Leinster SFC semi-final: Westmeath 2-21 Kildare 0-23

Westmeath defied history, injuries, fatigue and, ultimately, a ferocious Kildare comeback to drag themselves into just the sixth Leinster final of their history — and, better yet, into this year’s All-Ireland series, writes Garry Doyle.

There was nothing straightforward about it. Nothing comfortable. Nothing that suggested, at any stage, that this was a team cruising towards a milestone. Instead, it was wrestled, reclaimed and, in the end, seized through sheer persistence in O’Connor Park.

When the final whistle sounded after extra time, confirming a 2-21 to 0-23 victory, the pitch invasion told its own story.

There are layers to this win, and history sits at the centre of them. This is only the sixth time Westmeath have reached a Leinster final. Of the previous five, four ended in defeat. The outlier — 2004 — came under the guidance of an outsider, Páidí Ó Sé, who reshaped belief in the county.

Now, two decades on, there is a familiar echo. Mark McHugh, another voice from the west, has brought something similar. Not in style, perhaps, but in substance. He has refined them tactically and strengthened them emotionally. He has made them harder to break, and, crucially, harder to dismiss.

On paper, they had no business beating Meath in the quarter-final — Division 2 champions, All-Ireland semi-finalists a year ago. But they did. And here, against a Kildare side with greater depth and expectation, they did it again.

This time without Luke Loughlin and, for most of the game, Matthew Whittaker, their two most influential players.

If that stripped them of firepower, it forced them into something else — collective resilience.

But nothing about the journey through this semi-final came easily.

Kildare were sharper from the outset. Eoin Cully and Ben Loakman set the tone early, both finding their range with a directness that immediately put Westmeath under pressure. Even when Ray Connellan responded with a point from play and a free to level matters, there was a sense that Kildare held the rhythm.

Loakman’s third point and Tommy Gill’s contribution pushed them into a 0-4 to 0-2 lead, and it might have been more. Cully’s goal chance — denied only by a sharp intervention from Jason Daly — lingered as one of those moments that quietly shape a game.

Kildare pressed again. Another Loakman score extended the lead, and although Shane Corcoran responded, Callum Bolton restored a three-point cushion. Kildare looked to be in control.

Then, almost without warning, it shifted.

Westmeath began to disrupt. Turnovers became their currency. Kevin O’Sullivan sparked it, Senan Baker followed, and suddenly possession began to translate into pressure.

Brandon Kelly reduced the gap. Baker levelled. Kelly edged them in front. What had been Kildare’s game was no longer under their control.

And then came the moment that defined the half.

Sam McCartan, operating with clarity throughout, slipped a pass into the path of Brian Cooney. The finish was instinctive and precise. Gill was beaten for pace, keeper Cian Burke exposed, and from a tight angle Cooney found the net. In the space of seven minutes, Westmeath had turned a four-point deficit into a 1-8 to 0-7 lead.

It was not just the scores — it was the shift in belief.

Kildare, to their credit, steadied. Darragh Swords landed a two-pointer, their first score in over a quarter of an hour, and Cully followed with another point. By half-time, the gap was back to a single point — 1-8 to 0-10 — and the game had reset itself.

The second half followed the same restless pattern.

Cully levelled early, but Tadhg Baker responded. McCartan’s two-point free and another Brandon Kelly score stretched Westmeath’s lead again, only for Alex Beirne and Darragh Kirwan to drag Kildare back into contention.

Kevin Feely’s equaliser on 55 minutes felt significant — not just in terms of the scoreboard, but in momentum. Again, Westmeath had to respond.

And again, they did.

McCartan, calm and clinical, delivered from placed balls and from play to push them clear once more. But Kildare would not allow separation. Points from Jack Robinson, Cully and Kirwan brought them level again, the game tightening with every exchange.

Shane Allen’s score on 68 minutes looked, briefly, like it might hold. But deep into stoppage time, Beirne stepped forward and levelled it again.

No separation. No resolution.

Extra time was inevitable.

And it was here that the game finally revealed itself.

Kildare struck first, Kirwan putting them ahead for the first time since the 28th minute. It was a moment that might have been decisive. Brian McLoughlin followed with a free, and for a brief spell, Kildare held the initiative.

But Westmeath refused to concede the narrative.

Ronan Wallace, their captain, stepped forward with a score that steadied them. It was not spectacular, but it was necessary. It pulled them back into the contest and reset the terms.

Then came the defining sequence.

Cooney’s initial effort was saved by Cian Burke, but the rebound fell to Brandon Kelly. His reaction was immediate. The finish, instinctive. The effect, decisive.

2-17 to 0-21.

For the first time since early in the game, there was daylight.

Kildare tried to respond. Colm Dalton added a point, but something had shifted. Westmeath, despite the fatigue, found another surge. Charlie Drumm extended the lead. Robbie Forde followed. Eoghan McCabe added another. Kelly, now central to everything, struck again.

Each score carried weight. Each one edged Kildare further from reach.

By the closing stages, Westmeath were the ones still moving, still thinking clearly, still executing. Kildare, who had matched them for so long, began to fade.

The final whistle confirmed what the performance had suggested — this was not about control or dominance, but about endurance.

Westmeath had been tested in every way. They trailed, they led, they were pulled back, and still they found a way forward.

For Kildare, it is another difficult chapter. They had opportunities, control at times, and momentum when it mattered. But they could not close it.

Westmeath could.

And that, more than anything else, is why they are heading to a Leinster final.

American music legend Ne-Yo headed out to some of Manchester’s top restaurants and bars – before sampling his first ever “soccer” game and what a match he got

As if the small matter of entertaining thousands of fans with his two huge sold out gigs in Manchester at the weekend was not keeping him busy enough, music superstar Ne-Yo also made time to fully enjoy his stay in the city. The American hitmaker played two gigs at Co-op Live alongside Akon on Friday and Saturday night.

And he made a full weekend of it in Manchester, enjoying the real Champagne Life with lunches and dinners out at some of the city’s swankiest bars and restaurants. He was spotted out at both Australasia on Spinningfields and its neighbouring venue, cocktail bar Ocasa.

It sounds like he enjoyed his food in the city, for Australasia shared a video of the star saying how “absolutely amazing” he found the food at the newly relaunched venue after sampling its new signature dish of short-rib beef. He was pictured beaming alongside staff, wearing a bright yellow tracksuit and matching head scarf.

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In the video he said: “What’s going on everybody it’s Ne-Yo, listen, I had an absolutely amazing experience here, the food was phenomenal.” He added: “Ok every single dish absoultely amazing I absolutely recommend”, before signing off “Pull up ok, pull up.”

It was not only Manchester’s nightlife he got to sample, though. For he also got to enjoy his first ever “soccer” game – and he certainly picked a good one to start.

For Ne-Yo headed to watch Manchester United beat Liverpool in spectacular 3-2 style at Old Trafford on Sunday. Ne-Yo posted a video of his time at Old Trafford, sharing his excitement about the game with his 4.9million followers on Instagram.

In the video, he said: “Manchester United. This is arguably my first soccer, well sorry, my first football game,” swiftly correcting his American reference to the Beautiful Game.

He continued: “I’ve been to one before but it was very much a situation where we went in, met some people and then left so I didn’t really get to enjoy the game. So yeah, I’m here today to go and enjoy a lovely game of football.”

His video showed the wild celebrations of fans at the match, as well as a host of fans clamouring for photos with the star after the game. One United fan was seen asking “when are you doing a song with 50 Cent again?” to which Ne Yo replied: “Good question, you gotta call 50 and ask him!”

The video ends with Ne-Yo presented with a special Manchester United shirt with his name and the squad number 24.

Holding the shirt aloft he says: “Wow man, no greater honour, it’s the closest I’ll ever come to doing this,” he laughed gesturing at the pitch.

Chart-topping star Ne-Yo, real name Shaffer Chimere Smith, is known for his global smash hits like Miss Independent, Closer and Stay. He is in the midst of his massive co-headlining world tour with Akon, called Nights Like This.

They return to Manchester for their third and final city gig on Wednesday to Co-op Live. And it sounds like there are plans for more nights out after that.

For both Yours bar on Deansgate and Australasia are set to play host to the stars for after-parties following their huge gig on Wednesday.

It will be double the celebration for Australasia – as Wednesday sees the venue toast its 15th anniversary on the city scene as well.

Emergency services were called to Burn Lane at 10.55am on Monday, May 4.

Two people were discharged at the scene, and two people were taken to Darlington Memorial Hospital for further treatment.

A spokesperson for North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) said: “We were called to a single vehicle road traffic incident on Burn Lane, Newton Aycliffe at 10.55am on May 4.

“We dispatched two double crewed ambulances and a clinical team leader.

“Two patients were discharged at the scene, and two patients were taken to Darlington Memorial Hospital.”

Witnesses at the scene said the vehicle had flipped on its roof.

Durham Police have been contacted for more information.

“That is division, divisive politics, in practice and I’ve made it clear, that’s why I’ll have nothing to do with Reform, that’s why there will be no place for Reform in the governance of Scotland, if I become the first minister and I have the majority in the Scottish Parliament, because we cannot go down this route.

Princess Eugenie is expecting her third child with husband Jack Brooksbank this summer, and the mum has previously opened up about the guilt and parenting challenges of motherhood

Princess Eugenie has announced she is expecting her third child with husband Jack Brooksbank this summer — with King Charles said to be “delighted” by the Royal Family news.

Eugenie already has two sons, August and Ernest, aged five and two respectively, who are reportedly “very excited” about welcoming a new sibling. The 36-year-old shared a photograph of her boys holding a baby scan with her 1.7 million Instagram followers, alongside the caption: “Baby Brooksbank 2026!”

The princess spoke honestly about motherhood last May when she appeared on the Lessons From Our Mothers podcast, where she opened up about the aspects of parenting she occasionally finds difficult.

Discussing those challenges, she said: “For me it’s similar, trying to be perfect, not saying that my mum (Sarah Ferguson) was perfect, but I guess trying to make the perfect world for your children when you don’t hit the mark, feeling that guilt.

“And so I think that’s something that I struggle with or is definitely a challenge where the guilt of maybe not being there the whole time or missing out on a moment or when I lose my temper.

“I think there’s something to remember that little people are little people and we put a lot of old grown-up things like 34 years of grown-upness onto little people sometimes.

“At night, for their bath time routine, you know how stressful that is, and it’s because I like to brush my teeth and brush my hair and have a bath and put my moisturiser on because I’m 34 but this three-and-a-half year old little boy does not want to do any of that.

“And it’s to be okay, the bath might be missed one night or tooth brushing might not happen and to go that’s fine because they are little people learning and they can’t be perfect.”

Rounding off her thoughts, she added: “So I think it is just constantly, and that’s what mum always did, she always was the kid as well, and she’d much rather sit and talk to a bunch of kids than she would to talk to grown-ups.

“She always still says now, ‘no grown-ups’, so I think for us, as mums, for me especially, is to, the guilt side of things, not let that consume the days, because the days are so precious.”

Her third child, due to arrive “in the summer”, will sit 15th in line to the throne, though the baby will not hold an HRH title.

The child will become the 15th great-grandchild of the late Queen Elizabeth II, and only the third to have been born since her passing in 2022 at the age of 96.

The baby will also become the fifth grandchild of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, following his other daughter, Princess Beatrice, who welcomed a baby girl last January.

The 9.46-acre development was meant to be a bustling marina with swanky cafes, shops, restaurants and brand new apartment blocks – but has been left abandoned for nearly three years

An abandoned ghost estate left incomplete for years has been labelled an eyesore by furious residents after becoming a magnet for yobs. Work on the 220-home estate in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire ground to a halt nearly three years ago, leaving the shells of dozens of hollow structures.

The development was meant to become a thriving marina, boasting swanky cafes, shops and restaurants, alongside brand new apartment blocks. But locals living nearby claim the 9.46 acre construction site has now become a hotspot for teenage gangs starting fires and daubing graffiti.

Ali McDonald, 40, lives opposite the eerie abandoned development and says she’s had to ring the fire brigade three times since construction was paused.

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Mum-of-one Ali, who works as a cleaner, said: “It’s an eyesore, it’s in front of my house. I can see it out of my living room every day. They’ve not done any work in about three years after working on it for about 18 months.

“There have been a few times where I’ve been leaving for work in the morning and had to call the fire brigade because of fires there.

“I’ve rang them three times and a neighbour has a few times. One time one of the machines that was left there was torched. We don’t have a clue who it is, but we think it’s teenagers going on there, hanging out the windows and going in the houses.”

The brownfield land, which is set just off the River Trent, is up for auction with a guide price of £950,000. Only 20 dwellings had their foundations laid out before workers packed up their tools nearly three years ago.

Another neighbour, who wished to remain anonymous, said the site looked unsafe and feared for kids playing there. The woman said: “One teenager had to have an ambulance because they fell out the window gap. He was holding onto the brick and slipped and fell. From what I got told he broke his arm.

“They need to makeup their minds about what they’re doing with it. Knock it down and flatten it, or rebuild it. They need to do something about it, because it looks horrible.

“We got told it was going to flats and a shop, but it could be anything now.”

The brownfield site, located just off the River Trent, is being put up for auction with a guide price of £950,000. Just 20 properties had their foundations laid before workers downed tools almost three years ago.

A further neighbour, who asked not to be named, said the development appeared dangerous and expressed concern about children playing there. The woman said: “I don’t know who’s going to take this on but someone needs to, and they need to sharpish.

“I’ve lived her 11 years and what it’s done is basically turn the area into an eyesore. It’s the first thing you see as you come into town – you don’t want that on your doorstep.

“We see kids or teenagers playing on there but it’s unsafe. There’s unfinished homes and they’re empty inside. It’s basically asking for something to go wrong.”

Another neighbour, who wished to remain anonymous, said the site looked unsafe and feared for kids playing there. The woman said: “We need action to fix whatever this is soon, as I can’t stand looking at it any longer.”

Lib Dem councillor Trevor Young, who represents the ward, said the council were attempting to contact the landowner in order to reach a resolution.

He said: “It’s having a negative impact on residents, not only for the residents opposite, but it’s on the main route through Gainsborough. It’s also having an impact for visitors coming into the town and how they see the town and for future investors.”

“It doesn’t paint a great picture. The site also presents a lot of health and safety issues. We’ve had instances of youths on that site. It’s adjacent to a very large river. And the police have been involved.

“All building sites are dangerous, you shouldn’t have kids playing around on them, someone will get hurt or worse. We’ve previously tried to get the landowner into the council, but he’s refused to meet with us.”

The councillor added: “The owner of the site has put this up for auction. We need to find a solution, hopefully a buyer will come forward. It had huge aspirations, it was supposed to be a marina. It would still be possible, but most of all we need those houses and someone coming forward to finish them.

“To be fair to the council they have put a lot of effort into making the town look nice, and this is having an impact on it. If you lived opposite it you’d think ‘oh god’ it’s not very attractive having that site across from you. It is a massive eyesore for us.”

Fellow Lib Dem councillor Lesley Rollings added: “Millions of pounds have been spent in Gainsborough town centre, businesses have been set up, but this site has been set up and just abandoned.”

“People aren’t seeing how attractive Gainsborough is. It’s on the main road into the town and it’s one of the first things you see. So many parts of the country people are desperate for housing. It changes people’s perception of the town when they visit here, it’s absolutely huge.”

“All it requires is the council putting pressure on people to build or finish these. Housing is a national issue so there should be some drive.”

West Lindsey District Council was contacted for comment.

The unassuming new venture, run by a family‑owned farm in Westhoughton, quietly opened over the weekend and has already drawn crowds keen to sample fresh milk and milkshakes made metres away from the cows themselves.

Louise Fitton opened Mootop Dairy’s self-serve milk machine for the first time in a ‘soft opening’ on Sunday, May 3, and already people in the local area have been flocking to the farm to try it out for themselves.

The mum-of-two said the idea for the machine came from her children and realising she had the perfect location for it, accessible by public footpath, the 45-year-old embarked on getting all of the equipment sorted.

Customers turn up at Moss Hall Farm, just off of Wingates Lane, to find an unsuspecting red shipping container in the corner of a car park, next to a barn full of cows.

Inside the unsuspecting shipping container you can serve yourself a milkshake (Image: Ruby Watson)

Inside the container, named Mootop Milkshake, is the self-serve milk machine, and visitors can choose from milk or a milkshake.

Plain milk is available, but there is also the option to flavour milk or milkshakes.

Customers can choose classic chocolate, banana or strawberry, or there are even some special flavours of the week too.

For the week of the soft opening, these were salted caramel, blue bubble gum or vanilla.

A small bottle is priced at £1.50 and a large at £2.50, the plain milks cost £1 for a small milk and £1.50 for a large milk.

The small milkshakes are priced at £1.50 (Image: Ruby Watson)

The flavoured milk and milkshakes are each served in a glass bottle, and Louise said she hopes that this will deter people from using plastic, as they can come to have this refilled time and time again, even with plain milk.

Louise said: “We opened this to try and be sustainable, keep farms going really. We need to keep the farms going.

“If we don’t keep the farms going, we lose the green space. It’s a good thing.

“We already have a milk round. So we can do this alongside the milk round anyway.

“It’s been really good. Really busy yesterday.

Chloe Fitton, 16, with her mum Louise Fitton, 45 (Image: Ruby Watson)

“It’s really nice knowing that all the hard work and all the preparations gone into something and and people like it.

“People like the design and they and they like the process and they like the fact that they can sit and watch the cows while they’re having the milkshakes.”

Once the drink has been mixed up, there are seating areas outside where the cows can be seen from the barn.

Louise said the family have always had the cows but only began milking them in October last year.

You can watch the cows as you enjoy your milkshake (Image: Ruby Watson)

She said: “We sell raw milk as well, which is basically directly from them.

“Our cows get milked, the milk gets pasteurised, and it goes into the machine. That milk is directly from them.

“So they milked yesterday, so that milk is fresh from yesterday. So it comes straight from the cow to this.”

Eggs from the farm are also available to purchase, for £3.50 a dozen.

She said she hopes to have a nice opening event towards the end of the month, where visitors can also meet the cows.

Once open officially, customers will be able to come to grab milk from 6am until 10pm most days. For more details visit Mootop Diary facebook page.

The Wellbeing Farm, a wedding venue in the stunning surroundings of Edgworth, was featured on the first episode of Channel 5’s Rich Wedding Poor Wedding as the luxury option along with a castle.

Janet and Gary wedding at The Wellbeing Farm. Picture The Wellbeing Farm

And couple Janet and Gary , from Salford, opted for the award-winning venue, complete with bow tied llamas, instead of the more traditional setting, with those behind the village venue, saying the decision highlighted a growing shift in what modern couples value – ‘moving beyond status and towards meaning, experience and impact’.

Janet said that the venue ‘just felt perfect’.

Janet and Gary wedding at The Wellbeing Farm. Picture The Wellbeing Farm

The two opted for a magical woodland theme with trees, fairy lights, candles and even an owl delivering the rings to the happy couple as they sat on white thrones.

The couple said: ““Being greeted with cakes when we first came to view it was such a lovely touch but from that moment on, everything just felt perfect.

“The customer service, the location, the style, the animals, it all just came together.”

They added: “It felt magical. The barn is such a blank canvas, which meant we could really make it our own and create something personal to us.”

The two added: “A place where your money does good”

For the couple, the venue’s values played a key role in their choice.

“It’s a really good place to put your money. If you’re going to invest in your wedding somewhere, this is where it should go,” they said, “Knowing that some of that money goes into doing good elsewhere made it feel even more worthwhile. It wasn’t just about us, it felt like part of something bigger.”

Janet and Gary wedding at The Wellbeing Farm. Picture The Wellbeing Farm

They also highlighted the importance of the venue’s ethos:

The couple said: “Celia is very involved in charity work and her B Corp certification really stood out to us. It showed us this wasn’t just a venue, it’s a business that genuinely cares.”

Founder Celia Gaze said:“ We’re seeing more couples wanting their wedding to represent who they are and what they stand for, not just how it looks,” she said.

“To be chosen over a castle was incredibly powerful. It showed that for many couples today, meaning, personality and impact matter just as much as prestige.”

She added: “At The Wellbeing Farm, we’ve always believed celebrations can be joyful, memorable and responsible at the same time. This is about creating experiences people feel proud of, not just on the day, but afterwards too.”

Those behind the farm say they work with couples to cater for all budgets. From offering extravagant three-course luxury dining experiences using their own family butchers ‘Whitehead’s Butchers, to street-food catering options, the venue prides itself in offering a truly personalised experience.

Watch the programme on catch-up.

Forest, meanwhile, are three points clear of the relegation zone after a mixed Bank Holiday weekend but can move one step closer to survival with another positive result in west London. Follow the game LIVE below with our dedicated match blog, featuring expert insight and analysis from Dom Smith at Stamford Bridge.