Dublin 0-13 Westmeath 1-08: Dublin have endured a rocky road and a nervous journey to get into their fourth successive Leinster football final. In front of a Croke Park attendance of 67,075, they eventually wore down a brave and determined Westmeath effort, who, despite an excellent start, simply couldn't sustain the pace over the full 70 minutes.
For long periods Dublin were the ones chasing the game, and for the opening 20 minutes found themselves tangled up in maroon. In a typically intense and high-octane game, delayed for 15 minutes because of the late arrival of a large section of the supporters, quality often took a back seat to desperation, but in the end Dublin's experience proved crucial as they outscored Westmeath 0-5 to 0-3 in the second half - a poor return for both teams that underlines the tense nature of the affair.
It keeps Dublin on course for a fourth successive provincial title as well, but manager Paul Caffrey will have lots to think about ahead of the final showdown with Wexford on July 20th.
Westmeath emptied the tank, showed superb work rate throughout, and in the early stages looked the most likely winners. While the first half swerved between the sublime and the ragged, both teams exhibiting some fine passages of football, but also wasting possession with too much ease. Westmeath pressed in front with a superbly finished goal after just seven minutes, as wing back Michael Ennis made a deft flick onto a fine pass from Donal O'Donoghue, out-jumping Dublin goalkeeper Stephen Cluxton in the process.
Soon Westmeath were in the driving seat, with Denis Glennon added a point, and giving Dublin full back Ross McConnell the proverbial roasting. After 14 minutes they were four points clear (1-4 to 0-3) and Dublin looked in real trouble. They lost Bernard Brogan to a hamstring pull, while Alan Brogan was being brilliantly contained by John Keane.
Still, Dublin needed to dig deep, and they did, hitting three points without reply around the 20 minute mark, including a fine effort from substitute Diarmuid Connolly, and also corner back David Henry. Although the Westmeath defence were brilliantly disciplined, Dublin were still winning some soft frees, with Conal Keaney and Tomas Quinn happy to oblige with the scores.
The first half ended level, Dublin's 0-8 to Westmeath's 1-5, although just three of Dublin's scores came from play. The main problem with that from Westmeath's point of view was that they'd only managed a single point in the last 20 minutes of play in the period, a hugely disappointing return given their greater share of possession.
The quality of football disintegrated further in the second half, but at least the excitement made up for it. Ciaran Whelan hit the first score for Dublin in what turned out to be a roundabout substitution with Shane Ryan, but that still proved temporary, as Westmeath were back in front minutes later with a fine score from play by Dessie Dolan, on 44 minutes. Incredibly, that would prove their last score until injury time, and they were never going to survive a scoring famine like that.
Martin Flanagan was introduced on 57 minutes - despite his knee injury - but didn't quite have the desired influence, and Dublin's blanket defence was now leaving precious little room for the Westmeath forwards, Glennon and Dolan in particular.
Dublin were back in front on 52 minutes with Connolly's second point, and impressively held off Westmeath from there until the end. Dolan was guilty of one very poor wide from a free on 62 minutes, one he'd usually hit over in his sleep. Flanagan followed that up with another wide, and cool heads were suddenly lost.
Keaney missed an equally easy free at the same time, but then up stepped Jason Sherlock on 66 minutes to push Dublin two in front. One more neat passage of play from Brogan and Sherlock set up Barry Cahill to extend the lead to three, and with Westmeath finally run out of steam, that was enough to see them through.
DUBLIN: S Cluxton; D Henry (0-1), R McConnell, S O'Shaughnessy; C Moran (0-1), B Cullen, B Cahill (0-1); E Fennell, S Ryan; P Flynn, J Sherlock (0-1), B Brogan; A Brogan (0-1), C Keaney (0-2, both frees), T Quinn (0-3, all frees).
Subs: D Connolly (0-2) for B Brogan (17 mins, inj), C Whelan (0-1)for Ryan, P Casey for McConnell, M Vaughan for Flynn (all half time), Ryan for Whelan (48 mins), Whelan for Fennell (55 mins), B McManamon for Quinn (65 mins).
WESTMEATH: G Connaughton; F Boyle, K Gavin, J Keane; M Ennis (1-0), D Heavin, D Healy; D O'Donoghue, D Duffy; F Wilson, J Smyth, D Harte; D Dolan (0-5, three frees), D Glennon (0-3, one free), D Bannon.
Subs: A Mangan foir Bannon (22 mins), M Flanagan for Smyth (57 mins), David Glennon for Wilson (67 mins).
Referee: D Hughes (Armagh).