Wasteful Westmeath side push Wexford all the way

Gerry Buckley

Westmeath’s U20 hurlers’ impressive Leinster championship campaign ended in very pleasant conditions at TEG Cusack Park last Saturday afternoon, a typically wholehearted but untypically wasteful display enabling Wexford to edge an enjoyable contest by a flattering five-point margin.

Make no mistake about it, Andrew Dermody’s talented troops had a real opportunity to make a very rare semi-final appearance in this grade. Despite being six points down after a little over ten minutes, the young men in maroon and white replicated the spirit they had shown in a heart-warming win in Portlaoise eight days earlier to put it right up to the Slaneysiders. Just three points separated the teams at the interval, Wexford leading by 2-10 to 2-7. In the end, Keith Rossiter’s charges just about deserved their penultimate round slot.

Wexford had the aid of a slight wind in the first half blowing towards the scoreboard end of the ground and they opened the scoring with a classy point from Corey Byrne Dunbar after just 30 seconds. David Williams equalised from a third-minute free. Luke Murphy (who had a goal as his target) and Cian Byrne then nudged their team two points clear.

Mark Cunningham did well under pressure to halve the deficit but the visitors pounced for a crucial 1-2 without reply between the eighth and 11th minutes, courtesy of points from Shamey O’Hagan and a Cian Byrne free, either side of a well-taken goal by Jack Redmond (after Byrne Dunbar had availed of loose Westmeath defending).

Undaunted, however, the losers responded with 1-2 of their own – a Williams free, followed by a goal from the same player (after superbly fielding the sliotar from an Eamonn Cunneen free), and a point by the latter at the end of a patient move. A quick-fire brace from Byrne Dunbar put his side three points clear, but another Williams free left the gap at two points (1-7 to 1-5) with 17 minutes elapsed.

A minute later, fine play by Murphy teed up Cillian Byrne for the ‘Yellow Bellies’ second goal. Redmond (under pressure) and Cian Byrne (in acres of space) added points to put the winners seven points to the good, but this Westmeath side is nothing if not spirited and a goal from Brian McGrath in the 22nd minute, after his initial shot had been saved by Derry Mahon, and a great point from open play by Williams, kept them very much in touch. A point exchange from frees between Cian Byrne and Williams (with the last puck of the first moiety) left the home team trailing by three points (2-10 to 2-7) at the interval.

IMPRESSIVE TALLY

Remarkably, tit-for-tat point scoring was the order of the day for the first 23 minutes of the second half. Unfortunately, Westmeath could never get the deficit below three points, as they wasted some good opportunities both from open play and placed balls. The points were swapped by Cian Byrne and Williams (frees), the same two players (a free and a ‘65’, after Michael Doherty had been thwarted with a goal attempt), the same duo again (from play), and Sean Rowley and sub Josh Murtagh (both from play). These scores left Wexford ahead by 2-14 to 2-11.

The game then turned in a two-minute period when sub Calum McKeogh fed Peter Clarke who soled goalward, but was denied a three-pointer at the expense of an unconverted ‘65’. Wexford made the most of this let-off when Redmond doubled his goal haul in the 58th minute, after Cian Byrne’s initial shot had been saved. Redmond soon added a point.

Williams and Cian Byrne then exchanged points from frees. David O'Reilly raised Westmeath's third green flag at the end of a Cunneen free in added-time. Cian Byrne rounded off his impressive tally at the other end with another free. Try as they might, the lads in maroon and white were unable to bridge the gap. McGrath spurned a glorious goal chance in the dying seconds, but the damage had already been done.

Scorers - Wexford: Cian Byrne 0-9 (7f), J Redmond 2-2, C Byrne Dunbar 0-3, Cillian Byrne 1-0, S Rowley, L Murphy, S O'Hagan 0-1 each.

Westmeath: D Williams 1-9 (0-6f, 0-1'65'), B McGrath, D O'Reilly 1-0 each, E Cunneen, M Cunningham, J Murtagh 0-1 each.

Wexford: Derry Mahon; Simon Roche, Eoin Whelan, Darragh Kehoe; Dylan Purcell, Michael Dundon, Liam Schokman; Sean Rowley, Darragh Carley; Cian Byrne, Conor Byrne Dunbar, Jack Redmond; Luke Murphy, Shamey O'Hagan, Cillian Byrne. Subs: JJ Twamley for Purcell (28), Darragh Farrell for O'Hagan (55), Cormac Walsh for Cillian Byrne (60), Oisín Pepper for Twamley (60+3).

Westmeath: Sean Jackson; David Weir, Jamie Mulkearns, Conor Gaffney; Rian Holding, Mikey Lynam, David Maloney; Mark Cunningham, Eamonn Cunneen; Brian McGrath, Michael Doherty, Peter Clarke; David O'Reilly, David Williams, Peter Murphy. Subs: Josh Murtagh for Doherty (inj., 46), Calum McKeogh for Murphy (55).

Ref: Padraig Dunne (Laois).