Dessie Dolan scored 0-8 as last year's beaten finalists Garrycastle had a lucky escape against Longford Slashers in yesterday's AIB Leinster club SFC first round clash at Cusack Park, Mullingar.

Garrycastle (Westmeath) 0-13
Longford Slashers (Longford) 1-9

Slashers' Colin Smith had a late chance to force extra-time from a difficult free, but his effort dropped short and Garrycastle held on to secure a quarter-final berth against Louth champions Mattock Rangers - a game which will also take place at Cusack Park.

The sides were level on 0-4 apiece after 25 minutes before the game suddenly burst into life when a shot by Paul Kelly rattled the Garrycastle crossbar and Colin Smith was on hand to fire the rebound past Cathal Mullin for the only goal.

But the more experienced Westmeath side responded with four unanswered points from Dolan (two), Seanie O'Donoghue and Paul Dillon to take a 0-8 to 1-4 lead into the break.

After the restart, two more Dolan frees were cancelled out by two points from play by Mark Smith to leave the minimum in it. Scores from Dolan and Shane Mulvihill nudged Garrycastle two ahead as the game ticked into injury-time and while Colin Smith replied from a free, it was a case of too little, too late for the Longford champions.

Garrycastle - C Mullin; J Dolan, J Gaffey, A Fox; M McCallon (0-1), K Henson, D Harte; S O'Donoghue (0-1), A Browne; D O'Shaughnessy, D Dolan (0-8), R McGowan (0-1); A Daly, P Dillon (0-1), P Mulvihill. Subs - J McAteer for Daly, S Mulvihill (0-1) for O'Donoghue, E Mulvihill for Fox, J Duignan for Dillon, D Hermbusche for McGowan.

Longford Slashers - G Hourican; G Ghee, B Gilleran, D Glennon; P Brady, D Brady, P Kelly (0-1); N Mulligan, D Sheridan (0-1), T Glendenning, C Smith (1-2), A Murphy, M Smith (0-5), S Philips, S Flynn. Sub - M Tarmey for Murphy.

Ref - M Deegan (Laois). Tweet

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