Goals from Hyland and Beirne help Kildare repel Westmeath

Leinster SFC semi-final preview - when the counties last met

Kildare produced a display that may not have been of the highest quality, but they showed considerable character to deny Westmeath in the Leinster senior football championship at St Conleth’s Park, Newbridge.

A gallant Westmeath side matched their opponents throughout at a packed and atmospheric venue, as Kildare marked their first provincial championship game on home soil in 30 years with a victory.

It did not always look likely during a difficult first half. Although Brian McLoughlin and David Hyland struck two excellent points from beyond the two-point arc to move Kildare 0-05 to 0-01 in front early on, Westmeath gradually took control around the middle third.

Kildare struggled to secure possession from their own kick-outs and Westmeath began to build momentum. They hit four successive points to level matters and, after Kildare responded with two in a row, Westmeath added the next five, including three from the increasingly influential Luke Loughlin.

Timely Kildare goals proved a key feature of the contest, and the first arrived in the 29th minute when a direct ball from Ben McCormack found Alex Beirne, who finished to level the game.

They should have added a second immediately from the kick-out, but Darragh Kirwan’s effort was saved.

Westmeath led by a point at half-time, 0-12 to 1-08, and extended their advantage to three early in the second half through a two-pointer from Loughlin.

However, Westmeath had already suffered a major setback when the outstanding Ray Connellan, arguably the best player on the field in the opening half, sustained a hamstring injury. It was a significant blow, with Kevin Feely and Callum Bolton assuming control in midfield thereafter.

Westmeath still held a 0-16 to 1-11 lead in the 50th minute when McCormack provided another assist for a goal, albeit inadvertently, as his shot dropped short and David Hyland reacted quickest to fist home his first championship goal.

Kildare did not surrender the lead from that point, and their cause was aided by a 60th-minute black card shown to Nigel Harte.

Loughlin struck a superb two-point free and followed up with a closer-range effort, either side of a Niall Kelly score, to leave just two between the sides. However, Kildare secured possession from the final kick-out and Tommy Gill, who impressed on his championship debut, kicked the ball into the terraces after the hooter to seal Kildare’s place in the Leinster semi-final and send Westmeath into the Tailteann Cup.

Teams and scorers

Kildare: Cian Burke; Harry O'Neill, Mark Dempsey, Brian Byrne; Kevin Flynn, David Hyland (1-2, 1tp), James McGrath; Kevin Feely, Callum Bolton; Colm Dalton (0-1), Alex Beirne (1-5, 0-3fs), Ben McCormack (0-2); Ryan Sinkey (0-2), Darragh Kirwan (0-1), Brian McLoughlin (0-2, 1tp). Subs: Ryan Burke for O'Neill (14), Tommy Gill (0-01) for Flynn (32), Niall Kelly (0-1) for McLoughlin (51), Cathal Hagney for Feely (temp), Mick O'Grady for Dempsey (67).

Westmeath: Conor McCormack; Jamie Gonoud (0-1), David Giles, Conor Dillon; Nigel Harte, Ronan Wallace, Sam McCartan (0-1); Ray Connellan (0-1), Fionn O'Hara; Kevin O'Sullivan (0-1), Danny McCartan (0-3), Matthew Whittaker; Robbie Forde (0-2), Luke Loughlin (0-11; 1tp, 1tpf, 1f), Brían Cooney (0-1). Subs: Brian Guerin for Whittaker (temp), Brian Guerin for Connellan (38), Jonathan Lynam for D McCartan (51), Eoghan McCabe for O'Sullivan (55), Brandon Kelly for Cooney (55), Kieran Martin for Forde (64).

Referee: David Gough (Meath).

History favours Kildare

Historically, Kildare hold the balance of power having won 10 of the previous meetings between the counties in senior championship football. Westmeath beat the Lilywhites in 2016, but kildare have won the Leinster SFC clashes of 2021, '22 and 25.