The Longford/Westmeath Garda division claimed their first All-Ireland football title following a thrilling extra-time victory over their Dublin Metropolitan Region West counterparts at Sarsfields GAA club in Newbridge on December 6 last.

Team captain and former Roscommon ace Derek Duggan notched up 0-8 (0-6 from frees) as the midlanders emerged as 1-14 to 0-14 winners of a hard-fought All-Ireland inter-divisional final. Both teams fielded players with inter-county experience. On the Longford/Westmeath side, there was Fergal Reynolds (Leitrim), Aidan Lyons (Westmeath), Ronan Loftus (Mayo) and Derek Duggan (Roscommon).

1995 Westmeath All-Ireland minor medalist Colm Coyne lined out at wing back for DMR West, while 2006 Westmeath senior and under 21 player Graham Dillon also featured in their side. Indeed, their Lake County contingent would have been even greater had the captain from the 1995 Tom Markham Cup winning side, Damien Gavin, not been work-tied.

There was a twist to proceedings before the ball was even thrown in by replacement referee and former Meath football manager Eamonn Barry. Longford/Westmeath were originally scheduled to play their Limerick counterparts, but they were unable to fulfil the fixture for a second week running, allowing Dublin West, who had lost the semi-final replay to Limerick by a point after extra-time, to challenge for the honours.

The midlanders were quickly into their stride and led by 0-4 to 0-1 at the end of the first quarter, but DMR West had narrowed the gap to 0-6 to 0-4 at the interval. Longford/Westmeath looked to be coasting when Duggan knocked down a high centre into the path of Ronan Loftus who scrambled to the net midway through the second half.

But the Dublin side then staged a great recovery to take the lead with a Padraig Shanley point five minutes from the end. But two minutes later, Duggan pointed a free to send the game to extra-time.

With Galway and Ireland defender Kieran Fitzgerald making a big impression following his introduction as a half-time substitute, Longford/Westmeath dominated extra-time to run out three-point winners.

The victorious Longford/Westmeath team was: Enda Daly (Granard); Ray Grennan (Longford), Donal Carroll (Mullingar), Fergal Reynolds (Longford); Padraig Jones (Mullingar), Aidan Lyons (Athlone), Conor Egan (Longford); Derek McDonnell (Athlone), Mark Carty (Mullingar); Adrian O'Reilly (Mullingar), Brian Monaghan (Mullingar), Ronan Loftus (Mullingar); Ken Duggan (Athlone), Derek Duggan (Mullingar), Roghan Headen (Mullingar). Subs used: Kieran Fitzgerald (Athlone), Joe Kenny (Mullingar), Danny Maguire (Mullingar) and Alan Hogan (Mullingar).

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