Heroic Westmeath minor hurlers

After the depressing news from Westport earlier in the afternoon, Westmeath hurling fans got the perfect shot in the arm when a very skilful and determined minor side knocked out one of the game"s major powers in the quarter-final of the Leinster championship in unsettled conditions at Cusack Park on Saturday evening last. Indeed, the Lake County"s three-point winning margin flattered Offaly on the day. Westmeath now have the dubious reward of facing Kilkenny in the penultimate round, evoking memories of a wonderful effort by their counterparts at a similar stage, exactly a decade ago. However, that is for another day and Seamus Qualter"s charges can be extremely proud of last Saturday"s gutsy display, when the maroon and white jerseys were worn with great pride and distinction by all 17 players throughout a gripping contest. While there was an element of luck about Colin O"Brien"s crucial goal in first half added-time, only the most biased of Faithful County supporters would begrudge their opponents a famous and fully-merited victory. The winners had the advantage of a slight wind blowing into the main scoreboard end of the ground in the first moiety. Despite Barry O"Meara being untypically wide from a 45-metre free in the opening minute, the home side soon went in front, Alan McGrath and Glen Flynn combining for Anthony Price to point neatly from 35 metres. Kevin Connolly equalised for the tricoloured side in the fourth minute, after a long solo run from Sean Cleary, but a brace of Westmeath points quickly ensued - a converted 30-metre free from Barry O"Meara (following what seemed a soft award) and a fine score from Glen Flynn from 35 metres. Westmeath"s excellent goalkeeper, Cathal Scally was then called into action twice in quick succession to thwart the visitors but he was powerless to prevent Thomas Carroll converting a 35-metre free in the eighth minute, the sliotar going over via the upright. Westmeath already looked the better-balanced outfit, but the defence still needed to show great resilience to keep out Eoin Ryan when he was put through by fellow corner-forward Kevin Connolly. An Offaly free from the 45-metre line (awarded much to the annoyance of Westmeath bainisteoir Seamus Qualter) was converted by Thomas Spain, leaving the sides tied at 0-3 apiece after 19 minutes. A terrific point from 60 metres by midfielder Stephen Boylan and another Barry O"Meara free (disputed by the visitors, on this occasion) put the winners two points to the good. As the rain started to bucket down, Barry O"Meara mishit a scoreable free by his standards. Sean Coughlan, wearing the number 7 jersey but now operating in attack, fired over a marvellous point under pressure for Offaly and Thomas Spain followed up with yet another equalising point from a 40-metre free, in the dying seconds of normal time. However, injury-time (designated as two minutes by the officials - it certainly seemed like it should have been more) proved very fruitful for Westmeath. Colin O"Brien"s seemingly innocuous shot was not dealt with by Conor Kennedy in the Offaly goal and the ball spilled into the net off his hurley, via a defender. Within seconds, Glen Flynn rifled over a point from 50 metres and, all of a sudden, Westmeath were four points to the good (1-6 to 0-5) as the half-time whistle blew. Prior to the start of the second half, the referee cautioned Seamus Qualter whose over-exuberance in the opening half had led to a pitch incursion. Scores proved hard to come by for both sides and an indication of the mounting tension came when Offaly sub David King was yellow-carded within seconds of his introduction. Indeed, it became clear that the two sets of mentors were having differences of opinion on the line, while the most notable on-field moment came when Cathal Scally produced a magnificent catch from a long-range free by James Sullivan. However, the Clonkill netminder soon irritated the referee by allegedly delaying his puckout, with the sliotar being subsequently thrown in. Scally then had to be alert again when he deflected Brendan Murphy"s rasper over the crossbar. In the 14th minute, Barry O"Meara dusted himself down after he had been fouled and duly tapped over a close-range free. Some four minutes later, Offaly"s Sean Cleary "pointed" but the referee failed to allow what would have been a sensible advantage and Kevin Connolly converted the ensuing free, leaving the scoreboard reading Westmeath 1-7 Offaly 0-7, with 12 minutes of normal time remaining. Anthony Price then looked to be fouled as his shot was saved by Conor Kennedy, before a wholehearted Westmeath defence (in which Cormac Boyle simply excelled in the second half) kept out a dangerous Offaly attack en masse. At the other end, Shane Fagan showed equal determination to manufacture a free which Barry O"Meara converted. Substitute Niall Dowdall increased his side"s lead from an acute angle, and Alan McGrath followed up with a perfect strike from a 60-metre free to put the Lake County six points ahead as the scoreboard clock ticked down to zero. A flicked effort from the very industrious Glen Flynn was well wide but served its purpose of eating up time. Offaly needed two rapid-fire goals to force extra-time but there was to be no repeat of their seniors" heroics in the 1994 All-Ireland final. They did, however, pull one back with the last puck of the game in added-time, David King rifling home a 25-metre free. But it was too little too late for the visitors and Westmeath had held out for a memorable victory. Kilkenny will almost certainly prove a bridge too far for this very united and skilful bunch in maroon and white. However, irrespective of the outcome of the Leinster semi-final, they will be able to hold their heads up very high after an absolutely outstanding campaign. WESTMEATH: Cathal Scally; Derek Healy, Adam Shiels, Diarmuid Garvin; Cormac Boyle, Alan McGrath (0-1f), Jordy Cassidy; Stephen Boylan (0-1), Colin O"Brien (1-0); Shane Fagan, Glen Flynn (0-2), David Gavin; Enda Kincaid, Barry O"Meara (0-4, 4f), Anthony Price (0-1). Subs: Niall Dowdall (0-1) for Kincaid (45 mins); Patrick Laide for Gavin (59). OFFALY: Conor Kennedy; Kevin Waters, Brian Mulrooney, Michael Cleary; James Sullivan, Pat Camon, Sean Coughlan (0-1); Thomas Spain (0-2, 2f), Aodhán Kealy; Thomas Carroll (0-1f), Donal Morkan, Brendan Murphy (0-1); Eoin Ryan, Sean Cleary, Kevin Connolly (0-2, 1f). Subs: David King (1-0f for Ryan (36); Shane Kinsella for Spain (44); Adrian Hynes for Coughlan (48); Stephen Quirke for Carroll (54). REFEREE: Alan Lagrue (Kildare).