Keyes shines as Westmeath edge niggly encounter with Antrim

Walsh Cup Senior Hurling Tournament: Westmeath 0-15, Antrim 0-13

Gerry Buckley reports

Westmeath’s senior hurlers had their first win of 2023 yesterday (Saturday) in Abbotstown, a solid performance enabling Joe Fortune’s troops to edge out an understrength Antrim side by two points in what was a surprisingly niggly Walsh Cup encounter.

With Dunloy – to their great credit – contesting the Tommy Moore Cup decider later in the month, Darren Gleeson has been forced to significantly alter his team for this pre-season tournament.

Killian Doyle’s absence from the Lake County line-up greatly weakened the winners’ scoring threat, but they still had enough in hand to eke out a morale-boosting win against a team they are sure to face at least once later in the year when the stakes will be much higher.

The handful of hardy souls from both counties who braved the icy-cold conditions at the resplendent County Dublin set-up were surprised at the number of skirmishes they witnessed in a game of relatively low importance.

The referee ought perhaps to have been stronger in his sanctions from an early stage of the game, and a red card always looked inevitable. It duly arrived in the 53rd minute when Antrim sub Conal Bohill was correctly sent for the proverbial early shower.

A crossfield wind made conditions tricky for hurling and the scoring rate was considerably less than is now expected at this level of the small ball game. Ironically, however, the Glensmen had two points on the board in the opening minute courtesy of Michael Bradley and Niall Macken.

Niall O’Brien, on free-taking duties in the absence of the aforementioned Doyle, halved the deficit in the third minute before James McNaughton missed the first of an unwanted hat-trick of ‘65’s over the course of the match.

The first skirmish of the day came in the eighth minute and it set the tone for a niggly afternoon. Westmeath, for whom this was a ‘home’ game, scored four unanswered points between the 12th and 20th minutes via a brace of O’Brien frees, and one each from open play by Niall Mitchell (despite being pressurised) and Eoin Keyes (a fine strike). The losers troubled the scoreboard operator for the first time in 22 minutes when McNaughton tapped over a close-range free.

Macken (a well-worked score) and O’Brien (another free) traded points, but the saffron and white-clad outfit drew level by the 33rd minute with points from McNaughton (a free) and Gerard Walsh (a terrific long-range shot).

Either side of another skirmish – at the end of which the referee remarkably brandished no cards – the respective number 14s, Shane Williams (play) and McNaughton (a free) exchanged points, leaving the teams tied at 0-7 apiece at the interval.

Some 30 seconds after play resumed, Darragh Egerton produced a wonderful trademark block on McNaughton who had a goal as his target. Arron Bradley soon nudged Antrim in front from a tight angle before Noel Conaty did well to keep out McNaughton’s goal attempt at the expense of another unconverted ‘65’.

An equalising free from O’Brien preceded McNaughton’s third unsuccessful ‘65’ of the contest, after the returning Tommy Doyle had almost scored what would have been a bizarre own goal.

Point exchanges ensued between McNaughton (a free) and Keyes (open play), and O’Brien (a free) and Macken (his third tidy score). Keyes completed his hat-trick of points in the 52nd minute, and the referee’s patience belatedly ran out within a minute when Bohill saw red.

Sub Davy Glennon, excelling in an unfamiliar defensive role, hit the best point of the afternoon from all of 90 metres to double his team’s advantage. Eoin O’Neill responded with a neat point before sub David Williams shot very weakly with a score at his mercy, after being cleverly teed up by his hard-working club colleague Eoin Daly.

Recently-introduced Antrim sub Scott Walsh was unlucky to see his effort come back off the upright. Keyes brought his tally to four points with a great score to put the men in maroon and white two points clear.

Traded points wrapped up match scoring courtesy of O’Neill and O’Brien (his first from play), and Joey Boyle (rounding off a patient move) and McNaughton (a free), leaving Westmeath deservedly in front at the final whistle, a lift to all involved ahead of next Sunday’s visit by the Metropolitans to Kinnegad.

Scorers - Westmeath: N O’Brien 0-7 (6f), E Keyes 0-4, N Mitchell, J Boyle, S Williams and D Glennon 0-1 each. Antrim: J McNaughton 0-5f, N Macken 0-3, E O'Neill 0-2, M Bradley, G Walsh and A Bradley 0-1 each.

Westmeath: Noel Conaty; Darragh Egerton, Tommy Doyle, Conor Shaw; Aaron Craig, Shane Clavin, Kevin Regan; Shane McGovern, Peter Clarke; Niall Mitchell, Eoin Keyes, Joey Boyle; Niall O’Brien, Shane Williams, Jack Gallagher. Subs used: Gary Greville for Clavin (inj., 18), David Williams for S Williams (h-t), Davy Glennon for Craig (h-t), Mark Cunningham for Clarke (h-t), Eoin Daly for Gallagher (49), Rian Holding for Shaw (inj., 69), Eamon Cunneen for Keyes (69).

Antrim: Tiernan Smyth; Damon McMullan, Paddy Burke, Niall O’Connor; Michael Bradley, Eoghan Campbell, Gerard Walsh; Joe Maskey, Daniel McKernan; Paul Boyle, Eoin O’Neill, Niall Macken; Rian McMullan, James McNaughton, Arron Bradley. Subs used: Seamie McAuley for Boyle (49), Conal Bohill for McMullan (49), Eoin McAlonan for Maskey (58), Caolan McKernan for A Bradley (58), Scott Walsh for G Walsh (61), Eoin Trainor for D McKernan (65).

Ref: Shane Guinan (Offaly).