Second successive defeat a major blow to Westmeath hurling

Kildare 3-24, Westmeath 2-21

By Gerry Buckley

Westmeath’s senior hurlers are effectively out of the race for the Joe McDonagh Cup after just two games following a six-point reversal at the hands of a fitter and more cohesive Kildare outfit in very pleasant conditions in Newbridge last Saturday afternoon.

This was the third loss in a fortnight by a Lake County team in the splendidly revamped Cedral St Conleth’s Park. However, while the players in maroon and white may have been slight underdogs for the senior and minor football games, the expectation was that Seoirse Bulfin’s troops would buck the trend.

Sadly, the largely poor form shown throughout the league and the first-round reversal in Portlaoise was maintained last Saturday, with the Lilywhites proving to be worthy winners on the day, thereby recording their first win ever in the Joe McDonagh Cup. Yes, the visitors admirably came from being a worrying 13 points down after 25 minutes to tie the contest with four minutes of normal time remaining, but Brian Dowling’s charges – who hit a huge tally of 18 wides to their opponents’ nine overall – wrapped up their win with a storming finish, crowned by James Burke’s goal on the stroke of full-time.

Prior to the throw-in, the national anthem was interrupted by a fire warning from the public address. Thankfully, it proved to be a false alarm, and it certainly didn’t disrupt the home team who availed of the useful wind in their backs to shoot five points (a Cian Boran brace, Cathal McCabe, Gerry Keegan, and Paul Dolan) – and three wides to boot – in the opening five minutes, as Westmeath struggled to get hold of the sliotar.

David Williams opened the losers’ account, but Kildare responded with a goal from Darragh Melville, after great work by Keegan. Niall O’Brien (a classy score) and Dolan then traded points. A Killian Doyle free and another quality score from O’Brien reduced the gap to five points (1-6 to 0-4) by the tenth minute, but David Qualter converted a 65-metre free before the outstanding Boran teed up Jack Sheridan who duly whipped the ball to the net in the 11th minute.

Point exchanges ensued between David O’Reilly and Keegan, O’Brien and Qualter, the latter and Doyle (both from frees). The dominant winners tagged on points from the sticks of James Burke, Daniel O’Meara, Dolan, and Cathal Dowling (their tenth scorer) to lead by a whopping 13 points (2-14 to 0-7) with just 25 minutes on the clock. A mini-revival yielded a hat-trick of unanswered points via Doyle (two – a ‘65’ and a free) and O’Brien. Sandwiched between a Keegan brace, Doyle converted a free. In the 35th minute, Peter Clarke had the small band of loyal Westmeath fans on their feet when he scored a wonderful solo goal. Another Doyle free with the last puck of the half left the visitors trailing by 2-16 to 1-12 at the interval.

On the change of ends, Kildare shot three wides and Westmeath two before half-time sub Mark Cunningham pointed for the losers. Keegan and Qualter raised white flags for their hosts, but Westmeath came right back into contention with a point from O’Brien, a well-worked goal finished to the net by Williams, and a great point from play by Doyle. The margin was now just three points (2-18 to 2-15) after 46 minutes.

Point exchanges followed between Qualter and Doyle (a tricky free), Sheridan (a free) and sub Owen McCabe (after a quickly-taken free from Doyle). Another Doyle free and a brace from Williams from play, allied to staunch defending at the other end, had the teams tied at 2-20 each with 66 minutes on the clock. A hard-earned, but morale-boosting, win now looked a distinct possibility for Westmeath, but it was the men in all-white who finished the stronger, outscoring their guests by four points (Boran, two Sheridan frees, and Burke) to one (a Doyle free), before Burke copper-fastened a fully merited win with a goal in the dying seconds after Ciaran O’Brien was forced to vacate his goal line.

Scorers – Kildare: J Sheridan 1-3 (0-3f), G Keegan, D Qualter (2f) 0-5 each, J Burke 1-2, D Melville 1-0, P Dolan, C Boran 0-3 each, C McCabe, D O'Meara, C Dowling 0-1 each.

Westmeath: K Doyle 0-10 (8f, 1‘65'), D Williams 1-3, N O'Brien 0-5, P Clarke 1-0, D O'Reilly, O McCabe, M Cunningham 0-1 each.

KILDARE: Paddy McKenna; Liam O'Reilly, Rian Boran, Daniel O'Meara; Paul Dolan, Simon Leacy, Cian Boran; Daire Guerin, Cathal McCabe; David Qualter, James Burke, Darragh Melville; Jack Sheridan, Cathal Dowling, Gerry Keegan. Subs used: Richie Hogan for O'Reilly (35), Muiris Curtin for Melville (50), Jack Travers for Dolan (57), Conn Kehoe for Dowling (61), Jack Higgins for Qualter (63).

WESTMEATH: Ciaran O'Brien; Conor Gaffney, Tommy Doyle, Gary Greville; Aaron Craig, Eoin Keyes, Darragh McCormack; Davy Glennon, Eamon Cunneen; Joey Boyle, Killian Doyle, Peter Clarke; David O'Reilly, Niall O'Brien, David Williams. Subs used: Mark Cunningham for Boyle (h-t), Owen McCabe for Cunneen (47), Niall Mitchell for Glennon (58).

Ref: Thomas Gleeson (Dublin).