GAA: Galway record thrilling one-point win over Westmeath in Allianz Football League
Sunday 8 February 2015 20:10, UK
Galway were pushed all the way by Westmeath before eking out a 2-13 to 2-12 win in their Allianz Football League Division Two clash in Mullingar.
Kevin Walsh’s troops got off to a great start, scoring 1-2 between the second and fourth minutes with the goal coming from man-of-the-match Patrick Sweeney.
A brace of points from John Heslin, the second of them a great score from play, steadied the home side, and a well-taken goal from captain Ger Egan levelled the contest at 1-3 apiece after 14 minutes.
Shane Walsh converted a 20th-minute penalty after Sweeney was fouled to restore Galway’s five-point lead, but Westmeath kept fighting and were rewarded with a fine goal from Kieran Martin.
The sides were tied at 2-6 each at the end of a riveting first half, and the tit-for-tat scoring continued after the change of ends, with Tom Cribbin’s men eventually taking the lead for the first time on 45 minutes courtesy of a Heslin free.
Egan seemed certain to score Westmeath’s third goal 10 minutes later but Galway substitute goalkeeper Manus Breathnach pulled off a great save.
Points from another sub, Michael Martin, and Sweeney put the Tribesmen two points clear but Kieran Martin soon halved the deficit with a great score.
Galway led by two points with three minutes remaining but Heslin set up a tense finish by slotting a 40-metre free.
Heslin hit the upright from another free from a similar distance on the stroke of full-time as Galway held on to maintain their 100 per cent start.
Scorers
Galway: P Sweeney 1-5, D Cummins 0-3, S Walsh 1-0 (pen), P Varley, G O’Donnell, S Denvir, A Varley, M Martin (f) 0-1 each.
Westmeath: J Heslin 0-7 (6f), K Martin 1-1, G Egan 1-0, C McCormack 0-2, L Smyth, D Lynch 0-1 each.
Division Two results: Down 1-11 Roscommon 1-15, Laois 2-6 Cavan 0-17, Meath 0-13 Kildare 0-11, Westmeath 2-12 Galway 2-13.
