Hill’s late free rescues deserved point for Killucan

Shay Murtagh Precast Westmeath Senior Football Championship

The Downs 1-8

Killucan 0-11

Gerry Buckley

Even though Killucan needed a last-gasp free to earn a share of the spoils, their opponents from The Downs will consider themselves quite fortunate to have drawn the second game in last Sunday evening’s Westmeath football championships double-header, played in unsettled weather conditions in TEG Cusack Park.

The under-strength Flanagan Cup holders looked like they were about to suffer a second straight championship defeat until the hitherto-disappointing Luke Loughlin bundled home a goal in the second minute of added-time. However, Devin Hill kept his composure to level the scoring by converting a routine free with the second last kick of the contest.

While it is still very early days, The Downs will certainly need to up their game if they are to retain realistic hopes of retaining their title. For their part, Killucan again proved that they are perennially competitive at the top table of club football in the Lake County.

Ironically, the aforementioned Loughlin started the game by kicking a trademark quality point from play after a mere 15 seconds. Both sides missed scoreable frees before Eamon Cunneen eventually hit the target from a placed ball in the seventh minute to tie up the scoring.

Loughlin’s untypical profligacy ensued and it was Cunneen’s second free which nudged Stephen Morley’s troops ahead in the 13th minute. Loughlin was wide with an angled right-footed shot for a goal on the quarter-hour mark.

Aron Kiernan then doubled Killucan’s lead with a well-taken mark. The overlapping Joe Moran fisted a point for the champions at the end of a good move. Sean Leech responded with a fine point under pressure, and his team-mate Hill converted a free for the men in saffron and white in the 28th minute.

A 45-metre free by Loughlin came back off the crossbar with exactly 30 minutes elapsed. A neat point from Jack Carroll in added-time left the wasteful pre-match favourites trailing by 0-5 to 0-3 at the interval.

David Bryan fielded a Dean Egerton shot in the opening minute of the second half. Hill and Loughlin traded points from frees, but a brace of unanswered points via the hard-working Andrew Flood and Hill (after Sam Smyth had superbly dispossessed Loughlin at the other end) put Killucan ahead by double-scores (0-8 to 0-4) with 38 minutes elapsed.

Tom Tuite crucially struck for a well-taken and quickfire brace of points for Lar Wall’s charges at the start of the final quarter. Hill almost got in on goal, but he was fouled and he duly converted the resultant free. Loughlin’s disappointing evening from frees continued at the other end before Tuite completed his hat-trick in the 59th minute.

When sub Sami Clarke pointed at the end of a fine move on the hour mark, last year’s Leinster finalists looked in real trouble when they trailed by three points (0-10 to 0-7). A minimum of three minutes of injury-time was signalled, and in the first of them Egerton reduced the gap to two.

Then came Loughlin’s goal after a great catch and delivery from his Westmeath colleague Jonathan Lynam. It looked like the black and amber-clad side had snatched victory from the jaws of defeat, but Killucan got the draw they deserved - at a minimum - when Leech was deemed to have been fouled. The Downs’ players protests ensured that the free was moved in front of the posts, and Hill did the necessary to eke out a draw.

Scorers – The Downs: L Loughlin 1-2 (0-1f), T Tuite 0-3, J Moran, Dean Egerton, J Carroll 0-1 each. Killucan: D Hill 0-5 (4f), E Cunneen 0-2 (2f), A Kieran (m), S Leech, S Clarke, A Flood 0-1 each.

The Downs: Trevor Martin; Darragh Egerton, Oisín Murphy, Éanna Burke; Liam Moran, Charlie Drumm, Joe Moran; Jack Carroll, Jonathan Lynam; Oisín Raleigh, Ian Martin, Philip Martin; Dean Egerton, Luke Loughlin, Tom Tuite. Subs used: Peter Murray for Carroll (41), Dean Clarke for P Martin (43).

Killucan: David Bryan; Andrew Flood, Sam Smyth, Luke Darby; Cormac Boyle, Robbie Greville, Eamon Cunneen; Rory Keyes, Aron Kiernan; Jason Gorman, Sean Leech, Eoghan Ahearn; Darren Finn, Eoin Keyes, Devin Hill. Subs used: Gary Greville for Boyle (inj., 16), Michael Doherty for Kiernan (inj., 53), Sami Clarke for Gorman (inj., 57).

Ref: Enda Kelly (Castledaly).

EXAMINER’S EYE ON THE GAME

Man of the match: Andrew Flood (Killucan). The corner back popped up all over the pitch to good effect throughout.

Key moment: Luke Loughlin’s late goal rescued his under-performing side who could scarcely have afforded to lose their opening two games in defence of their title.