham, D McNicholas (50 mins) replaced by P Williams, A Mitchell (68 mins) replaced by D Devine, C Jordan (70 mins) not replaced.

Referee: P Ahern (Carlow).