Leinster MHC: Westmeath spring huge surprise to set up meeting with neighbours

Westmeath's Eamonn Cunneen takes a sideline cut. ©INPHO/Bryan Keane.

Westmeath sprung a huge surprise by beating Dublin 1-12 to 1-9 in this afternoon's Leinster MHC quarter-final at TEG Cusack Park.

Eamonn Cunneen's tally of 0-9 and an 18-minute Mark Cunningham goal proved crucial for the Lake County in Mullingar, where they held a narrow 1-4 to 0-6 lead at the break.

Dublin's cause wasn't helped when key forward Jack O'Shea was sent off on a straight red card, although Gearóid Ó Riain's side managed to get back on level terms by the 45th minute after Diarmuid O Dulaing's goal.

But Westmeath produced a strong finish to record a memorable victory with points by David Williams, Brian McGrath and a superb sideline cut from Raharney man Cunneen seeing out the contest.

They will now meet neighbours Offaly in next Sunday's semi-finals after the Faithful County powered to a 1-18 to 0-9 victory over 14-man Kildare at St Conleth's Park.

Trailing by 0-4 to 0-1 after 15 minutes, the visitors turned things around to lead 0-9 to 0-4 at the half way stage and never looked back after that.

After hitting the net for the county footballers in their Leinster MFC win against Wicklow yesterday, Cormac Egan scored the Faithfuls' goal.

On the other side of the draw, holders Wexford will face Kilkenny with both games set be shown live by TG4 on their Youtube channel.

Westmeath - J Geoghegan; M Lynam, J Mulkearns, D Weir; D McCartan, S Leech, C McCarthy; E Cunneen (0-9, 4f, 3'65, 1sl), M Cunningham (1-0); B McGrath (0-1), W Kirby, D McCormack (0-1); B Gaffney, D Williams (0-1), P Clarke. Subs: C Dowd for C McCarthy, D Maloney for M Lynam, K Bolger for B Gaffney, O Loughlin for C Dowd.

Dublin - F Boyd; S O'Brien, S Gallagher, S Carthy; C Dolan, P Doyle, L O Lochlainn; N Hogan (0-3f), J O'Brien (0-1); J O'Shea, A O Suilleabhain, T Brennan (0-3); D Peel (0-1), N Clerkin (0-1f), D O Dulaing (1-0). Subs: S Purcell for S Carthy, S Cooney for D Peel.

Referee - A Kinahan.

**

Offaly - M Troy; P Taaffe, C Bracken, O Kilmartin; L Watkins, S Bourke, R Dunne; C Spain, C King (0-1); C Egan (1-0), J Hoctor (0-2), L Quinn (0-10, 7f); L Carey (0-3), C Mitchell (0-2), L Hogan. Subs: D Landy for P Taaffe, E Murphy for C Egan, A Coakley for L Hogan, B Egan for L Carey, D Bourke for L Quinn.

Kildare - B Loughlin; S Moran, L O'Reilly, D O'Meara; F Cooke, C Boran, D Guerin; C Flanagan (0-1), A Tobin (0-1); C Kehoe (0-6, 5f, 1'65), C Nolan, F Maher; A Goss, C Treacy, C Sheridan (0-1). Subs: K Harrington for F Maher, N Dolan for C Nolan, S Maher for C Treacy, J O'Brien for D Guerin, E Hayes for C Boran.

Referee - B Redmond.