Dempsey’s goal fires Saints into tenth consecutive final

St Loman's Mullingar 2-12, Tyrrellspass 0-6

Paul Hughes

Without ever playing at their best, St Loman’s, Mullingar cruised into their tenth consecutive Westmeath SFC final in TEG Cusack Park last Sunday after an 12-point win over a Tyrrellspass side that managed just one score from open play.

Against a strong breeze, Paddy Dowdall’s charges were 0-5 to nil up after the first quarter but after a lacklustre subsequent 15 minutes from the champions, Tyrrellspass trailed by only four (0-7 to 0-3) at the break.

However, Shane Dempsey struck for a crucial goal early in the second half after a breathtaking St Loman’s move, and this, coupled with a 42nd-minute red card for Tyrrellspass forward David Hanlon, spelled the end for the Tidy Town.

After winning Division 1 of the league earlier this year coming through the round-robin phase of the championship with a 100 percent record, the Lakepoint Park club are surely hot favourites to retain the Flanagan Cup.

They won this semi-final comfortably without ever having to crank up a gear, but they will have to be at their very best against dark horses The Downs on Sunday week, to exorcise the ghosts of the 2022 defeat at the hands of the black and ambers.

For Eddie Kinsella’s Tyrrellspass, meanwhile, it’s time to regroup after a transitional campaign played after a number of prominent retirements and injuries to key stars, including the vastly experienced Ger Egan. Although disappointed, they can be very happy with their progress in 2024.

St Loman’s opened the scoring on Sunday afternoon, with Danny McCartan kicking off a fine individual display, driving the ball over the bar after a swift move involving Sam McCartan and Eoghan Hogan.

Fola Ayorinde then went short for the Saints before McCartan added his second score, kicking over the shoulder after a well-worked St Loman’s move.

Ronan O’Toole, the focal point of many of the Mullingar side’s attacks, kicked an excellent point off his left from 25 metres, and John Heslin made it four minutes later with a free after McCartan was fouled.

On 14 minutes, Evan Connell had Tyrrellspass’s first opportunity but shot wide, and at the end of the first quarter St Loman’s led by five after Heslin tacked on another free.

Tyrrellspass broke and David Lynam went short, but in the 18th minute they got off the mark when Jamie Gonoud divided the posts after a patient move. It was their first, and last, point from play.

At the other end, Loman’s had a goal on when Jack Geoghegan scythed through the Tyrrellspass defence but shot wide, despite having better options. Oisín Hogan shot tamely at goal moments later but in teeing him up, Fola Ayorinde was fouled and Heslin obliged to make it 0-6 to 0-1.

St Loman’s, however, were scarcely as dominant as they were in the first quarter and by the 25th minute, they suddenly found their lead halved by two Kieran Geraghty frees.

But Tyrrellspass rarely looked like making inroads from open play and Peter Clarke went wide shortly before the break, while Heslin kicked another free to leave St Loman’s ahead by four at the short whistle.

Two minutes after the restart came the game’s key sequence. A quick free unleashed Danny McCartan down the right wing, and his long ball was nudged down by Ayorinde into the path of Ronan O’Toole. With the Tyrrellspass defence at sixes and sevens, O’Toole shipped to the inrushing Shane Dempsey, who found the top corner with a right-footed finish.

Despite this boost, it wasn’t a fait accompli for the Blues. Sam McCartan hit the upright with a point attempt, and in the ensuing minutes, Tyrrellspass had two decent goal chances.

The first saw Jamie Corcoran shoot just wide, missing what would have been a spectacular goal after an outrageous overhead pass from Jamie Gonoud. Moments later, Nigel Harte shot wide after breaching the St Loman’s defence but was called back for a steps infringement.

Tommy Ryan, introduced for Tyrrellspass after 36 minutes, instantly gave them an added dimension up front and pointed off his left on 40 minutes – the first of two. However, the Tidy Town were hit by another setback moments later when David Hanlon was given his marching orders after appearing to headbutt St Loman’s full back Darragh O’Keeffe when the two clashed on the sideline.

Shane Dempsey added further salt in Tyrrellspass’s wounds by handpassing over the bar after a quick St Loman’s move, and moments later the blue contingent briefly averted their eyes when Dempsey was involved in accidental clash of heads with Fola Ayorinde, though both men emerged unscathed.

Despite their numerical disadvantage, Tyrrellspass didn’t lie down and by the time Tommy Ryan kicked his second point on 50 minutes, they were only five adrift (1-8 to 0-6). They should have been closer; Kieran Geraghty, Peter Clarke and Ryan each kicked bad wides, while St Loman’s temporarily misfired at the other end.

However, St Loman’s kicked on in the dying moments, with the fresh legs of Peter Foy and Conor O’Donoghue giving them a boost. Foy and Ronan O’Toole were involved when Sean Flanagan fired a superb point on 56 minutes to leave six between the sides.

On the stroke of 60 minutes, the Saints were all but home and hosed when Sam McCartan found his range after a terrific move involving O’Donoghue and John Heslin.

In stoppage time, hearts were briefly in St Loman’s mouths when Heslin went in low and hard for a ball with Tyrrellspass’s Peter Clarke, and while some in the stand called for a red card, referee Barry Pierce rightly adjudged that Heslin had played the ball.

A minute later, Tyrrellspass’s Nigel Harte was booked for a high pull on Ronan O’Toole, and from the resultant free Heslin went for a point, but his dipping effort slipped beyond the grasp of Tyrrellspass netminder Joe Hyland and into the net. It was a harsh coup de grace for the battling Tidy Town.

Deep into time added on, there was still time for Heslin to add another free, and for Danny McCartan to cap his performance with a third point as they hit Tyrrellspass on the break.

The old cliché suggests finals are “all about on the day”, but St Loman’s will take some stopping.

Scorers - St Loman’s: J Heslin 1-4f, S Dempsey 1-1, D McCartan 0-3, R O’Toole 0-2, S Flanagan and S McCartan 0-1 each. Tyrrellspass: K Geraghty (frees) and T Ryan (1f) 0-2 each, J Gonoud and D Hanlon (free) 0-1 each.

St Loman’s, Mullingar: Jason Daly; David Whelan, Darragh O’Keeffe, Oisín Hogan; Sam McCartan, Eoghan Hogan, Enda Gaffney; Jack Geoghegan, John Heslin; Kevin Regan, Ronan O’Toole, Sean Flanagan; Danny McCartan, Fola Ayorinde, Shane Dempsey. Subs used: Kelvin Reilly for Whelan (inj., HT), Peter Foy for Ayorinde (48), Nathan Lally for E Hogan (48), Rory Sheahan for Regan (52), Conor O’Donoghue for Gaffney (57).

Tyrrellspass: Joe Hyland; Cormac Monaghan, James McGivern, Jamie Corcoran; Val Sizychas, Jamie Gonoud, Conor Slevin; Adam Flanagan, Nigel Harte; Cathal Dunne, Kieran Geraghty, Peter Clarke; David Hanlon, David Lynam, Evan Connell. Subs used: Tommy Ryan for Lynam (36), Mikie Mullen for Geraghty (52).

Ref: Barry Pierce (St Mary’s, Rochfortbridge).