When Westmeath competed with the best to reach NFL semis
As Westmeath kick off their Allianz National Football League Division 2 campaign against Meath this weekend, Noel Coogan turns back the clock to the 1968-69 NFL, when the Lake County competed strongly against Dublin and Kerry and recorded a victory over reigning league and All-Ireland champions Down.
That competition was run off in a format of eight divisions of four teams each and Westmeath were in Group 1B with Dublin, Monaghan and Armagh. They defeated he two Ulster sides and although losing to Dublin at Raheny, the top two advanced to the next phase.
Then in a divisional semi-final at Carrickmacross the team captained by Dom Murtagh defeated Division 1A table-toppers Down by 0-13 to 1-8. That success earned them another tilt with Dublin for a place in the last four.
The Carrickmacross clash on March 16 was staged in bitterly cold conditions and after playing against the wind, Westmeath reached the interval with a deficit of just one point, 0-4 to 0-5.
With Murtagh in impressive form at centrefield, they took control in the second half and boosted by fine attacking contributions from Pat Buckley, who put over six points, and Paddy Moran, the scorer of three, the Mournemen were mastered.
Two weeks later an earlier reversal at the hands of Dublin was turned around when Westmeath defeated Dublin by 1-8 to 1-6 in a stormy divisional final in front of a 10,000 attendance at Páirc Tailteann, Navan, The game ended with a bout of fisticuffs involving a number of players.
Early in the second half Pat Bradley of Westmeath and opponent Brendan O’Shea were ordered off by Louth referee Paddy Hughes. The Midlanders’ midfield pair of Dom Murtagh and Mick Carley showed strong form and after the eventual winners led by 0-4 to 0-1 at the break, a penalty goal by Pat Buckley proved a decisive score.
That victory put Westmeath into the National Football League semi-finals for the first time. “Kerry craft decisive” was the Irish Press headline of the Croke Park encounter watched by 21,686 paying spectators who saw the Kingdom win by 2-12 to 2-8 on May 12, 1969.
While giving credit to Westmeath for their display, the report suggested that the losers overplayed the ball at times. Kerry had 1-3 on the board before their opponents registered their first score. But the Leinster side battled back and a goal from Georgie Keane helped them lead by 1-6 to 1-4 at the halfway stage,
After the switching of ends, Kerry forged clear to lead by five points before substitute Paddy Cole netted Westmeath’s second goal. Kerry added two more points to double their advantage before thee final whistle.
Kerry went on to defeat Offaly in the ‘home’ final before overcoming New York over two legs at Gaelic Park to take the title. The men from the Kingdom claimed All-Ireland honours later in 1969 with another final victory over Offaly.
The Westmeath team which played against Kerry in the NFL semi-final was: Carthage Conlon; TJ Finneran, John Noel Galvin, Christy Corroon; Mick Murphy, Seamus Mulligan, Eddie Dunne; Mick Carley (0-1), Dom Murtagh (0-1); Paddy Moran, Mickey Fagan (0-1), Pat Buckley (0-3); Des Dolan, Tommy Dolan (0-1), Georgie Keane (1-1). Subs: Paddy Cole (1-0) for Buckley, Matt Mulligan for Murphy.