Kerry 1-21
Westmeath 2-16

Kerry stunned Westmeath this afternoon with a superb late rally inspired by captain Shane Conway to pick up their first points of the Joe McDonagh Cup campaign.

In what was a thrilling contest at TEG Cusack Park, Mullingar, the visitors landed a crucial goal from Colum Harty with seven minutes left on the clock to pave their path to victory.

Eoin Price’s late point levelled the game in injury-time when Kerry dug their absolute deepest to gain back the lead through a Conway free and they’d hang on for a precious two-point victory.

There had been nothing to separate the sides at half-time, as they went on 0-8 apiece, and it was the Lake men whom made the perfect restart with a goal from substitute Allan Devine six minutes in.

The hosts stayed in front until the 50-minute mark when Conway brought the Kingdom level and they’d move into the ascendency once sub Jordan Conway raised a white flag of his own.

A pair of Shane Conway frees (one a 65) looked to have the Munster men on course for the upset but Killian Doyle hammered home a Westmeath’s second goal on 62 minutes which catapulted the men in maroon back into the lead.

However, a mere minute later Harty blasted home a goal of his own and, despite Fintan O’Connor’s side being reduced to 14 with the dismissal of midfielder Tomas O’Connor, they were able to claim the win late on thanks to the accuracy of their skipper Conway.

Kerry - JB O’Halloran; J O’Connor (0-1), B Murphy, S Weir; E Murphy, P Kelly (0-1), D Collins; D Goggin, T O’Connor; M O’Leary (0-1), S Conway (0-13, 7f, 2'65), J Goulding; P Boyle (0-1), M Boyle, C Harty (1-1). Subs: J Conway (0-3) for P Kelly, M Slattery for D Goggin.

Westmeath - C Lynch; D Egerton, T Doyle, G Greville; C Shaw, A Clarke, P Greville; C Boyle, S Clavin (0-1); R Greville (0-1), K Doyle (1-11, 0-8f), J Boyle; N Mitchell, D McNicholas, C Doyle. Subs: D Clinton (0-2) for N Mitchell, A Devine (1-0) for C Doyle, E Price (0-1) for D McNicholas, S Power for C Shaw, J Gilligan for J Boyle.

Referee - P Murphy.

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