Published: Wednesday, 3rd February, 2010 5:00pm

Martin's reign gets off to a winning start in Kehoe Cup

WESTMEATH will face Carlow IT in the semi-finals of the Kehoe Cup senior hurling tournament next weekend, after Clonkill star Andrew Mitchell propelled them to victory against Down in Kinnegad on Sunday afternoon.

Mitchell clocked up eight points for the holders, including a string of first-half frees, as Kevin Martin began his career as Westmeath hurling manager with a win against the fancied Ulstermen.

Down, fresh from their 3-22 to 0-4 annihilation of Longford in the first round, were expected push Westmeath all the way. They did just that, but their game-plan was thrown into disarray when Down's Eoin Clarke was sent off for a second booking at a crucial point in the game.

A strong Westmeath selection was caught unawares by Down in the opening minutes of Sunday's match, as the visitors quickly moved into a four point lead, with prolific scorer Paul Braniff leading the way.

But Mitchell shot over his entire haul of eight points in the first half to lift the hosts, as Westmeath went into the dressing room at half-time leading 0-12 to 0-8.

Down clawed their way back into attention, moving a point ahead just moments after Clarke's dismissal. But the extra man stood to Westmeath, who held on stubbornly to claim the slenderest of victories.

Slow

Westmeath were slow to settle into Sunday's fixture, played at a resplendent but chilly Kinnegad venue, in front of the tiniest of crowds.

Although the Lakesiders had a strong breeze at their disposal, Down got the best of the opening exchanges, with towering centre-forward Garth Johnston opening the scoring after 28 seconds.

Paul Braniff doubled Down's advantage with the first of eleven points, before Andrew Mitchell responded in kind for Westmeath.

But the Maroons were punished for some careless marking, and fell behind by four thanks to a score from Down's Stephen Clarke, and two frees from Braniff.

Faced with the prospect of an early rout, Westmeath sprung into action, and Owen Price linked up with Dan Carty for the Lakesiders' second point.

Mitchell shot over a free, and as Westmeath stepped up the pressure, from open play, the Clonkill man added his third point.

In the 21st minute, with the hosts continuing to dictate the pace of play, Joe Clarke levelled matters with a superb point, with Carty involved in the build-up.

Mitchell fired Kevin Martin's troops into their first lead of the game moments later from a successful 65 metre puck, before Raharney's John Shaw found his range with a peach from the left wing.

Another Mitchell free, Westmeath's seventh score without reply, increased the Maroons' advantage to three points, before Braniff converted a free to remind the hosts that Down were still in contention.

But Westmeath were in the midst of a prolonged purple patch, as evidenced by Greg Gavin's solitary point of the game, struck between the posts from beyond the half way line. Another '65' from Mitchell put the Mournemen four points adrift.

A second point for Down's Stephen Clarke followed, but two further frees from Mitchell underlined Westmeath's dominance at this stage. The first of this brace was something to behold - coming from well beyond the halfway line, or about 100 yards out from Graham Clarke's goal.

Down ended the half with another Braniff free, and while there was no question who ruled the roost at the break, Westmeath faced a second moiety without the benefit of the breeze.

Advantage

The early signs were good for Westmeath after the restart. Brendan Murtagh - invisible during the first half in which he was well policed by Down's Michael Ennis - cut in from the left to extend the Maroons' lead to five.

But Down quickly began to take advantage of the breeze, and the tide turned. The superb Paul Braniff cut through the Westmeath defence on 40 minutes, and his shot on goal forced a terrific save from Pat Burke. Down full-back, Simon Wilson notched up the resulting free with aplomb.

James Coyle then found his range for the visitors, despite the attention of Ciaran Curley, before sub Andy Savage made his mark for Mournemen to cut Westmeath's advantage to just two points.

Braniff added another score with a terrific sideline cut on 43, before forcing yet another save out of Ringtown's Pat Burke with an opportunistic free.

Brendan Murtagh restored Westmeath's lead to two again on 50 with a close-range free, but two further scores from Braniff, including one from play, levelled matters for the first time since the 20th minute.

Down's building momentum was interrupted moments later, when referee Sean Cleary sent off full-forward Eoin Clarke for a second booking, to the tune of protests from the visitors' bench.

Murtagh pucked another free to put Westmeath in control once again, but Braniff equalised again with a free sixty seconds later. From Pat Burke's resulting puck-out, the Portaferry forward latched on to a breaking ball and shot Down into a deserved lead.

But the one-man deficit began to weigh on the Ulstermen in the closing stages, as Westmeath chalked up the vital scores. Substitute Alan Dowdall soloed from the left on 61 to raise a flag from a tight angle, and another free from Brendan Murtagh fired Westmeath in front once again.

A further dead ball effort from Murtagh doubled that advantage (0-18 to 0-16), but with just over five minutes remaining, Braniff responded in kind with another free, and his eleventh point of the game.

The Lakesiders moved closer to the semi-final on 66 when Joe Clarke set up Paddy Dowdall for one of the game's classiest scores, but Down still had time to spoil the hosts' party.

Westmeath dug their heels in and defended their lead well, and as the Ulstermen desperately sought a goal, Andy Savage was booked for a robust shoulder charge on Joe Clarke - slowing the Down resistance at a crucial time. Savage pointed a minute into stoppage time, but it wasn't enough to make up the deficit, and Westmeath prevailed.

SCORERS - Westmeath: A Mitchell 0-8 (5f, 2 65's), B Murtagh 0-5 (3f), D Carty, J Clarke, J Shaw, G Gavin, A Dowdall and P Dowdall 0-1 each. Down: P Braniff 0-11 (7f), S Clarke and A Savage 0-2 each, G Johnston, S Wilson (65') and J Coyle 0-1 each.

WESTMEATH: Pat Burke; Greg Gavin, Darren McCormack, Adam Price; Eoin Price, Andrew Mitchell, John Shaw; Joe Clarke, Robbie Jackson; Niall Flanagan, Brendan Murtagh, Paddy Dowdall; Dan Carty, Enda Loughlin, Damien Golden. Subs: Ciaran Curley for Golden (h/time), Alan Dowdall for Flanagan (50), Jonathan Hardiman for Loughlin (57).

DOWN: Graham Clarke; Fintan Conway, Simon Wilson, Sean Ennis; Padraig Flynn, Michael Ennis, Paddy Hughes; Kevin McGarry, Darren Flynn; Paul Keith, Garth Johnston, Stephen Clarke; James Coyle, Eoin Clarke, Paul Braniff.

Subs used: Conor Woods for Keith (23), Andy Savage for P Flynn (h/time), Matthew Teague for S Wilson (50, inj.), Ciaran Coulter for D Flynn (63), Mal Magee for Coyle (63).

REFEREE: Sean Cleary (Kilkenny).