Young hurlers top the table after Westmeath win
Kildare: 0-13 Westmeath: 1-9 KILDARE made it three wins on the trot last Sunday when they got the better of Westmeath by a single point in Cusack Park. The victory sees them sitting at the summit of Group 1 of the ESB Minor Leinster Hurling Championship and they now face either Dublin or Offaly in the Leinster Championship proper on May 4.
Defeat on Saturday would have meant a three-way play-off with Meath and Westmeath, so the pressure was on to get a result in Cusack Park. Pre-match preparation weren't aided by the non-appearance of the team bus, the players forced to travel in convoy by car.
Kildare started with two enforced changes from the team announced during the week, Celbridge's Eanna Doyle and Naas' Stephen Piggott were both sidelined through injury, while John Dunne and Sam Tempele came in to the starting XV.
A very strong wind in Kildare's favour, made scoring difficult and both sides posted early wides from '65 metre frees as they struggled to master the conditions. Ross Kelly playing at full forward opened the scoring for Kildare in the fourth minutes with an excellent strike over his shoulder outside the 20 metre line, Padraig Cullen added a second, collecting the ball 25 metres out and bearing down on goal, but opting for a point from the edge of the square as the Westmeath defence swarmed around him. Martin Fitzgerald named at corner forward but starting at midfield pointed Kildare's third in the sixth, before Westmeath finally responded through a pointed Barry O'Meara free when John Dunne fouled Killian Murphy.
Kildare were dominating the exchanges, the defence completely on top in
particular Michael Purcell who was giving his best showing in a Kildare shirt. Chances were being created up front, but the wides tally was mounting. Cullen had a second goal chance when the goalkeeper fumbled the ball but his attempt was snuffed out, a second attempt on goal fell to Martin Fitzgerald from a 20 metre free when Ross Kelly was brought down just outside the square. The infringement earned full back Conor Sleator a yellow card, the first of what was to be six in total for Westemeath. Fitzgerald's strike was low and to the left and saved on the line by Derek Healy the Westmeath corner back who duly cleared the danger.
Kildare continued to pile on the pressure, points from Brian Ahern, Eoin Doyle and Martin Fitzgerald (free) increased the lead to 0-6 to 0-1, a fair reflection of the visitors' dominance. Disaster stuck in the 20th minute when Westmeath centre-forward Darren Kilcoyne gained possession 40 metres out and ran unhindered through the Kildare defence to blast the ball past Kildare captain Sean Whelan.
A Westmeath resurgence followed, a long range point from Daniel Riggs was followed by a goal attempt from a 20 metre free by Stephen Boylan, Kildare full-back David Keegan conceding the free for throwing the ball. The resulting shot was saved on the line, Sean g Doyne quickest to the rebound for Westmeath and pointed to put the home side level with five minutes to play in the first half.
The two number 15s swapped scores, three frees from Kildare's Martin
Fitzgerald and an excellent point from a sideline cut 23 metres out from Westmeath's O'Meara followed by pointed free gave Kildare just a one point lead going into the break despite a strong wind at their backs and the bulk of the possession. It could have been worse but for a lightening reaction save by Sean Whelan at the death, Westmeath midfielder Stephen Grace shot from edge of the square deflected to safety by the Naas 'keeper. The score at half-time read Kildare 0-9 Westmeath 1-5.
Despite playing against the wind, Kildare started the second half strongly and had the better of the exchanges in the first fifteen minutes. Westmeath's frustration began to show as they picked up a further three yellow cards in that period with just a solitary point on the scoreboard through wing-forward Sean g Doyne. Points from Fitzgerald (free), Kelly and Luke O'Reilly extended the Kildare lead to three. Westmeath were struggling to make an impact from play, the Kildare defence absorbing serious pressure. Michael Purcell continued his man of the match display with Ryan McGrath and Eanna O'Neill not far behind.
Barry O'Meara did close the gap to one point through two pointed frees to increase the pressure on Kildare. Martin Fitzgerald responded with a point again from a placed ball in the 52nd minute to put the scores Kildare 0-13 Westmeath 1-8. Westmeath were reduced to 14 players when the referee gave wing-back Brian Melia his marching orders for pulling across the legs of Martin Fitzgerald. Harrington also sent one of the Westmeath mentors to the stand after the incident.
A tense final ten minutes saw Westmeath up the ante as they chased the elusive score, the Kildare defence resolute as they repelled attack after attack. A pointed free from O'Meara three minutes into injury time signalled that the homeside accepted that they would not be able to break down the Kildare defensive line and Harrington blew the whistle shortly after to give Kildare their third Championship victory in as many games, the final score Kildare 0-13 Westmeath 1-9.
Kildare: Sean Whelan, John Dunne, David Keegan, Ryan McGrath, Donal McSweeney, Eanna O'Neill, Michael Purcell, Martin Fitzgerald (0-7 6f), Brian Aherne (0-1), Gavin Sunderland, Marcus Kinsella, Sam Tempele, Padraig Cullen (0-1), Ross Kelly (0-2), Eoin Doyle (0-1). Subs: Luke O'Reilly (0-1) replaced S Tempele HT.
Westmeath: Michael Boyle, Derek Healy, Conor Sleator, Mark Conroy, Brian Melia Alan McGrath, Daniel Riggs (0-1), Stephen Bardon, Stephen Grace, Sean g Doyne (0-2), Darren Kilcoyne (1-0), Killian Murphy, Michael Heffernan, Stephen Boylan, Barry O'Meara (0-06 4f 1 s). Subs: Seamus Savage replaced K Murphy 53 mins, Shane Donaher replaced M Heffernan 59 mins.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Weather for Naas, Ireland
Thursday 17 May 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 7 C to 11 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Light showers
Temperature: 7 C to 11 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: North east
