sport
Share icon

Share

Keeper howler gifts Westmeath Leinster title against Dublin

Published 16:20 17 May 2026 BST

Updated 17:22 17 May 2026 BST

SportsJOE
Keeper howler gifts Westmeath Leinster title against Dublin

Homesport

Not his finest moment.

For the first time since 2004, and the second time in their history, Westmeath have been crowned Leinster SFC champions, beating Dublin by 2-28 to 0-26 after extra-time.

The score after normal time was 0-22 to 0-22, but Westmeath managed to pull away; first with some great shooting to take them to 0-26, before Brian Cooney scored the decisive goal.

While kicking for what looked like a two-pointer, the ball dipped over goalkeeper Evan Comerford's flailing hands and into the back of the net.

With a seven-point cushion, there was no stopping the Lake County, and they even grabbed a second goal through Jack Duncan at the death.

Teams and scores

Westmeath: Jason Daly; Conor Dillon (0-01), Charlie Drumm Daniel Scahill; Tadhg Baker, Shane Allen (0-02, 1 tp), Ronan Wallace (0-03); Brían Cooney (1-00), Ray Connellan; Kevin O'Sullivan (0-02), Sam McCartan (0-02), Matthew Whittaker (0-04, 1 tp); Shane Corcoran (0-01), Jack Duncan (1-01), Brandon Kelly (0-04).

Subs: Adam Treanor for Scahill 18, Robbie Forde (0-01) for Duncan h/t, Senan Baker (0-04) for Corcoran 43, Shane Ormsby for Whittaker 59, John Heslin (0-03, 1 tp, 0-01f) for Dillon 61. Corcoran for Kelly e/t, Duncan for Allen h/t, Eoghan McCabe for Connellan 83, Ian Martin for Tadhg Baker 84, Tom Molloy for Cooney 86.

Dublin: Evan Comerford; Theo Clancy, Nathan Doran, David Byrne (0-02); Seán MacMahon, Charlie McMorrow, Eoin Kennedy (0-01); Peadar Ó Cofaigh Byrne, Brian Howard (0-01); Seán Bugler (0-02), Niall Scully (0-02), Ciarán Kilkenny (0-03); Paddy Small (0-02), Killian McGinnis, Cormac Costello (0-08, 4 frees, 1 tpf).

Subs: Luke Breathnach (0-01) for Ó Cofaigh Byrne 16, Liam Smith for Clancy 59, Seán Guiden (0-02, 1 tp) for Breathnach 61, Greg McEneaney (0-02) for Kennedy 65. Cian Murphy for McMorrow 75, Cian O'Connor for Scully 78,

Referee: David Coldrick (Meath).