Bright start paves the way for Westmeath to retain Kehoe Cup

Kevin Martin's reign as Westmeath senior hurling manager has got off to an ideal start with his charges retaining the Kehoe Cup by virtue of a deserved four-point win over Kildare, albeit in a poor standard game at Newbridge last Saturday. The winners hurled with great aplomb for the opening quarter of an hour in Saturday's final, at the end of which they led by 1-4 to 0-0, but their performance dipped considerably for the remainder of the contest. Indeed, better opposition than Kildare would undoubtedly have capitalised on this and, while silverware is never to be scoffed at in the Lake County, vast improvement will be needed if a serious challenge for promotion is to be made out of a very competitive Division Two. The loss of Enda Loughlin to a second yellow card early in the second half was a blow to the winners and discipline will be very much the order of the day during the league campaign. Despite being short the services of two star players, Brendan Murtagh (planned holidays) and Paul Greville (football commitments), Westmeath were straight out of the traps and many in the small but enthusiastic crowd had not yet taken their seats when Derek McNicholas found the net after a mere 30 seconds, following good approach play from Robbie Jackson and Joe Clarke. Some three minutes later, an alert Dan Carty rifled over a fine point. Kildare's first attack was thwarted by a great catch from Darren McCormack, but it was virtually one-way traffic as the visitors tagged on three unanswered points between the ninth and 13th minutes, Andrew Mitchell setting up his Clonkill clubmate Enda Loughlin for a fine score, either side of which Dan Carty converted a brace of frees. The Lilywhites got on the scoreboard just after the quarter-hour mark, David Harney shortening the grip on his hurley before tapping over a neat score. The losers doubled their tally in their next attack, team captain Tony Murphy's effort being deemed to have just crept inside the upright. However, Westmeath responded with two quickfire points, one from either side of the pitch by the ever-threatening Derek McNicholas, to lead by 1-6 to 0-2 at the midpoint of the first moiety. Kildare's David Harney compensated for an earlier miss from another placed ball and Eanna O'Neill followed up with a fine score, the sliotar hitting the upright en route. In the 24th minute, Paddy Dowdall hit one of the scores of the afternoon from an acute angle, but Kildare kept in touch with two successful frees, from David Harney (45 metres) and Richie Hoban (80 metres). Westmeath substitute Ciaran Curley was unlucky to see his shot go wide via the woodwork but, a matter of seconds later, Derek McNicholas pointed from 50 metres. Martin Fitzgerald hit an opportunist point for the home side before Alan Dowdall replicated his brother's earlier heroics with a superb point in the last action of the half. This left Westmeath leading at the break by 1-9 to 0-7. Derek McNicholas came close to increasing his side's lead in the third minute of the second half, but the Lough Lene Gaels man was blocked as he looked set to goal. A plucky Kildare outfit kept very much in touch with two rapid-fire points from David Harney (a 40-metre free) and Tony Murphy (a wonderful score). In the seventh minute, a wild pull by Enda Loughlin resulted in Westmeath's left half-forward being sent to the line on a second yellow card and, all of a sudden, what had looked a formality early in the first half became a tricky assignment. However, Westmeath captain Andrew Mitchell slotted over a free from the halfway line and Paddy Dowdall rounded off a patient move with a fine score, to put Westmeath five points ahead. Three more Lake County attacks yielded no tangible reward before the respective number 6s, Richie Hoban and Andrew Mitchell exchanged points from long-range frees. Another long delivery from Hoban resulted in Martin Fitzgerald bravely diving in ahead of Pat Burke to poke home a tonic goal for the home side in the 23rd minute. The gap was now a mere two points but two converted frees by Dan Carty stretched Westmeath's advantage as time ticked away. With one minute of normal time remaining, Derek McNicholas struck a superb point from the halfway line. Kildare sub Lorcan Harney was prominent twice as the Lilywhites went in search of a goal. From the second of these, Tony Murphy had to be content with a point in the follow-up. Moments later, Sean McCarthy, the Leinster Council treasurer, was handing over the Kehoe Cup to Westmeath captain Andrew Mitchell. One of the small ball game's traditional powers, Wexford are the visitors to Cusack Park next Sunday for the first round of the National Hurling League. It is not being disrespectful to Kildare to state that the Slaneysiders will be an enormous step up in class as opposition for the maroon and whites. However, a full-strength and disciplined Westmeath side could well rattle the purple and golds if a 70-minute display along the lines of the first 15 last Saturday can be produced. WESTMEATH: Pat Burke; Greg Gavin, Darren McCormack, Adam Price; John Shaw, Andrew Mitchell (capt, 0-2, 2f), Eoin Price; Paddy Dowdall (0-2), Robbie Jackson; Joe Clarke, Philip Gilsenan, Enda Loughlin (0-1); Alan Dowdall (0-1), Derek McNicholas (1-4), Dan Carty (0-5, 4f). Subs: Ciaran Curley for Gavin (inj, 8 mins); Niall Flanagan for Gilsenan (48); Andrew Dermody for Carty (70 + 2). KILDARE: Damien Byrne; Patrick Curtin, David Ryan, Paudie Reidy; John Doran, Richie Hoban (0-2, 2f), Neil " Muineacháin; Michael Divilly, Eanna O'Neill (0-1); Tony Murphy (capt, 0-3), David Kennedy, David Harney (0-4, 3f); Paddy Moloney, Mark Moloney, Martin Fitzgerald (1-1). Subs: Chris Bonus for P. Moloney; Lorcan Harney for M. Moloney; Kieran Divilly for O'Neill; Donal Moloney for D. Harney. REFEREE: David O'Donovan (Dublin).