Joy and relief for Kildare hurlers with first Joe McDonagh Cup win

Kildare 3-24

Westmeath 2-21

An already drama-filled fixture also proved emotional as Kildare finally achieved their first Joe McDonagh Cup win and undoubtedly lifted a weight off many shoulders draped in white.

The Kildare hurlers produced a brilliant display against Westmeath in an utterly enthralling fixture in Cedral St Conleth’s Park, on Saturday afternoon.

The Lilies made an exceptional start and it would have been exactly what Brian Dowling was demanding before throw-in.
One of the star performers in this game, Cian Boran, opened the scoring after just 21 seconds with a fine effort from range.

It was all about intensity early on for Kildare and they got their second directly from a Westmeath puck-out with Cathal McCabe claiming possession and firing over.

Gerry Keegan was next on the scoresheet with a sharp turn and a cool finish between the posts. The experienced forward had the measure of his opposite number during a stellar first-half display.

Cian Boran got his second of the game and Kildare’s fourth with The Lilies’ other wing-back nailing their fifth inside the same minute.

The home side led 0-5 to no score after four minutes.

Westmeath first got on the scoresheet through captain David Williams.

Kildare then responded with a vengeance by raising their first green flag of the afternoon.

Darragh Melville continued his recent run of goalscoring form with a sharp cut inside and strong finish low into the net.

Westmeath answered with three of the next four points as this game continued its breakneck pace.

A David Qualter free then gave Kildare a six-point advantage on the 10 minute mark.

Less than 60 seconds later and that gap was extended to nine with Kildare’s second goal of the game.

It was once again Cian Boran taking this game by the scruff of the neck with a forceful forward run. The Naas man lifted his head and slipped through clubmate Jack Sheridan who swept the ball into the net off the deck.

At 2-7 to 0-4, The Lilies were well on top after a breathless opening 10 minutes.

Three points at either end of the field maintained Kildare’s hefty lead for the minutes that followed and it was a margin that was only going to grow from there.

The home side hit the next four scores of the game with James Burke, Daniel O’Meara, Paul Dolan, and Cathal Dowling all registering. That run of points was indicative of Kildare’s overall first half performance with 10 different players eventually getting on the scoresheet before the break.

A 13-point lead in the 25th minute after Dowling’s first score would be the largest discrepancy of the day.

Set-pieces would provide a route back into this game for Westmeath with Killian Doyle incredibly reliable from dead ball scenarios.

After a strong spell for the visitors, Doyle’s fifth first half point brought Westmeath back to within 10 at 2-15 to 0-11 in the 32nd minute.

A point from Gerry Keegan, who had a brilliant game overall, was The Lilies’ last of the half.

Despite an exceptional display to that point, there was a stinger at the end of the half for Kildare with the visiting team finding the net at a great time.

Peter Clarke, in a not dissimilar manner to how Boran had at the other end, carved through the Kildare defence and unleashed an astounding effort at goal. Clarke’s vicious strike was a sickener for Kildare, but impossible to not appreciate regardless of your allegiance.

A late Killian Doyle point sent the sides in at 2-16 to 1-12 with Kildare holding a seven-point lead and maybe disappointed that it wasn’t even more.

Westmeath clawed their way back into this game after the break and their creeping momentum built an ominous feeling in the pit of every home supporter's stomach.

That anxious sensation, akin to reflecting on a social faux pas, turned to queasy when the visitors hit the net for the second time in the 43rd minute.

Captain David Williams’ green flag made this Championship tie 2-18 to 2-14 and Kildare’s lead looked far less commanding all of a sudden.

The Lilies to their credit stemmed the flow of scores after the goal, but with five minutes to go Westmeath substitute Eoin McCabe made this a three-point game.

Following some first half struggles for David Qualter, Kildare changed free-takers at half-time and it was far from an inspired choice with Jack Sheridan faring worse on the whole with a couple of poor misses late on.

Away from Kildare’s wasted opportunities, Westmeath levelled things with points from Killian Doyle and David Williams (twice) and after the horrors of one week ago, fans may have feared the worst, but this Kildare team kept their cool in a do or die situation.

The Lilies responded in impressive fashion with resolute defending and a restoration of their three-point advantage. Man of the Match Cian Boran started the sequence, which was followed by a Sheridan free and a superb long-range hit from James Burke.

A free converted at either end in quick succession and Kildare could sense, but not yet be sure of, a momentous win.

The Kildare contingent got their moment of release in the 73rd minute when James Burke was fed through on goal and smartly rounded the goalkeeper before finding the net for elation in Newbridge.

The win is one of great significance and emotion for Kildare, who registered their first Joe McDonagh victory on a score line of 3-24 to 2-21.

SCORERS
KILDARE: Jack Sheridan 1-3 (0-3 frees), Gerry Keegan 0-5, David Qualter 0-5 (0-2 frees), James Burke 1-2, Darragh Melville 1-0, Paul Dolan 0-3, Cian Boran 0-3, Cathal McCabe 0-1, Daniel O'Meara 0-1, Cathal Dowling 0-1.

WESTMEATH: Killian Doyle 0-10 (0-9 frees, 0-1 65'), David Williams 1-4, Niall O'Brien 0-5, Peter Clarke 1-0, David O'Reilly 0-1, Eoin McCabe 0-1.

TEAMS
KILDARE: Paddy McKenna; Liam O'Reilly, Rian Boran, Daniel O'Meara; Paul Dolan, Simon Leacy, Cian Boran; Daire Guerin, Cathal McCabe; David Qualter, James Burke, Darragh Melville; Jack Sheridan, Cathal Dowling, Gerry Keegan. Subs: Richy Hogan for Liam O'Reilly (35 minutes), Muiris Curtin for Darragh Melville (49 minutes), Jack Travers for Paul Dolan (56 minutes), Conn Kehoe for Cathal Dowling (60 minutes), Jack Higgins for David Qualter (71 minutes).

WESTMEATH: Ciarán O'Brien; Conor Gaffney, Tommy Doyle, Gary Greville; Aaron Craig, Owen Keyes, Darragh McCormack; Davy Glennon, Éamon Cunneen; Joseph Boyle, Killian Doyle, Peter Clarke; David O'Reilly, Niall O'Brien, David Williams. Subs: Mark Cunningham for Joseph Boyle (Half-time), Eoin McCabe for Éamon Cunneen (46 minutes), Niall Mitchell for Davy Glennon (57 minutes).

Referee: Thomas Gleeson (Dublin)

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