By Paul O’Donovan
Westmeath football manager Dermot McCabe described it as a ‘devastating defeat’ and so it was. For the second game in a row the Westmeath senior footballers lost to a late, late score. This time it was a fisted point by Down’s Adam Crimmins. This time, not alone did the late score mean defeat for Westmeath, it also confirmed Westmeath’s relegation to Division 3 for next year in the Allianz Football League.
To add to Westmeath’s woes, after defeat the last day to Meath to a controversial goal that was apparently scored after the hooter went, this time Westmeath seemed to be denied a free in the closing minutes when a Down player blatantly over-carried the ball, but no free was given to Westmeath. Instead Down launched a counter attack and scored a two-pointer.
