The Downs (Westmeath) 2-12 Ratoath (Meath) 0-17
The Downs hung on under the Croke Park lights to reach their first Leinster Club SFC final since 1972 at the expense of Meath champions Ratoath.
Fifty years since their last appearance, Lar Wall’s outfit’s game management was superior in all departments, gaining the lead and importantly maintaining it when it mattered down the pulsating stretch.
Ratoath made them sweat with five unanswered points in a finish that allowed Jack Flynn the opportunity to level from a free. Under the Hogan Stand, Flynn’s effort whizzed past and allowed The Downs to bridge the gap.
Eamonn Wallace, in his newly acquainted half back position this season, opened the scoring with a blistering drive. Westmeath hurling star Niall Mitchell quickly levelled but set the precedent of what was to come as the game went point for point.
With neither side pulling away from one another the first half was ping-ponging from end to end with outstanding accuracy.
Down’s full forward Luke Loughlin shimmied his way to two points in that period while at the other end Bobby O’Brien showed fleet of foot to reply in between.
The shoot-out brought its own pressures, Flynn’s snapshot at goal was well saved by Darragh McPartlin but he made up for it with a well-taken 45.
Loughlin did spurn a couple of opportunities but the Meath champions failed to capitalise.
Then came the goal that would have a huge bearing on the game, when McPartlin failed to deal with a Mitchell pull back along the end line and Ciarán Nolan was on hand to bury from close range.
Containment was the name of the game then for the Westmeath champions. That only allowed both sides to be drawn to each other.
There was also Daithí McGowan’s brilliance. One of three brothers starting on the day, the midfielder landed the last four of his side’s points to make it a drawn game, 0-10 to 1-7 at half-time, with two superb frees and two booming efforts from distance.
Having had a hand in the opening goal Mitchell found the net himself to cap a match-winning third quarter.
With the lead for the second time, The Downs would not buckle again despite losing Andrew Kilmartin to a second yellow card.
On top of his five-point tally, Loughlin’s lung-bursting run in additional time wound down the clock and would be enough to halt the Ratoath onslaught.
McGowan again showed his resilience with a brace that left enough room for Flynn to agonisingly fail to bring the game to extra-time.
THE DOWNS: Trevor Martin; Peter Murray, Eanna Burke (0-1), Darragh Egerton; Conor Coughlan (0-1), Joseph Moran, Mark Kelly; Charlie Drumm, Ciarán Nolan (1-0); Andrew Kilmartin (0-2), Jonathan Lynam (0-1), Kevin O’Sullivan; Ian Martin (0-1), Luke Loughlin (0-5, two frees), Niall Mitchell (1-1, one free).
Subs: Dean Clarke for Drumm (33 mins, blood); Tom Tuite for Martin (53); Liam Moran for O’Sullivan (60); Clarke for Drumm (61); Dean Egerton for Kelly (64).
RATOATH: Darragh McPartlin; Ciarán O’Ferraigh, Conor McGill, Ben Wyer; Eamonn Wallace (0-2), Gavin McGowan, Brian Daly; Cian O’Brien, Daithí McGowan (0-6, two frees, one mark); Ben McGowan, Jack Flynn (0-2, one 45), Keith McCabe (0-1); Bryan McMahon (0-2), Cian Rogers (0-2), Bobby O’Brien (0-1).
Subs: Liam Kelly for O’Ferraigh (25-30 mins, blood); Conor Rooney (0-1) for McCabe (42); Pádraic Byrne for Rogers (53); Andrew Gerrard for G McGowan (55); Brian O’Connor for C O’Brien (59).
Referee: Barry Tiernan (O’Dywer’s)
