By Paul O’Donovan
They say a week is a long time in politics, well it is even longer in terms of hurling.
Just eight days after suffering a very heavy 30-point defeat to Galway, the Westmeath hurlers showed vast improvement in pushing last year’s All-Ireland finalists Waterford all the way in this Allianz National Hurling League Division 1A game played in Walsh Park, Waterford, last Sunday afternoon.
With just five minutes of normal time remaining Killian Doyle slotted home a Westmeath goal from a free 25-metre free. At that stage Shane O’Brien’s side trailed by just two points and the Westmeath players must have thought a massive shock was on the cards here.
However, Waterford manager Liam Cahill called on his troops and introduced the likes of Kieran Bennett and Kevin Moran and these experienced players steadied the ship for the Déise, Moran scoring one point and Bennett two, as Waterford ran out three point winners in the end.
