Derry surge ahead at half-time v Westmeath
Westmeath 0-07 Derry 2-05, Croke Park, 2pm
Leinster champions Westmeath had conceded just one goal in the championship before they set foot on the Croke Park this afternoon, but a double blast from Enda Muldoon and Paddy Bradley has seen Derry 2-05 to 0-07 at the break of their SFC quarter final.
A lacklustre opening saw Muldoon the only scorer for Mickey Moran's side, pointing two frees on 2 and 16 minutes. Westmeath's Dessie Dolan and Alan Mangan both struck early frees, and added to Denis Glennon's first point from play, for a 0-03 to 0-01 thirteenth minute lead.
Corner forward Bradley then left-footed a glorious goal into Gary Connaughton's top right corner in the twentieth minute. That lit the touch paper and the scoring soon followed.
Glennon added his and Westmeath's second from play in reply, and more frees followed from Wilson, Bradley and Dolan.
On the half hour, Muldoon bulldozed through on a high ball claim to fire past Donal O'Donoghue and Connaughton to the midlanders net.
They maintained a four-point lead to the finish, with goalkeeper Barry Gillis blocking a Glennon goal chance, ending in injury time with Bradley's second point.
Scorers: Westmeath: D Dolan 0-03 (2f, 1’45), F Wilson (2f), D Glennon 0-02 each
Derry: E Muldoon 1-03 (2f), P Bradley 1-02 (1f)
