ANOTHER MONAGHAN SLIP-UP

WESTMEATH 1-19
MONAGHAN 2-11

COLM SHALVEY REPORTS
onaghan failed to build on their high-scoring win over Louth in the Allianz NFL when they slipped to a five-point defeat against Westmeath in Mullingar on Sunday.
Monaghan again ran up a healthy score, but their porous defence allowed Westmeath to hit 1-18 from play and run out deserving winners. After a slow start, Monaghan had looked set to push on when they hit a quick burst of 1-4 as half-time approached, but that was quickly wiped out and Westmeath led throughout the second half.
Monaghan were first off the mark in the fourth minute when Owen Duffy kicked a point off his left foot after good work by Owen Lennon and Paul Finlay, but Westmeath levelled when Denis Glennon took a pass from Kieran Martin and raced through to fist over the bar.
They were quickly ahead when Monaghan keeper Mark Keogh spilled a Ronan Foley pass in front of David Glennon, whose close-range shot went narrowly over. The hosts made another couple of goal chances before the first quarter was out, but Michael Ennis toe-poked wide from another Foley pass, before Denis Glennon overhit a pass intended for Ennis. Paul Finlay landed a good point at the end of a move involving Dick Clerkin, Christopher McGuinness and Kieran Hughes to bring Monaghan level, but John Heslin responded with a fine score and David Glennon guided one over via an upright after he had linked up with Kieran Martin, who helped himself to the next point.
Finlay had a right-footed shot comfortably saved by Westmeath keeper Gary Connaughton, before Heslin sent a scoreable free off the post …