Bord na Móna O’Byrne Cup Final

Meath 4-13 Westmeath 1-13

Thankfully there was sunshine instead of snow in Mullingar and so the long-delayed Bord na Móna O’Byrne Cup final took place – resulting in a nine point victory for Meath over Westmeath.

Due to be played earlier this season, the final had to be postponed due to the terrible weather that hit the country. Nevertheless, the game provided a timely competitive outing for these local rivals.

Despite finishing with 13 players, The Royal County were the better team and pulled clear in the second half after holding a 2-7 to 1-7 interval lead.

Donal Keoghan scored the first goal for the visitors and man-of-the-match Donal Lenihan added another. But then they were reduced to 14 players after the sending off of Paddy Kennelly and Callum McCormack brought Westmeath back into the game with a goal.

Early in the second half, Donal Lenihan fired home his second goal and despite Eamon Wallace also receiving a red card, Westmeath could cut the gap.

The final goal of the game was fisted to the net late on by Daniel O’Neill, giving Meath a boost ahead of their Leinster SFC quarter-final away to Longford.

Scorers for Meath: Donal Lenihan 2-8 (2f, 1 “45”), Donal Keoghan and Daniel O’Neill 1-0 each, Cillian O’Sullivan 0-2, Ben Brennan, Paddy Kennelly and Thomas O’Reilly 0-1 each.

Scorers for Westmeath: John Connellan 0-6 (5f), Kieran Martin 0-3, Callum McCormack 1-0, Ger Egan and Luke Loughlin 0-2 each.

MEATH: Andrew Colgan; Seamus Lavin, Conor McGill, Shane Glynn; James McEntee, Donal Keogan, Shane McEntee; Bryan Menton, Paddy Kennelly; Bryan McMahon, Ben Brennan, Mickey Burke; Cillian O’Sullivan, Graham Reilly, Donal Lenihan. Subs used: Adam Flanagan for Bryan Menton (20 temp), Bryan Menton for Adam Flanagan (26), Joey Wallace for Graham Reilly (47), Eamon Wallace for Ben Brennan (49), Shane Glynn for Conor Dempsey (49), Daniel O’Neill for Mickey Burke (58), Thomas O’Reilly  for Bryan McMahon (58), Adam Flanagan for Bryan Menton (69), Cian O’Brien for Shane McEntee (69), Sean Curran for Seamus Lavin (72).

WESTMEATH: Stephen Gallagher; Ronan Wallace, Sam Duncan, Boidu Sayeh; Conor Slevin, Jamie Gonoud, James Dolan; Alan Stone, Daragh Daly; Kieran Martin, Callum Mc Cormack, John Egan; Luke Loughlin, Finbar Coyne, John Connellan. Subs used: Noel Mulligan for Ronan Wallace (25), Ger Egan for Conor Slevin (HT) Gary McCallon for Boidu Sayeh (44), Ronan O’Toole for Finbar Coyne (45), Gareth Carr for Alan Stone (47), Anthony McGivney for John Egan (56), Adam Loughlin for Darragh Daly (69) John Rock for Noel Mulligan (69), Nigel Scally for Kieran Martin (72), Joe Moran for Callum McCormack (72).

Referee: Fergal Smyth (Offaly).