Brave Westmeath give second best to physically stronger Kildare outfit

Kildare 1-20, Westmeath 1-17

Westmeath bowed out of the Leinster Minor Hurling Championship when they were defeated by Kildare in the preliminary quarter-final, at Manguard Park, Hawkfield on Saturday.

Kildare led by a point at half time, 1-9 to 1-8, and weren’t headed from the moment Cian McGrath scored a wonderful goal to give them the lead in the 20th minute. Westmeath had made a promising start and enjoyed a two-point lead at the end of the first quarter, but they generally played second fiddle thereafter and the signs were pretty ominous from a long way out despite a well-taken goal by dashing full forward Cormac McKeogh before the interval.

The Lake County battled hard in a competitive second half, but Kildare established a four-point lead by the 49th minute and they were always likely to hang on: Westmeath got within two points on a couple of occasions but the home side always had the strength and skill to respond.

Defeat is another disappointment for hurling in the county and the contrast in physical strength between the two sides is another timely reminder that the Lake County is struggling to produce properly developed players.

Manager Ian Corrigan and his backroom team got the best out of the group, it must be said, and the visitors got the perfect start when Cormac McKeogh put them a point up after 15 seconds. They went on to build a 0-5 to 0-3 lead by the 14th minute – Kian Loughlin (three frees) and Padraig Casey both on target, the latter after Loughlin and Ryan Williams created the chance.

Kildare were never far off, though and Tom Boran and Tom Power (frees) kept the scoreboard ticking over.

A Boran brace had the sides level by the 19th minute but Westmeath responded well when Casey shot over, after Dylan Corrigan recycled the ball to good effect. However, Cian McGrath fired home a great goal on 20 minutes to give the home side a two-point cushion and they never looked back – wing back Oisín O’Neill soon putting them 1-6 to 0-6 clear.

Westmeath were losing the battle at midfield and in the half forward line and centre back Ciaran Dunne put the Lilywhites four clear. Westmeath used the long ball quite effectively and Finn Higgins picked out McKeogh who shot over; Loughlin followed with a converted free. But Oran Byrne and Dunne shot over two good Kildare points to make it 1-9 to 0-8 after 30 minutes.

Then came Westmeath’s goal: Corrigan played the ball inside and McKeogh got away from Joey McNulty before batting the ball to the net. It was a fine finish by the Raharney man and the Lake County were back in the game at the break.

Kildare got the opening two points of the second half to lead by four again – Boran with both scores, the second a fine effort after he controlled the ball on the hurl’ for a time. The tempo was much higher and while Casey and McKeogh shot points for the visitors, Kildare got their 12th through Tom Power and they were leading by 1-13 to 1-10 when Paddy Kennedy shot over. Wing back Darragh Kenny pointed a long-range free in fine style for Westmeath, who only trailed by two, but they couldn’t get any closer. Kildare’s Conor O’Brien and Fionn Frisby made telling impacts off the bench and that was a factor in the second half.

Loughlin’s free kept Westmeath in contention with 43 minutes played, but Kennedy responded for the home side. After Eoin Meehan’s fine point, Power (free) and Frisby hit crucial Kildare minors to make it 1-17 to 1-13 with 48 minutes played. A fine save by Fagan kept out Kennedy’s effort and Loughlin’s free had the lead down to three points. Conall Knox and Ryan Williams traded scores – Williams showing superb control before finishing between the uprights. When Kenny’s delivery set up McKeogh for a point, Westmeath were just two adrift with three minutes remaining.

However, Power converted a free and after substitute Marc Davis scored a fine point, Frisby put the seal on a deserved Kildare victory. Westmeath tried to work a goal chance late on, but Casey and Oisín McCauley both mishit their attempts to lob the ball into the danger area and Kildare easily survived.

Scorers – Kildare: T Boran 0-5, T Power 0-5 (4 frees), C McGrath 1-0, C Dunne 0-2, F Frisby 0-2, P Kennedy 0-2, C Knox, O’Neill, O Byrne and C O’Brien 0-1.

Westmeath: K Loughlin 0-6 (frees), C McKeogh 1-4, P Casey 0-3, E Meehan, R Williams, D Kenny (free) and M Davis 0-1 each.

Kildare: Fionn Kelly; Darragh Devine, Conall Knox, Joey McNulty; Colm Gordon, Ciaran Dunne, Oisín O’Neill; Oran Byrne, Odhrán Conaty; Tom Boran, Paddy Kennedy, Ronan O’Malley; Cian McGrath, Michael Owens, Tom Power. Subs: Cillian Madden for Conaty (41), Fionn Frisby for McGrath (45), Sean McLoughlin for O’Malley (50).

Westmeath: Cathal Óg Fagan; Dara Mulligan, Mikey Weir, Aaron Flanagan; Ben McNamee, Sean Hayes, Darragh Kenny; Cody Ward, Finn Higgins; Dylan Corrigan, Padraig Casey, Eoin Meehan; Kian Loughlin, Cormac McKeogh, Ryan Williams. Subs: Oisín McCauley for McNamee (40), Cian Fleming for Higgins (50), Marc Davis for Corrigan (52), Dillon Burke for Loughlin (55).

Referee: Thomas Gleeson (Dublin).

In a nutshell

Man of the match

Oran Byrne (Kildare): The Lilywhites controlled the middle third and leading the charge was impressive midfielder Oran Byrne, a physically strong, very athletic player. Westmeath had no one of that physical strength and it told. Tom Boran and Tom Power were excellent in attack and Ciaran Dunne was solid at centre back.

For Westmeath, Cormac McKeogh had a fine game at full forward, scoring 1-4, but just like the Offaly game, the Lake County didn’t have enough players functioning to a high level for the 60-plus minutes.

Score of the match

From a Westmeath perspective, Cormac McKeogh’s goal before half-time was excellent. The ball was played inside by Dylan Corrigan and McKeogh did well to fend off Joey McNulty before racing clear and batting the ball past the opposing ‘keeper. It was a fine finish.

Match officials

The referee and his fellow officials were generally good and on top of things. When Finn Higgins and Ronan O’Malley tangled off the ball, no cards were shown and it didn’t warrant any. Westmeath ‘keeper Cathal Óg Fagan should have been penalised for charging while in possession after 22 minutes, but the referee allowed play to continue after Cian McGrath was unfairly flattened.

Ronan O’Malley seemed unlucky not to win a free after 44 minutes, but the Kildare wing forward was penalised for over-holding instead. Throw balls were spotted in the 47th and 59th minutes, the latter after a fine catch by Kildare full back Conall Knox.

What it means

Kildare advance to the quarter-final against Tier 1 opposition, while Westmeath bow out.