Huge boost for Westmeath minors as Isreal's red card is rescinded

Westmeath's minor footballers received a timely boost ahead of Sunday's Leinster minor football final in Croke Park, with the news that powerful full-back Isreal Ilunga has been cleared to play for the Lake County.

Ilunga, who was dismissed in the semi-final against Meath for allegedly striking a Meath player, was cleared by video evidence after a Leinster Council hearing earlier this evening.

The popular Castletown-Finea/Coole/Whitehall clubman – who plays minor club football for amalgamation side Inny Shamrocks – was accompanied at the hearing by Westmeath GAA secretary James Savage and the experienced former adminstrator and referee, Paddy Collins.

The Westmeath delegation was able to provide footage which proved that Ilunga did not strike out, after he was allegedly subjected to racial abuse – allegations which will surely be the subject of further investigation.

As a result of the overturned suspension, Ilunga will start at full back for Sunday's final against Kildare (12pm), which is the curtain raiser to the televised Leinster SFC decider between Dublin and Meath.

Westmeath manager Tom Carr has kept faith with the XV which defeated Meath, although it is widely expected that The Downs forward Luke Loughlin – who returned from injury against the Royals by scoring three points off the bench – will play a prominent role, and may even start the game.

The Maroons will be without injured Rosemount midfielder Theo Watts, whose absence sees skipper Ryan Caffrey slot into the middle of the park, with St Malachy's/Ballinagore man playing a blinder at centre half last weekend.

Sunday's final will see the Lake County bid for their first provincial minor football title in 13 years.

The Westmeath minor football team which has been named to start against Kildare is:

Joe Hyland; Matthew Darling, Isreal Ilunga, Boidu Sayeh; Andrew McCormack, Bryan O'Donoghue, Darren Giles; Ryan Caffrey (capt.), Sam Omukoro; Ruairí Cunningham, Alan Hughes, Ciaran Shanley; John Corbally, Liam Cassidy, Liam Varley.