Westmeath 1-17 Carlow 2-8
With Killian Doyle in superb form at centre half forward, Westmeath retained their Division 1 status in Mullingar on Sunday afternoon with a decisive win over a disappointing Carlow outfit.
The visitors had the aid of the strong wind in the first half of this relegation play-off, but it was their hosts who started the brighter and they led by 0-3 to 0-0 with 12 minutes elapsed.
Doyle was already the dominant player on show with his accuracy from placed balls, and when his low shot from 30 metres found the net in the 20th minute his side lead by 1-4 to 0-3. Conversely, Carlow were having difficulty from frees, and they trailed by 1-8 to 0-4 at the interval.
Approaching the hour mark the home team increased their lead - 1-15 to 0-8 - and they looked to be on course for a facile win. However, a converted penalty by Marty Kavanagh just past the hour mark was followed by an improvised goal from Diarmuid Byrne three minutes later when he hooked the ball as Aonghus Clarke was attempting to execute a pass.
Westmeath though deservedly held on with Doyle converting a sideline cut and adding a point from a free with time almost up, shortly after Carlow’s Chris Nolan had been dismissed for a second yellow card offence.
Meanwhile two late Antrim goals from Neil McManus and Donal Nugent rescued a draw aganst Offaly, condemning the Faithful County to another season in Division 2A.
Westmeath: A McHugh; D Egerton, T Doyle, C Shaw; A Craig, A Clarke, S Clavin (0-1); C Boyle, E Price; R Greville, K Doyle (1-14, 10 frees, one '65', one sideline), D McNicholas (0-1); D Clinton (0-1), N Mitchell, J Galvin. Subs: L Varley for Craig (half-time), J Boyle for McNicholas (44 mins), J Coll for Galvin (49 mins), A Ennis for Egerton (53 mins), J Gilligan for Clinton (67 mins).
Carlow: D Jordan; R Smithers, P Doyle, M Doyle; A Corcoran, D English, G Bennett; K McDonald, A Amond; J Kavanagh (0-1), D Byrne (1-1), John Michael Nolan; C Nolan (0-3, two frees), M Kavanagh (1-3, three frees, 1-0 pen), T Joyce. Subs: Jon Nolan for John Michael Nolan (18 mins), E Byrne for Joyce (44 mins), P Coady for J Kavanagh (55 mins), R Coady for Bennett (61 mins), S Whelan for D Byrne (64 mins).
Referee: S Cleere (Kilkenny).
Sunday’s results
Division 1 Group A - Galway 3-21 Tipperary 3-13
Division 1 relegation play-off - Westmeath 1-17 Carlow 2-8
Division 2A - Offaly 0-20 Antrim 2-14
Division 2B - Derry 2-16 Kildare 3-13
Division 2B relegation play-off - London 1-20 Warwickshire 0-5
Division 3A final - Donegal 1-18 Armagh 0-19
Division 3B - Sligo 3-21 Fermanagh 0-14
Next Saturday’s fixtures
Division 1 quarter-finals - Waterford v Kilkenny; Galway v Wexford
Division 2A final - Antrim v Kerry
Division 2B final - Derry v Down
Division 3B final - Sligo v Leitrim
