Match report: Garrycastle 0-13 Longford Slashers 1-9

Westmeath star Dessie Dolan was the hero as Garrycastle advanced to the quarter-final of the Leinster Club Championship with a 0-13 to 1-9 victory against Longford Slashers.

The veteran forward hit eight of his side’s 13 points, including three stunners from play, as the Westmeath champions edged out their Longford counterparts in a pulsating affair in Mullingar’s Cusack Park.

The 31-one-year-old was unmarkable in the first half and flawless from free kicks throughout as Garrycastle, runners up in Leinster last year, prevailed to set up a quarter-final against Louth champions Mattock Rangers.

In bright, still conditions, it was Garrycastle who started the brighter of the sides with wing back Mark McCallon notching the first score of the game after a typically powerful forward surge.

Jimmy Deenihan on Five-in-a-Row and other stuff

Why did Kerry’s great four in a row team never make it five?

Jimmy Deenihan thinks he knows the answer although he won’t say it directly:

The reason Kerry lost to Offaly in the 1982 All-Ireland is that he wasn’t playing.

Séamus Darby's goal in the 1982 All-Ireland final

 I’m too young to remember the match but growing up, my late father never tired of talking about it. He had been out of the country and landed home late on the final Sunday just in time to watch the highlights in a bar. He used to fondly recall jumping up and down screaming when Seamus Darby scored Offaly’s winning goal while bemused onlookers, who’d already had several hours to digest the upset, just assumed he was insane.