St Loman's retain Westmeath SFC title with penalty shootout win over The Downs
October 19, 2024
St Lomans' Shane Dempsey celebrates scoring a goal ©INPHO/James Crombie
St Loman’s are back-to-back Westmeath senior football champions for the second time in five years after defeating The Downs in a penalty shootout (3-0) at TEG Cusack Park this afternoon.
After 60 minutes couldn’t separate the sides last weekend, this replay would go to extra time and then penalties where John Heslin’s spot-kick sealed a 12th Flanagan Cup success for Loman’s.
Having missed the drawn encounter in Mullingar six days ago, Shane Dempsey was back to hand the holders the perfect start with a brilliantly taken goal seven minutes in and that strike would be all that stood between the sides at the end of the first-half (1-5 to 0-5).
Andrew Kilmartin and Danny McCartan exchanged points early in the restart before a Luke Loughlin penalty made it honours even come the 36th minute.
Loughlin nudged the 2022 champions ahead for the first time with a point four minutes later and, after Heslin (free) squared things up, Ronan O’Toole and Ian Martin cancelled each other out ahead of Loughlin’s point being erased by Sam McCartan at the other end to leave it at 1-10 apiece when the full-time whistle sounded.
St Loman’s sent over the first two points in extra time but their opponents would storm in front with a Martin goal that saw them edge the lead at the break. Heslin levelled it again early in the second period ahead of a Niall Mitchell free being erased by a Ronan O’Toole point with two minutes left that would end up forcing penalties, as it finished 1-15 to 2-12 at the end of the 80 minutes.
The shootout saw The Downs missing their first three spot-kicks and it gave Heslin the chance to win it for St Loman’s with their third effort and he’d coolly put it away to ensure his team’s triumph.
Tweet2024 Shay Murtagh Senior Football Championship Final Replay
— Westmeath GAA (@westmeath_gaa) October 19, 2024
Penalty Shoot-Out
The Downs ❌❌❌
St Loman's, Mullingar ✅✅✅
John Heslin converts and St Loman's win 3-0 on penalties to be crowned 2024 senior football champions#westmeathgaa #whclubchamp2024 pic.twitter.com/to8NddULO6
