Inspired by a wonderful display by Eoin Price, the Westmeath hurlers got off to a winning start in their National Hurling League Division 2A campaign, with a solid 15-point victory over a limited and poor London side in Cusack Park, Mullingar, last Sunday afternoon.
By Paul O’Donovan
This was Westmeath manager Michael Ryan’s first competitive game in charge of the Lake County and he could hardly have asked for a more satisfactory start than a home fixture against a weakened London side.
When these two sides met in the league last year in London, the exiles managed to draw the game, and almost won it in the dying seconds. Last Sunday however, a stronger Westmeath side showed their superiority by running out deserving winners to collect their first two points of what will hopefully be a successful league campaign.
London were minus several players who were playing with Kilburn Gaels in the Intermediate Club Final in Croke Park last Sunday, and it showed as they were limited in many areas of the field, with only Eoin Kelly and Bernard Gaffney standing out for the visitors.
Westmeath welcomed back a number of experienced players who didn’t play with the county last year, including Brendan Murtagh, who scored six points.
However, the home side, playing into the apartments end of the ground, got off to a very sluggish start and conceded an early goal to London, before drawing level and moving in front. A goal by Robbie Greville helped Westmeath to a 1-12 to 1-2 half time lead.
Greville’s second goal, three minutes after the restart, set Westmeath up for a very comfortable second half and without setting the hurling world alight the Lake County ran out easy winners.
SLUGGISH START
Westmeath should have opened the scoring in the second minute when they were awarded a penalty after Darragh Clinton was fouled inside the square. However Brendan Murtagh’s penalty wasn’t a thorough strike, and London’s Eoin Kelly deflected the sliotar away from danger.
Having saved the penalty Kelly then opened the scoring for London at the other end, receiving a pass from Enda Cooney, before pointing in the fourth minute.
Within a minute Westmeath were level, Niall O’Brien pointing from the left. However, Westmeath received a setback when London grabbed a goal on six minutes. A poor sideline ball down the right by Westmeath gave Bernard Gaffney the opportunity to release Luke Hands who raced in behind the Westmeath defence to fire to the net.
Westmeath responded with three points in the next three minutes, Brendan Murtagh pointing from close range, followed by two fine strikes between the uprights by Eoin Price.
London moved in front once more when Offaly man Eoin Kelly lobbed over from a 21-metre free, but Westmeath drew level in the 15th minute when Murtagh converted a 46-metre free from a central position.
Overall this was a very sluggish start by Westmeath their striking was patchy, their decision-making was poor and their shooting was wayward at times. Thankfully Michael Ryan’s side settled better in the second quarter and points from Eoin Price, Darragh Clinton and two from Brendan Murtagh, the second from a ’65, saw Westmeath lead by 0-9 to 1-2 by the 23rd minute.
Westmeath really settled down after they scored their first goal in the 25th minute and a wonderful move it was. Eoin Price exchanged passes with Murtagh, before releasing Robbie Greville, and he finished neatly to the net past London keeper James Barrett at the near post.
Eoin Price added two more points and Derek McNicholas one before the half time break, but in first half injury time McNicholas suffered a nasty injury to his ear and he had to retire from the game to receive a number of stitches.
The first half ended with Westmeath ahead by 1-12 to 1-2 and while it had been sluggish at the start, it was clear the home side were going to go on and win this contest.
GREVILLE’S SECOND GOAL
Westmeath got the perfect start to the second half when just three minutes in Robbie Greville scored his second goal. The home forwards pressurised London into a turnover and Greville collected possession and cut in from the left before finishing low to the London net.
Brendan Murtagh added to the lead with a point from a 25-metre free after sub Joey Boyle was fouled.
However London struck back with three successive points as corner forward Michael Ivors, half back Maurice Lynch and the impressive Eoin Kelly all pointed, with Kelly’s point being a fine strike from a free from all of 80 meters.
However the exiles failed to score for the next 17 minutes as Westmeath found their range with ease. They began hurling with more composure and passed the ball around neatly in fine style.
This neat passing led to Westmeath’s next two scores as Darragh Clinton pointed from the right wing, and then after Eoin Price was fouled, Brendan Murtagh converted the 40-metre free.
Price then continued his good scoring spree pointing after a good pass by Tommy Doyle. A minute later Joey Boyle set up Niall O’Brien for a fine score. On 58 minutes Price exchanged passes with Murtagh before scoring his seventh point of this contest and a minute later Liam Varley laid the ball off for Niall O’Brien to score his third point of the game. At this stage with ten minutes left Westmeath led by 2-19 to 1-5.
In the final eight minutes London managed to score three points, all from the stick of Eoin Kelly, the first from play, the latter two from frees. In between these scores, Robbie Greville rounded off the Westmeath scoring with a point from the right wing following a good solo run.
So Westmeath ran out 15-point winners but everyone involved with the Lake County will realise stiffer tests lie ahead, such as next Sunday in Derry.
The performances of Eoin Price at midfield, Shane Power who had a fine game throughout at corner back and Darragh Clinton in attack were certainly positives from this game.
This was a good start, with two points in the bag, but there is good room for improvement and no doubt this side will improve greatly as they year progresses.
Scorers- Westmeath: Eoin Price 0-7, Robbie Greville 2-1, Brendan Murtagh 0-6 (0-3 from frees, 0-1 from ’65), Niall O’Brien 0-3, Darragh Clinton 0-2, Derek McNicholas 0-1.
London: Eoin Kelly 0-6 (0-4 from frees), Luke Hands 1-0, Michael Ivors 0-1, Maurice Lynch 0-1.
Westmeath: Peter Collins; Shane Power, Aaron Craig, Gary Greville; Alan McGrath, Tommy Doyle, Liam Varley; Joe Clarke, Eoin Price; Derek McNicholas, Robbie Greville, Niall O’Brien, Darragh Clinton, Brendan Murtagh, Alan Devine. Subs used: Joey Boyle for Derek McNicholas (injured, 34 minutes), Cormac Boyle for Alan Devine (45 minutes), Emmett Corrigan for Joe Clarke (53 minutes), Michael Daly for Alan McGrath (55 minutes), Conor Shaw for Aaron Craig (59 minutes).
London: James Barrett; Neil Rogers, Martin Ryan, Enda Collins; Philip Murphy, Enda Cooney, Maurice Lynch; Cathal Keogh, David Coffey; Eoin Chawke, Eoin Kelly, Peter Phelan; Luke Hands, Bernard Gaffney, Michael Ivors. Subs used: Kieran Dowling for Eoin Chawke (half time), Kevin Coen for Peter Phelan (55 minutes), Danny Connelly for Cathal Keogh (55 minutes), Matthew Holohan for David Coffey (59 minutes), Kevin Reid for Philip Murphy (59 minutes).
Referee: David Hughes (Carlow).
STATS BOX
Wides
Westmeath: first half-4 second half-7 Total -11
London: first half-5 second half-3 Total –8
Cards
Westmeath: yellow-0 red-0
London: yellow-3 (Lynch 26 minutes), Coffey (38), Cooney (51) red-0
