Blow after poor final-quarter performance from Westmeath

GAA: Joe McDonagh Cup

Carlow 4-20

Westmeath 1-23

Gerry Buckley

Failing to replicate a very promising first half performance on the change of ends, Westmeath’s senior hurlers lost out to Carlow in last Saturday’s second round clash in the Joe McDonagh Cup, played in front of a good-sized crowd in idyllic weather conditions at TEG Cusack Park.

The Lake County men, fresh from a deserved victory over London in their opening game in Ruislip six days earlier, matched the pre-match favourites all the way to the midpoint of the second half – albeit some fine goalkeeping from Sean Jackson was needed, in addition to some wayward shooting by the winners including a whopping 18 wides – but from the moment that James Doyle scored the Barrowsiders’ fourth goal in the 57th minute, they always looked the more likely to emerge with a crucial brace of points in the bag.

In a nutshell, Kevin O’Brien’s men now have no room for error in their three remaining games – Laois (at home), ahead of arduous trips to the Ulster duo of Antrim and Down – all in consecutive weeks in May, if they are to harbour ambitions of making the tier two decider. It looks a tall order for a largely inexperienced side, albeit the evidence strongly suggests that they seem to be up for the challenge.

Some fans had barely taken their seats when Carlow’s Conor Kehoe found the net after 35 seconds. Point exchanges ensued between Killian Doyle and Marty Kavanagh – the marquee forwards on show – and Doyle again and Donagh Murphy.

In the sixth minute, Darragh McCormack’s delivery resulted in a classy opportunist goal from Doyle to draw the sides level (1-2 apiece). Both teams added three points to their tallies over the ensuing ten minutes – David Williams, Kevin Regan and Peter Murphy for the home side, and Kavanagh (a free) and Fiachra Fitzpatrick (a brace from open play) for their opponents, to retain the status quo.

Sandwiched between points from Eamonn Cunneen and Doyle, Westmeath’s Sean Jackson pulled off a very brave save from Paddy Boland in the 18th minute. Another fine save by Jackson, this time from Murphy, resulted in a converted ‘65’ by Kavanagh, but Shane Williams and Andrew Shaw soon found the target at the other end.

The men in maroon and white led by three points (1-9 to 1-6) with 22 minutes on the clock, but 1-1 from Kavanagh - the point from a free prior to a clinically-taken goal - edged the men in the multi-coloured jerseys ahead. Two minutes later, Eoin Keyes almost got in for a kicked goal, but he was denied and David Williams slotted over the resultant ‘65’.

Point swapping followed between McCormack and Fitzpatrick, Cunneen and Kavanagh (a free), and James Doyle and Williams (a great free in added-time). The sides were on level terms at the end of a very enjoyable first half, Westmeath 1-13, Carlow 2-10.

Westmeath started the second half brightly with a converted free from David Williams. Murphy replied within a minute, but a quickfire brace from the sticks of Cunneen and McCormack put the losers two points clear. Pat Bennett’s charges always posed a serious goal threat and they raised their third green flag in the 41st minute via Chris Nola before Eoin Keyes equalised from a tight angle.

Fitzpatrick and Kavanagh were gifted a point each by loose Westmeath play before Jackson did well to save from Doyle. A very good free from David Williams – who had untypically missed two earlier – and a long-range score from his cousin Shane Williams meant that the sides were still tied midway through the second moiety. They were still on level pegging (1-21 to 3-15) with 56 minutes on the clock, following point exchanges between free-takers Kavanagh and Williams, and Kavanagh (another free) and Shane Williams.

The winners’ fourth goal came courtesy of Doyle after some sloppy Westmeath defending in the 57th minute, and Carlow always looked the more likely winners thereafter. Points followed courtesy of Kehoe (who might have goaled), sub Jake Nolan, and Fitzpatrick (his fifth from play). It could have been worse for Westmeath as Chris Nolan also spurned yet another goal opportunity for the winners). Carlow were now six points in the ascendancy.

The teams equally shared four points in the time remaining – sub Jack Kearney (when a goal beckoned) and David Williams for Westmeath, and sub Evan Kealy with a brace for the visitors. A minimum of four minutes of added-time was signalled but Westmeath’s attempts to manufacture a goal in that period came to nothing.

Scorers:

Carlow: M Kavanagh 1-8 (0-5f, 0-1‘65’), F Fitzpatrick 0-5, J Doyle, C Kehoe 1-1 each, C Nolan 1-0, E Kealy, D Murphy 0-2 each, Jake Nolan 0-1.

Westmeath: D Williams 0-7 (4f, 1‘65’), K Doyle 1-3, E Cunneen, S Williams 0-3 each, D McCormack 0-2, J Kearney, A Shaw, P Murphy, K Regan, E Keyes 0-1 each.

Carlow: Brian Tracey; Paul Doyle, Dion Wall, Jack McCullagh; Fiach O’Toole, Kevin McDonald, Fiachra Fitzpatrick; Jon Nolan, Ciaran Whelan; Paddy Boland, Marty Kavanagh, James Doyle; Donagh Murphy, Conor Kehoe, Chris Nolan. Subs: Evan Kealy for Boland (48), Jake Nolan for Murphy (51), Conaill Fitzpatrick (65), John Michael Nolan for Kehoe (70+1).

Westmeath: Sean Jackson; Shane Williams, Conor Shaw, Naoise McKenna; Jack Gillen, Johnny Bermingham, Rory Keyes; Andrew Shaw, Peter Murphy; Eamonn Cunneen, David Williams, Kevin Regan; Darragh McCormack, Eoin Keyes, Killian Doyle. Subs: Mark Cunningham for A Shaw (52), Jack Kearney for Murphy (56), Darragh Egerton for Bermingham (inj., 59), Josh Coll for Regan (62), Adam Bate for Gillen (67).

Ref: Peter Owens (Down).