Westmeath claim rare win over Offaly in season opener

"An rud is annamh is iontach," one prominent Westmeath GAA official was heard to say to an Offaly counterpart, after a very encouraging win for the Lake County's senior hurlers over the Faithful County in the Walsh Cup quarter-final at Kinnegad last Sunday. While it is much too early to be getting overly-excited about Westmeath's short-term prospects in the small ball game, the signs last Sunday were extremely positive that the Brian Hanley era is going to lift hurling in the county after a win against highly-vaunted neighbours Offaly which was, indeed, both "seldom and wonderful". Despite an utterly bizarre opening to the well-attended game when Aonghus Clarke (Westmeath) and Shane Kelly (Offaly) were red-carded within seconds of the sliotar being thrown in, an entertaining contest ensued. While much of the hurling was scrappy, particularly in the first half, there was no shortage of effort from both sets of players, keen to impress their new managers. Brendan Murtagh's well-taken brace of goals, one in either half, ultimately separated the sides, but it was the fighting spirit and will-to-win in the Westmeath ranks that will have brought smiles to the home supporters. Traditionally, the men in maroon and white might have stuck with higher-ranked opponents for three-quarters of the game before being overtaken in the closing stages. However, it was Brian Hanley's men who finished the stronger and they were full value for their seven-point win, a fact graciously conceded by his opposite number Ollie Baker after the match. Some fans had not yet taken their seats in Kinnegad's resplendent stand when they witnessed the remarkable sight of a player from each side walking to the sideline. In truth, Aonghus Clarke seemed the unluckier of the two midfielders to be dismissed after a clash at the throw-in with Shane Kelly. Andrew Mitchell was now allocated a deeper role than anticipated as the Westmeath management re-jigged their forces. The men in the tricoloured jerseys had the aid of a strong wind blowing from the scoreboard end of the ground and a brace of scores from Shane Dooley (the second from a free) had them two points to the good with less than two minutes elapsed. Brendan Murtagh replied with a converted free from 40 metres, but Sean Ryan and Dooley (another free) had Offaly three points to the good by the midpoint of the first half. Play was scrappy at this juncture and the home team struggled for scores against the wind, with Andrew Mitchell's '65' not having the distance, but team captain Paddy Dowdall showed the way with a classy point. Shane Dooley converted another free before the hard working Frank Boyle pointed neatly at the other end. It was double scores (0-6 to 0-3) in the 29th minute when Dooley was again on target from a free (moved forward for dissent). However, Westmeath finished the half strongly with points from Paul Greville and Brendan Murtagh (a free) and a tonic goal in the last action of the opening half from the latter player, who bore down on goal in trademark fashion and duly gave James Dempsey no chance. This left the scoreboard at the interval reading: Westmeath 1-5 Offaly 0-6. Shane Dooley and Brendan Murtagh traded early points from frees on the change of ends, before a great point from Offaly substitute Ger Healion left the gap at the bare minimum. However, a fine delivery from Andrew Mitchell soon set up his clubmate Brendan Murtagh for his second goal, this time from a tight angle. Mitchell added a point from a free which was cancelled out by a fine score under pressure by another Offaly sub, Mark Morkan. A sublime crossfield pass from Brendan Murtagh teed up his Clonkill colleague Paddy Dowdall for his second point. The sides' top scorers, Shane Dooley and Brendan Murtagh then exchanged points from play (albeit the Westmeath score looked a perilously close call) and the same duo also traded converted frees. Offaly's slim chances of a comeback effectively evaporated when Ger Healion was dismissed on a second yellow card in the 63rd minute. After substitute Andrew Dermody came close to finding the net, Andrew Mitchell converted the ensuing '65' and Brendan Murtagh added a point from a 50-metre free. Shane Dooley rounded off his side's scoring with a point from a 20-metre free (his goal attempt being deflected over the crossbar) and it was left to Westmeath replacement John Gilligan to wrap up an extremely satisfactory afternoon for the home fans with a terrific late point. Scorers Westmeath: B Murtagh 2-6 (0-5f), P Dowdall and A Mitchell (1f, 1 '65') 0-2 each, F Boyle, P Greville and J Gilligan 0-1 each. Offaly: S Dooley 0-9 (7f), S Ryan, G Healion and M Morkan 0-1 each. Westmeath Shane McGovern; Paul Fennell, Adam Price, Conor Jordan; David Fennell, Eoin Price, Philip Gilsenan; Paddy Dowdall, Aonghus Clarke; Paul Greville, Frank Boyle, Andrew Mitchell; Brendan Murtagh, David Higgins, John Shaw. Subs: Andrew Dermody for Boyle (inj, h/t), Dan Carty for Higgins (47), John Gilligan for D. Fennell (65). Offaly James Dempsey; Michael Verney, Peter Healion, Stephen Wynne; Eanna Murphy, Rory Hanniffy, Diarmuid Horan; Joe Bergin, Shane Kelly; Duane Dunne, Colin Egan, Brendan Murphy; Shane Dooley, Derek Molloy, Sean Ryan. Subs: Ger Healion for Molloy (34), Mark Morkan for Dunne (46), Sean Coughlan for P.Healion (47). Referee Paud O'Dwyer (Carlow)