Sport

Dolan's influence proves decisive

Division Two B/Westmeath 0-15 Wicklow 1-9: Dessie Dolan scored 11 points as Westmeath kept their promotion hopes on track at…

Mon Mar 06 2006 - 00:00

Division Two B/Westmeath 0-15 Wicklow 1-9: Dessie Dolan scored 11 points as Westmeath kept their promotion hopes on track at Cusack Park yesterday, but the Midlands side were forced to work hard for their third successive league win by 14-man Wicklow.

Dolan scored four points from play inside the opening 18 minutes, with the rest of his tally coming from frees. The Westmeath attack was once again chronically reliant on Dolan and the 2004 All Star scored all bar one of his team's first-half tally of seven points.

Boosted by a 22nd-minute goal from Leighton Glynn, Wicklow led 1-5 to 0-7 at half-time. Tommy Gill and Jonathan Daniels were also showing well in the Wicklow forward division.

The visitors were reduced to 14 players early in the second half after Anthony Nolan was shown his second yellow card.

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In total, Armagh referee Pádraig Hughes issued 10 yellow cards during a keenly-contested game. And almost eight minutes of injury-time were played in the second half because of the frequent stoppages.

Despite their numerical disadvantage, Wicklow led 1-8 to 0-9 with 19 minutes of normal time remaining. But Dolan's accuracy from frees and points from substitute Gary Dolan and Alan Mangan were enough to secure victory for the home side.

WESTMEATH: G Connaughton; J Davitt, M Ennis, J Keane; G Dillon, D Heavin, D McDermott; D Duffy (0-1), D O'Shaughnessy; J Nugent, Denis Glennon, P Bannon (0-1); A Mangan (0-1), PJ Ward, D Dolan (0-11, seven frees). Subs: G Dolan (0-1) for Ward (40 mins), R O'Connell for Nugent (47 mins), D O'Donoghue for McDermott (54 mins), David Glennon for Bannon (58 mins), PJ Ward for David Glennon (inj, 75 mins).

WICKLOW: R Daniels; C Hyland, D Power, B Daly; A Foley, C Foley, T Burke; J Stafford (0-1), D Dillon; A Nolan, L Glynn (1-2), JP Dalton; W O'Gorman, T Gill (0-2, one free), J Daniels (0-4, three frees). Subs: P Dalton for JP Dalton (24 mins), B O'Donovan for C Foley (31 mins), G Duffy for Dillon (35 mins), N Mernagh for O'Gorman (66 mins), G Doyle for J Daniels (69 mins).

Referee: P Hughes (Armagh).