Offaly Oust Westmeath To Reach Leinster U-20 Football Final

Friday, 16 July 2021 07:56

Both sides put up a tremendous contest in TEG Cusack Park.

Offaly will contest the Eirgrid 2021 Leinster U-20 Football Championship final against Dublin next Thursday.

That's after the faithful overcame Westmeath in a local derby in Mullingar and the Dubs defeated Meath by six in Navan last night.

Jack Bryant and Cormac Egan did the damage for Declan Kelly's men, combining for 1-8 of Offaly's 1-11 total.

Full Time. EirGrid @gaaleinster U20 Football Championship Semi-Final@Offaly_GAA 1-11@westmeath_gaa 1-09

Offaly are through to another Leinster final! Great win in Mullingar this evening.

Leinster U20 football final v Dublin in Portlaoise next Thursday evening
— Official Offaly GAA (@Offaly_GAA) July 15, 2021

Egan's goal midway through the first period was just reward for their early dominance and set the tone for the remainder of the evening.

Westmeath showed immense heart to stay in the contest throughout. Full forward Ben McGauran the leading light for them on the scoreboard, managing 0-5 closely followed by 1-1 from the boot of Devin Hill.

For both sides there was some excellent passages of play but it always seemed as if the faithful had another gear to go to, while Westmeath were still looking to find their feet.

Eirgrid Leinster U20 Championship Semi Final

FULL TIME

Westmeath 1.9
Offaly 1.11#WestmeathGaa
— Westmeath GAA (@westmeath_gaa) July 15, 2021

In saying that the teams were level for the third time on 37 minutes at 1-6 a piece and the game remained in the melting pot in the third quarter.

Two further points from Westmeath edged them ahead by the slimmest of margins ten minutes later but thereafter, the lake county only managed a solitary score to Offaly's four in the closing period.

Westmeath's discipline let them down slightly allowing Jack Bryant to slot two frees and Aaron Kellaghan to make his one contribution to the final haul.

Despite a few nervy moments caused by Jack Torpey and Liam Moran, Offaly held on to secure a second underage football final in the space of a month for many of this group.

Offaly scorers:

Jack Bryant 0-7 (4f), Cormac Egan 1-1, Cormac Delaney/Aaron Kellaghan/Keith O'Neill all 0-1.

Westmeath scorers:

Ben McGauran 0-5 (4f), Devin Hill 1-1, Shane Fleming/Jack Torpey/Liam Moran all 0-1.