Dermody point secures Ring Cup for Westmeath

By Gerry Buckley -- Westmeath's senior hurlers won the Christy Ring Cup for a record-breaking third time in Croke Park last Saturday afternoon after a thrilling encounter with Kerry which went right down to the second last puck of the ball, with Castlepollard's promising young forward, Andrew Dermody proving to be his county's late, late hero with a coolly-taken point from a tight angle ensuring that the Lake County will participate in the Liam McCarthy Cup for the next three years.The wisdom of staging the Lory Meagher, Nicky Rackard and Christy Ring Cup finals as a triple-header in a semi-deserted stadium - around 3,300 patrons went through the turnstiles throughout the course of the afternoon - remains very questionable, but all six teams brought a certain level of support with them, and there was no shortage of enthusiasm in the Hogan Stand throughout.Considering the very long journey involved, Kerry were well represented in the attendance and they are entitled to feel a little unfortunate not to add the Ring Cup to the Division Three trophy won earlier in the year. Lady Luck certainly smiled the winners' way in the closing stages with Gary O'Brien's disallowed 'goal' perhaps harshly ruled out with four minutes of normal time remaining, while Andrew Mitchell's pass out of defence in the last action of the game appeared to be a 'throw ball'. However, Westmeath's greater experience at this level proved invaluable and, after all the clamour in recent years for the men in maroon and white to be allowed to compete in the Leinster Championship, the pressure will be on the players to justify their position in the championship 'proper' over the next three years.Westmeath started brightly but Brendan Murtagh was twice off target from play, sandwiched between which his Clonkill clubmate, Andrew Mitchell was just short from a huge free. Paul Greville showed he could take scores with the small ball as well as he did with the big ball in GAA headquarters six days earlier, when he opened his account in the sixth minute with a fine point from 45 metres, rounding off a move started by corner back Eoin Price. Kerry then took control and rattled off four unanswered points between the seventh and 11th minutes, a brace of points from 30 and 45 metres respectively by their reliable freetaker, Darragh O'Connell being followed by neat point from play from Shane Nolan and another placed ball from O'Connell, this time from 25 metres.Paul Greville then turned provider when he teed up Joe Clarke for a point from 50 metres, but John Egan responded immediately with a well-taken score. In the 13th minute, a powerful run from Brendan Murtagh set up Blaine Lahart for the winners' third point, before Mike Conway registered the Kingdom's first wide of the contest. His fellow-midfielder, John Griffin soon made it double scores (0-6 to 0-3) with a great point from the halfway line. Ronan Whelan was unlucky to see his long-range effort come back off the upright, but the same player then picked out Stephen Bardon who duly opened his account in the 16th minute. Brendan Murtagh's attempt to blast home a goal from a close-range free was thwarted by Mike Conway on the Kerry goal line. Michael Boyle got his name on the scoresheet for the men in the famous green and gold jerseys, but this was soon cancelled out by a great score from near the Hogan Stand sideline from Enda Loughlin.Directly from the puck-out, Darragh O'Connell struck for a great point from play. A great piece of fielding from Paul Greville led to Blaine Lahart bearing down on goal, but the full forward was eventually bundled over the endline. Great play from Darren McCormack set up Brendan Murtagh for a terrific score from 60 metres. John Egan replied with a well-taken point and Darragh O'Cnnell was unlucky not to put Kerry four points to the good, his shot coming back of the upright. Brendan Murtagh almost got through for a Westmeath score and a Kingdom counterattack yielded a fine point from James Flaherty.After his lineball was blocked, the sliotar was then dispatched in style over Pat Burke's crossbar by Darragh O'Connell. From Burke's resultant puck-out, Dan Carty struck for his side's first goal, the ball flying past Bernard Rochford into the centre of the net. A minute into first half injury-time, Andrew Mitchell's '65' dropped short and a swift downfield move resulted in Kerry's 12th point, this time from the stick of John Griffin. A hitherto-anonymous Leo Smith set up Paul Greville for the last point of the first moiety, leaving the scoreboard at half-time reading: Kerry 0-12 Westmeath 1-7.Scores tradedA converted 30-metre free from Darragh O'Connell after only 40 seconds of the second half was immediately matched by a Dan Carty effort from play. O'Connell rifled over another free from 40 metres before Paul Greville levelled the match, showing great determination and persistence to barge through a packed defence for a tonic goal in the fifth minute.Tit-for-tat scoring over the ensuing five minutes kept the sides tied - Darragh O'Connell (a 50-metre free) and Brendan Murtagh (from play); John Egan (a fine solo effort) and Brendan Murtagh again (after good work from substitute Paddy Dowdall), leaving the teams level at 2-10 to 0-16.Just before the quarter-hour mark, fine play from Andrew Mitchell enabled Stephen Bardon to shoot his second point. Westmeath were unlucky not to raise a third green flag at the midpoint of the half, Leo Smith hitting the upright and Dan Carty's follow-up rebounding off the Kerry crossbar.The latter player then had a 'goal' disallowed for a 'square ball' offence following Ronan Whelan's long delivery. Three unanswered points put Westmeath into a commanding four-point lead by the 21st minute - a great score from 40 metres from near the sideline from Stephen Bardon, an equally-good point from Dan Carty under pressure and a neat effort from Joe Clarke.Indeed, it could have been better as it took a fine interception from James Godley to prevent Paul Greville putting through Paddy Dowdall on goal. However, a resolute Kerry side responded in style. Highly-rated substitute Shane Brick flashed the ball to the net after Pat Burke had kept out his initial attempt to blast home a close-range free and Michael Boyle equalised with a fine point from 35 metres. Dan Carty and Stephen Bardon both spurned good chances to edge the winners ahead while, at the other end, Gary O'Brien's disallowed 'goal' for a 'square ball' offence could easily have been permitted to stand.Mike Conway was given an inordinate amount of room to nudge John Meyler's troops in front, with two minutes of normal time remaining. A foul on Ronan Whelan gave Brendan Murtagh the chance to slot over his first placed ball of the game from 35 metres. Fine play from Ronan Whelan and Conor Jordan soon enabled Dan Carty to bear down on goal but the Lough Lene Gaels predator batted the sliotar just wide, after taking a step or two more than seemed necessary. As the tension mounted, Andrew Mitchell appeared to throw the ball in a rush to clear his lines and the ball was worked down to Andrew Dermody by Joe Clarke, and the 'Pollard forward showed maturity beyond his tender years by dissecting the posts from a difficult angle.Referee Tony Carroll blew the final whistle after the puck-out and disconsolate Kerry players were left to rue what might have been as Andrew Mitchell made his way up the steps of the Hogan Stand to emulate John Shaw (2005) and Darren McCormack (2007) by receiving the cup named after the hurling maestro from Cloyne, this time from Seamus Howlin, Chairman of the Leinster Council.Westmeath have now ensured their participation in the Liam McCarthy Cup until at least 2013. Despite the introduction of Antrim and, in particular, Galway to the Leinster Championship, Kilkenny continue to win the Bob O'Keeffe Cup with almost monotonous regularity. Such lofty aspirations are clearly not on the Lake County agenda, but wins against Laois, Carlow and Antrim are certainly achievable with the necessary commitment from what is a decent mixture of youth and experience. Time will tell. Final score: Westmeath 2-16, Kerry 1-18.Westmeath: Pat Burke; Adam Price, John Shaw, Eoin Price; Ronan Whelan, Andrew Mitchell (capt), Darren McCormack; Joe Clarke (0-2), Leo Smith; Stephen Bardon (0-3), Brendan Murtagh (0-4, 0-1 from a free), Enda Loughlin (0-1); Paul Greville (1-2), Blaine Lahart (0-1), Dan Carty (1-2). Subs: Paddy Dowdall (for Lahart, 34 mins), Conor Jordan (for McCormack, inj, half-time), Alan Dowdall (for Loughlin, 52 mins), Andrew Dermody (0-1) (for Bardon, 66 mins).Kerry: Bernard Rochford; Colin Harris (capt), Tom Murnane, John Fitzgerald; James Godley, Liam Boyle, Aidan Healy; Mike Conway (0-1), John Griffin (0-2); John Egan (0-3), Michael Boyle (0-2), Darragh O'Connell (0-8, 0-6 from frees); James Flaherty (0-1), Gary O'Brien, Shane Nolan (0-1). Subs: Shane Brick (1-0) (for Flaherty, 48 mins), Colm Harty (for Nolan, 60 mins), James McCarthy (for Fitzgerald, 60 mins).Referee: Tony Carroll (Offaly).