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Irish Examiner
31-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Limerick secure Tailteann Cup progression with stunning victory over Westmeath
Tailteann Cup: Limerick 0-19 Westmeath 0-18 Limerick booked their spot in the Tailteann Cup quarter-finals following a dramatic 0-19 to 0-18 win over Westmeath at O'Moore Park in Portlaoise. Westmeath had kicked seven points on the trot to reverse a five-point deficit they faced with 20 minutes to go but Limerick fought back to earn a stunning win with Emmet Rigter's score proving decisive. It was a cagey opening five minutes of the contest, with Luke Loughlin and Darragh O'Hagan both missing the target from the respective opening attacks. Limerick did hit the front on six minutes with James Naughton landing the first of five scores in the opening half. Westmeath hit back through Loughlin and Karl O'Sullivan but a Naughton free squared the game up once more. Naughton fired Limerick in front with a second from play that Nigel Harte cancelled out, before Emmet Rigter saw Jimmy Lee's men 0-4 to 0-3 clear. Naughton then put daylight between the teams, only for Loughlin and an excellent Sam McCartan score to level the game for a fourth time. Ray Connellan put Westmeath back in the ascendancy with a two-pointer that was quickly followed up by a smart Lorcan Dolan score. Limerick didn't panic and were soon level for a fifth time with Naughton, Paul Maher and Tommie Childs seeing the score at 0-8 apiece in the lead up to half time. Rigter's second of the half and a fine Danny Neville effort from play saw put Limerick 0-10 to 0-8 up at the end of an entertaining opening stanza. A Naughton free increased Limerick's advantage to three points in the early stages of the second half but two Loughlin efforts had Westmeath to back to within one with 40 minutes played. Naughton again hit the target to restore a two-point advantage but Westmeath missed out on a golden opportunity to go in front after Ronan Wallace and Loughlin combined. Still, the final pass went astray close to the Limerick goal. Limerick then enjoyed a period of dominance with Neville, Peter Nash and substitute Darragh Murray all registering scores to see them 0-15 to 0-10 ahead on the 50-minute mark. Tadhg Baker was then denied a goal for Westmeath after a smart Josh Ryan save, but Westmeath scores from Stephen Smith and Wallace kept Dermot McCabe's charges in touch heading into the final quarter. Conellan, Wallace, McCartan and two from Loughlin then brought Westmeath into a two-point lead, looking good for victory. However, Limerick fought back through Naughton and Bob Childs to level and then Ryan popped up with a score to put them ahead once more. A Loughlin free squared the game up for an eighth time but Rigter found a winner for Limerick to send them into the Tailteann Cup quarter-final. Scorers for Limerick: J Naughton 0-8 (2f), E Rigter 0-3, D Neville 0-2, P Maher, T Childs, P Nash 1f), D Murray, B Childs and J Ryan 0-1 each. Scorers for Westmeath: L Loughlin 0-7 (1f), R Connellan 0-3, (1tp), S McCartan and R Wallace 0-2 each, K O'Sullivan, N Harte, L Dolan and S Smith 0-1 each. Limerick: J Ryan; J Hassett, D O'Doherty, M McCarthy; P Maher, I Corbett, T McCarthy; T Childs, D O'Hagan; J Naughton, E Rigter, C Fahy; P Nash, D Neville, K Ryan. Subs: D Murray for Fahy (47), R O'Brien for Maher (56), B Childs for T Childs (56), A Meade for Neville (70). Westmeath: C McCormack; D Giles, S Smyth, J Gonoud; J Moran, R Wallace, S McCartan; R Connellan, E McCabe; M Whittaker, K O'Sullivan, N Harte; L Loughlin, S Smith, B Kelly. Subs: B Cooney for McCabe (26), T Baker for Harte (34), D Scahill for Giles (h-t), B Kelly for Dolan (52), S Allen for Connellan (70). Referee: K Eanatta (Tyrone).
The Irish Sun
12-05-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Luke Loughlin's individual total matches Antrim as Tailteann Cup co-favourites Westmeath send out message
AFTER Kildare racked up 0-36 against Leitrim on Saturday, fellow Tailteann Cup favourites WESTMEATH only had to Luke to their star man to notch a similar haul against ANTRIM. Luke Loughlin booted 1-17, with 0-13 from play, as the Lakesiders saw off the Saffrons 4-24 to 1-17 in Mullingar. Loughlin kicked five two-pointers as Westmeath took over in the second half, but for the opening 40 minutes it looked as if Antrim might cause an upset. A pair of two-pointers from Dominic McEnhill and Patrick McBride launched them into a 0-5 to 0-2 lead after 12 minutes. Two goals in as many minutes from brothers Sam and Danny McCartan put Westmeath on the front foot. But Antrim hit back and when Kavan Keenan goaled after collecting a ball that came back into play off the upright, the visitors were just a point adrift. Read More On GAA Then Loughlin took over — hitting a two-pointer and finding the corner of the net from a penalty. Only a superb save from Michael Byrne kept it relatively close at half-time, 3-9 to 1-10. Ronan Wallace hit the crossbar and Byrne strode forward to fire a two-point free over to reduce the gap further. But for the last half-hour, Loughlin was mercurial and Westmeath surfed on his wave to record a comprehensive win. Most read in GAA Football Matthew Whittaker hit a superb goal and Loughlin began firing over scores and bringing his colleagues into the game in equal measure, while Antrim faded out of it. The main concern for Westmeath manager Dermot McCabe in advance of what should be a straightforward trip to London next weekend will be injuries to Brían Cooney and captain Wallace, who was a colossus at the heart of the defence. Henry Shefflin hilariously dabbles in Gaelic football punditry as RTE's Saturday Game debuts format change Another skipper, Mikey Bambrick, notched 2-4 as CARLOW travelled to Brewster Park and picked up the only away win of the weekend, claiming a 3-18 to 2-18 victory over FERMANAGH. In an entertaining encounter where only five scores came from frees, the lively half-forward shot the first three scores, opening with a point before his low shot just about crept across the Fermanagh line. John Murphy's explosive finish made it 2-2 to 0-3 to the visitors after 12 minutes, but a Conor Love penalty dragged the home side right back into the game. John Phiri and Bambrick pushed Carlow five clear again before half-time but once play resumed, Darragh McGurn set up Joe McDade for another goal that kept the crowd on their feet. 1 Luke Loughlin notched an astonishing 1-17 as his county won by a scoreline of 4-24 to 1-17 The home crowd would have felt they had momentum on their side when a run of points from Fionan O'Brien, Conor McGee and Josh Largo Ellis levelled matters with 15 minutes to go. However, Carlow were not to be denied and they had one final push in the tank that got them over the line. Kevin Murphy put the ball in the net only to have it ruled out for square ball, but there was no denying Bambrick as he fired in his second goal, backing up points from Ciarán Moran and Conor Crowley. Fermanagh got back within one score and very briefly had an extra man due to Ross Dunphy's black card, but could not find the goal they needed.
Irish Examiner
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Free-scoring Westmeath signal Tailteann intent
Tailteann Cup: Westmeath 4-24 Antrim 1-17 Westmeath manager Dermot McCabe was "delighted" with his charges' first win under his tutelage as the Lake County men laid down a marker in sun-drenched TEG Cusack Park in Mullingar that they will be serious contenders for the Tailteann Cup which they won in its inaugural season in 2022. 'We applied a lot of learnings from the Kildare game in the Leinster championship out there today. We were very disappointed leaving Newbridge that evening. We've had very good sessions since then and lads have put their shoulders to the wheel. The goals were match-winners today even though we left a few behind us by ratttling the crossbar. We'll have to practice dribbling the ball into the net,' the Cavan native added with a smile. The first half was very entertaining with both sides playing some fine football. An early brace from wing back Sam McCartan edged the home team ahead by 0-2 to 0-1, but the visitors were 0-5 to 0-2 by the 12th minute courtesy of a brace of two-pointers from the boots of Dominic McEnhill and Patrick McBride. Andy McEntee's men still led by 0-6 to 0-5 when the McCartan brothers, Sam and Danny, both found the net in a two-minute period midway through the half. Luke Loughlin, who was playing with great confidence in attack, pointed when a goal looked certain in the 22nd minute. Four minutes later, an alert Kavan Keenan was on hand to bury the ball in the Westmeath net after a McBride point attempt had come back off the upright to leave the deficit at the bare minimum (2-6 to 1-8). A two-pointer from play by Loughlin was followed by an excellent goal from the penalty spot after the ever-dangerous Ronan Wallace had been fouled. Danny McCartan fluffed a great goal opportunity shortly afterwards when he was one-on-one with Michael Byrne who smothered his shot, but Westmeath still led by 3-9 to 1-10 at the break. The second half started with a two-point exchange between Dominic McEnhill (a free) and Eoghan McCabe (open play). Wallace was unlucky to see his rasping shot come back off the crossbar before goalkeeper Byrne converted a huge two-point free to leave the Glensmen a goal in arrears (3-11 to 1-14). However, the home team took over in most sections of the pitch from then on, playing some sparkling football in the process. In the 44th minute, Matthew Whittaker, who had worked hard without getting on the scoresheet, rectified this with a superb individual goal. Sub Lorcan Dolan became the latest Westmeath player to hit the crossbar with a rasping shot in the 50th minute after another scything run from skipper Wallace. Antrim did have one great goal opportunity when Niall Burns was denied by a full-length save by Conor McCormack in the 68th minute. The game fittingly ended with a Loughlin two-pointer ahead of the hooter. Understandably, McCabe lauded his marquee forward, stating: 'Luke has been huge for us. We are attack-minded coaches and the new rules suit him. His work comes early in the week at training. He always has a ball in his hand.' His opposite number, McEntee opined: 'It was a very disappointing second half. A lot of mistakes crept in. The first half was half-decent and I thought the penalty call for them was harsh. Limerick will be a big challenge next week and it's back to the drawing board now. They already have a win against London under their belts.' Scorers for Westmeath: L Loughlin 1-17 (1-0pen, 3 2pt, 2 2ptf), S McCartan 1-2, D McCartan, M Whittaker 1-0 each, E McCabe 0-2 (2pt), R Forde, S Smith, L Dolan 0-1 each. Antrim: D McEnhill 0-6 (1 2pt, 1 2ptf), K Keenan 1-0, M Byrne (2ptf), M Jordan, N Burns, P McBride (2pt) 0-2 each, R McQuillan (f), E Walsh, A Loughran 0-1 each. WESTMEATH: C McCormack; D Giles, S Smyth, J Gonoud; J Moran, R Wallace, S McCartan; K O'Sullivan, N Harte; M Whittaker, D McCartan, B Cooney; L Loughlin, S Smith, E McCabe. Subs: R Forde for Cooney (inj., 10), L Dolan for D McCartan (40), K Martin for Smith (52), T Baker for Wallace (inj., 55), D Scahill for S McCartan (64). ANTRIM: M Byrne; E McCabe, E Walsh, K Keenan; J McAuley, D McAleese, P Finnegan; C Hand, M Jordan; R Boyle, A Loughran, P McBride; R McQuillan, R Murray, D McEnhill. Subs: N Burns for Loughran (h-t), F Nagle for Murray (h-t), C Stewart for Hand (48), C Higgins for McQuillan (60), J Morgan for McAuley (60). Ref: T Murphy (Galway).
Irish Examiner
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Four-star Westmeath lay down a marker with defeat of Antrim
Westmeath 4-24 Antrim 1-17 Westmeath laid down a marker in sun-drenched TEG Cusack Park in Mullingar that they will be serious contenders for the Tailteann Cup by defeating Antrim by a 16-point margin. Luke Loughlin was sensational all through, ending up with a whopping 1-17 to his name, his tally including five two-pointers. Westmeath, who won in this competition in its inaugural season in 2022, found the net four times, and it could easily have been eight. The first half was very entertaining with both sides playing some fine football. An early brace from wing back Sam McCartan edged the home team ahead by 0-2 to 0-1, but the visitors were 0-5 to 0-2 by the 12th minute courtesy of a brace of two-pointers from the boots of Dominic McEnhill and Patrick McBride. Andy McEntee's men still led by 0-6 to 0-5 when the McCartan brothers, Sam and Danny, both found the net in a two-minute period midway through the half. The first was a clinical finish, while the second was slightly fortuitous. Loughlin, who was playing with great confidence in attack, pointed when a goal looked certain in the 22nd minute. Four minutes later, an alert Kavan Keenan was on hand to bury the ball in the Westmeath net after a McBride point attempt had come back off the upright to leave the deficit at the bare minimum (2-6 to 1-8). A two-pointer from play by Loughlin was followed by an excellent goal from the penalty spot after the ever-dangerous Ronan Wallace had been fouled. Danny McCartan fluffed a great goal opportunity shortly afterwards when he was one-on-one with Michael Byrne who smothered his shot, but Dermot McCabe's charges still led by 3-9 to 1-10 at the break. The second half started with a two-point exchange between Dominic McEnhill (a free) and Eoghan McCabe (open play). Wallace was unlucky to see his rasping shot come back off the crossbar before goalkeeper Byrne converted a huge two-point free to leave the Glensmen a goal in arrears (3-11 to 1-14). However, the home team took over in most sections of the pitch from then on, playing some sparkling football in the process. Loughlin, in particular, was unmarkable and he scored freely, in addition to setting up colleagues for scores. In the 44th minute, Matthew Whittaker, who had worked hard without getting on the scoresheet, rectified this with a superb individual goal. Sub Lorcan Dolan became the latest Westmeath player to hit the crossbar with a rasping shot in the 50th minute after another scything run from skipper Wallace, whose withdrawal with an injury in the 55th minute was a source of worry to otherwise delighted home fans who had endured a series of frustrating hard luck stories throughout the league. Antrim were a beaten docket a long time before the final whistle, but they did have one great goal opportunity when Niall Burns was denied by a full-length save by Conor McCormack in the 68th minute. The game fittingly ended with a Loughlin two-pointer ahead of the hooter. Scorers – Westmeath: L Loughlin 1-17 (1-0pen, 3 2pt, 2 2ptf), S McCartan 1-2, D McCartan, M Whittaker 1-0 each, E McCabe 0-2 (2pt), R Forde, S Smith, L Dolan 0-1 each. Antrim: D McEnhill 0-6 (1 2pt, 1 2ptf), K Keenan 1-0, M Byrne (2ptf), M Jordan, N Burns, P McBride (2pt) 0-2 each, R McQuillan (f), E Walsh, A Loughran 0-1 each. Westmeath: C McCormack; D Giles, S Smyth, J Gonoud; J Moran, R Wallace, S McCartan; K O'Sullivan, N Harte; M Whittaker, D McCartan, B Cooney; L Loughlin, S Smith, E McCabe. Subs: Robbie Forde for Cooney (inj., 10), Lorcan Dolan for D McCartan (40), Kieran Martin for Smith (52), Tadhg Baker for Wallace (inj 55), Danny Scahill for S McCartan (64). Antrim: M Byrne; E McCabe, E Walsh, K Keenan; J McAuley, D McAleese, P Finnegan; C Hand, M Jordan; R Boyle, A Loughran, P McBride; R McQuillan, R Murray, D McEnhill. Subs: Niall Burns for Loughran (h-t), Fionn Nagle for Murray (h-t), Conor Stewart for Hand (48), Calum Higgins for McQuillan (60), John Morgan for McAuley (60). Ref: Thomas Murphy (Galway).
RTÉ News
11-05-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Luke Loughlin-inspired Westmeath wallop Antrim
Westmeath laid down a marker at sundrenched TEG Cusack Park in Mullingar that they will be serious contenders for the Tailteann Cup by defeating Antrim on a 4-24 1-17 scoreline. Luke Loughlin was sensational throughout, ending up with a whopping 1-17 to his name, his tally including five two-pointers. Westmeath found the net four times, and it could easily have been eight. The first half was very entertaining, with both sides playing some fine football. An early brace from wing-back Sam McCartan edged the home team ahead by 0-02 to 0-01, but the visitors were 0-05 to 0-02 up by the 12th minute, courtesy of a brace of two-pointers from the boots of Dominic McEnhill and Patrick McBride. Andy McEntee's men still led by 0-06 to 0-05 when the McCartan brothers, Sam and Danny, both found the net in a two-minute period midway through the half. The first was a clinical finish, while the second was slightly fortuitous. Loughlin, who was playing with great confidence in attack, pointed when a goal looked certain in the 22nd minute. Four minutes later, an alert Kavan Keenan was on hand to bury the ball in the Westmeath net after a McBride point attempt had come back off the upright to leave the deficit at the bare minimum at 2-06 to 1-08. A two-pointer from play by Loughlin was followed by an excellent goal from the penalty spot on the half-hour mark after the ever-dangerous Ronan Wallace had been fouled. Danny McCartan fluffed a great goal opportunity shortly afterwards when he was one-on-one with Michael Byrne, who smothered his shot, but Dermot McCabe's charges still led by 3-09 to 1-10 at the break. The second half started with a two-point exchange between Dominic McEnhill from a free and Eoghan McCabe. Wallace was unlucky to see his rasping shot come back off the crossbar before goalkeeper Byrne converted a huge two-point free to leave the Glensmen a goal in arrears at 3-11 to 1-14. However, the home team took over in most sections of the pitch from then on, playing some sparkling football in the process. Loughlin, in particular, was unmarkable and he scored freely, in addition to setting up colleagues for scores. In the 44th minute, Matthew Whittaker, who had worked hard without getting on the scoresheet, rectified this with a superb individual goal. Sub Lorcan Dolan became the latest Westmeath player to hit the crossbar with a rasping shot in the 50th minute after another scything run from skipper Wallace, whose withdrawal with an injury in the 55th minute was a source of worry to otherwise delighted home fans, who had endured a series of frustrating hard luck stories throughout the league. Antrim were a beaten docket a long time before the final whistle, but they did have one great goal opportunity when Niall Burns was denied by a full-length save by Conor McCormack in the 68th minute. The game fittingly ended with a Loughlin two-pointer ahead of the hooter. Westmeath: Conor McCormack; David Giles, Sam Smyth, Jamie Gonoud; Joe Moran, Ronan Wallace, Sam McCartan (1-02); Kevin O'Sullivan, Nigel Harte; Matthew Whittaker (1-00), Danny McCartan (1-00), Brían Cooney; Luke Loughlin (1-17, 3 2pt, 2 2ptf), Stephen Smith (0-01), Eoghan McCabe (0-02, 2pt). Subs: Robbie Forde (0-01) for Cooney (inj., 10), Lorcan Dolan (0-01) for D McCartan (40), Kieran Martin for Smith (52), Tadhg Baker for Wallace (inj., 55), Danny Scahill for S McCartan (64). Antrim: Michael Byrne (0-02, 2ptf); Eoghan McCabe, Eunan Walsh (0-01), Kavan Keenan (1-00); James McAuley, Dermot McAleese, Patrick Finnegan; Conor Hand, Marc Jordan (0-02); Ronan Boyle, Adam Loughran (0-01), Patrick McBride (0-02, 2pt); Ryan McQuillan (0-01, f), Ryan Murray, Dominic McEnhill (0-06, 1 2pt, 1 2ptf). Subs: Niall Burns (0-02) for Loughran (h-t), Fionn Nagle for Murray (h-t), Conor Stewart for Hand (48), Calum Higgins for McQuillan (60), John Morgan for McAuley (60).
