Kildare U20 hurlers move into Tier 1 following six-point win over Westmeath

A six-point win over Westmeath was enough for Kildare to made it back to back wins in the Fulfil Leinster U20 hurling championship. Its a win that moves Kildare into Tier One with games against Kilkenny, Galway and Wexford to look forward too over the coming weeks.

​It was a win that Kildare had to work hard to achieve and despite a comfortable nine-point lead at the break they had to rely on two goals midway through the second half before seeing off a stubborn but talented Westmeath outfit.

Charlie Carroll gave Kildare the perfect start with a fine point off the left two minutes in before Dylan Corrigan levelled with a free for Westmeath a minute later.

Tim Ryan and Charlie Carroll moved Kildare two ahead before the games opening goal arrived nine minutes in. A strong run through the heart of the defence from Tom Boran saw him off load to Mark Kiernan who pulled first time to the visitors net.

Michael Owens quickly added a point from all of 60 metres as the strong breeze was playing its part. Darragh Smith and Ryan Williams responded for the visitors but Tom Power responded with two of his own from play and a free as Kildare kept the six point lead.

Cormac McKeogh added a fourth Westmeath point on 21 but that was their last score of the half. Kildare finished the half in the ascendancy.

Four unanswered points two from Tom Power frees and points from Oisin O Neill and Tom Boran meant Kildare ended the half 1-10 to 0-6 ahead.

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The change of ends and the wind advantage meant Westmeath had to start on the front foot and within nine minutes they had reduced the gap to four with five unanswered points. Kian O’Loughlin landed two both from frees before Ryan Williams Darragh Kenny and Neil Pearson put the midlanders right back in the mix.

It took 13 minutes for Kildare to register their first score of the second half again Tom Power landing a free. It was a short reprieve as Ryan Williams and Cormac McKeogh points had the gap down to three and Westmeath had all the momentum. But suddenly Kildare, out of nowhere, found a spark as they hit two goals in a minute Team captain Tim Ryan got the first after an Oran Byrne pass before Charlie Carroll picked up a loose ball on the edge of the square and he finished neatly.

Two Kian O’Loughlin frees and a second from Darragh Smith reduced the gap to six as we entered the closing 5 minutes but Kildare looked to have done enough. Tom Power hit three closing points, two from frees but Westmeath fought to the end and they were rewarded with a Kian Loughlin goal but Kildare had done enough for the 3-14 to 1-14 six point point win.

Kildare mixed the good and not so good as they advanced to a meeting with Kilkenny on Easter Saturday next They will need to improve to be competitive.

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KILDARE: Cormac Doolan; Darragh Devine, Paddy Connolly, Dylan Doherty, Oisin O Neill 0-1, Cian Brody, Odhran Conaty, Michael Owens 0-1, Tim Ryan1-1, Ciaran Dunne, Charlie Carroll 1-2, Oran Byrne, Mark Kiernan 1-0,Tom Power 0-8 (6f), Tom Boran 0-1. Subs: Alex Bell for Mark Kiernan 46; Killian Harrington for Oisin O Neill 54; Rian Curran for Charlie Carroll 54; Killian Power for Ciaran Dunne 57.

WESTMEATH: Cathal Og Fagan ,Conor Daly, Jack Murtagh, Aaron Flanagan, Darragh Smith 0-2, Sean Hayes, Darragh Kenny 0-1, Ben McNamee, Conor Leech, Dylan Corrigan 0-1 (1f), Kian Loughlin 1-4 (4f), Cody Ward, Ryan Williams 0-3, Cormac McKeogh 0-2, Eoin Meehan. Subs: Neil Pearson 0-1 for Eoin Meehan 45; Fionn Higgins for Cody Ward 48; Lee Naylor for Dylan Corrigan 54; Padraig Casey for Ryan Williams 57

REFEREE: Referee Kyle Waters, Offaly