Senior hurlers dice with disaster
April 30, 20102009 almost turned out to be a disastrous year for the Westmeath senior hurling team who, after winning the Kehoe Cup and producing a number of commendable performances in Division 2 of the restructured National League, found themselves facing a battle for survival in the Christy Ring Cup.
Thankfully, the unthinkable prospect of relegation to the third tier Nicky Rackard Cup was avoided courtesy of a landslide victory over Wicklow, but it was certainly not a position Westmeath expected to be in after the progress of previous years. Had Westmeath gone down, it would have been a huge embarrassment not just for the management and players, but for county board officials who had been lobbying for inclusion in the Leinster championship.
There is little doubt that Westmeath are better than what their Christy Ring Cup performances suggested, but for some unknown reason last year, the team struggled against so-called weaker opposition. How could a team that beat Laois, drew with Antrim and gave both Wexford and Offaly a run for their money in the National League, perform so ineptly against the likes of Down, Kildare and Mayo? Was it complacency or was it just a case of the players being no longer able to 'lift' themselves for games against inferior opposition? If Westmeath manager Eamonn Gallagher knew the answer to these questions, his team may well be gearing up for a return to the Liam McCarthy Cup this year.
After two years as a Westmeath football selector, Gallagher was unveiled as the Lake County's new boss at the start of last year. As a former county hurling star and the brains behind Raharney's senior championship triumphs in 2006 and 2008, the St. Brigid's clubman was a popular choice for the post which had been vacated by Offaly legend Johnny Dooley in the wake of Westmeath's defeat after extra-time to Carlow in the Christy Ring Cup final the previous August.
Gallagher, whose selectors were Noel Geraghty, Sean Loughlin and Nicky Weir, made an immediate impact by delivering the Kehoe Cup in February. The season began for Westmeath just as it ended - with a facile victory over Wicklow at Greystones. Lining out in a new role of full forward, the vastly experienced Darren McCormack had an afternoon to remember by scoring 4-1 in a 4-21 to 1-5 victory.
No fewer than 10 players got on the scoresheet as Westmeath overcame DCU by 0-22 to 1-7 in their next outing to qualify for a final meeting with Carlow at Kinnegad. With memories of the 2008 Christy Ring Cup decider still fresh, the home side had revenge on their minds and, despite the freezing conditions, put on an impressive show to run out 0-16 to 0-9 winners.
Westmeath were the better team throughout, having led by 0-9 to 0-4 at half-time. Carlow got to within three points after the restart, but points in reply from Robbie Jackson, John Shaw and two from Brendan Murtagh put the result beyond doubt.
The Kehoe Cup success ensured that Westmeath went into the National League in high spirits, and they caused plenty of problems for Offaly in their opening Division 2 game at Cusack Park before eventually succumbing to a 1-17 to 3-22 defeat.
A brace of first half goals from Shane Dooley gave Offaly a 2-7 to 0-10 lead at the interval, but the harsh dismissal of Andrew Mitchell (he was later exonerated) nine minutes into the second half was a huge blow to Westmeath's chances of causing an upset, and the visitors made the most of their numerical advantage to streak clear for a flattering victory.
Westmeath's vulnerability against so-called weaker opposition first came to light in a shock 4-10 to 4-18 loss to Down at Cusack Park. At half-time, the home side appeared to have recovered from a disastrous start to trail by 2-7 to 3-8, but Down remained in the driving seat for much of the second half and but for the concession of late goals to Robbie Jackson and Andrew Mitchell, would have been even more comfortable winners.
Having already travelled to Casement Park, only for their scheduled first round game against Antrim to be called off due to snow, Westmeath made the long journey back to Belfast a second time for the re-fixture on March 8. The Saffrons, whose inclusion in last year's Leinster championship had galled Westmeath officials, were expected to inflict a third defeat on Eamonn Gallagher's side, but producing a vastly-improved display, the visitors came away with a share of the spoils (0-15 apiece) thanks to Brendan Murtagh's late equalising free.
One of Westmeath's best performances of the campaign came in a 2-14 to 3-15 defeat to Wexford at Wexford Park. With Murtagh helping himself to 2-6, the Lake County matched the hotly-fancied home side stride for stride until a Stephen Doyle goal five minutes from the end finally broke their resistance.
Hopes were high that Westmeath would finally secure their first win of the campaign when Carlow visited Cusack Park on March 28. But after working hard to get themselves in front early in the second half, the home side faded in the final quarter as the Barrowsiders went on to win by 2-15 to 1-15.
Relegation had now become a major issue for Westmeath, but they eased those fears with a hard-earned 0-18 to 2-11 victory over Kerry in Tralee. And they finished the league in fine style with an impressive 2-17 to 1-14 win over Laois at Cusack Park. Westmeath made a dream start when Derek McNicholas netted inside the first minute and, although Laois battled back to take the lead midway through the second half, a goal from substitute Alan Devine turned the tide back in the home side's favour.
Westmeath were one of the fancied teams in the Christy Ring Cup, which was run off earlier than usual last year, but shocking back-to-back defeats to Kildare and Mayo saw them bow out with a whimper.
A hungrier Kildare team inflicted a 2-21 to 3-19 extra-time defeat on Eamonn Gallagher's injury-hit side at Cusack Park in the opening round. The visitors had raced into an eight-point lead at half-time, but goals from Brendan Murtagh and Alan Devine sparked a Westmeath recovery which saw them edge two points in front before late points from David Harney forced extra-time.
And Harney's accuracy - he scored 0-11 in total - proved the difference between the sides in the additional 20 minutes as Kildare condemned the two-time winners to a surprise defeat.
Westmeath had one more chance to save their season when they travelled to Mayo for a losers' group clash one week later, but in what could only be described as a dreadful performance, they slumped to a 0-15 to 2-20 defeat. Ironically, on the same day, the Westmeath minor hurlers recorded a famous win over Offaly to set up a Leinster semi-final date with reigning All-Ireland champions Kilkenny.
Two goals in as many minutes from Mark Devaney and Derek McDonnell gave Mayo a 2-7 to 0-6 cushion at half-time, and the visitors' challenge petered out after veteran Darren McCormack was sent off on a second yellow card early in the second half.
The 11-point loss in Westport consigned Westmeath to a relegation play-off with Wicklow which took place in Clane, Co. Kildare. As it transpired, the Lake County secured their Christy Ring Cup status for 2010 with an emphatic 3-36 to 1-6 victory.
This was more like it from Westmeath, but it begged the question: Why couldn't they play like that against Kildare or Mayo?
Brendan Murtagh was in inspirational form, scoring 1-11 against a Wicklow side that subsequently played the Nicky Rackard Cup winners to avoid the drop. It didn't take long for the Clonkill man to find his scoring range, and he claimed his side's first goal when he dispatched an eighth minute free to the net.
With Murtagh and Robbie Jackson in fine scoring form, Westmeath went on to lead by 1-19 to 1-2 at half-time. Substitute Ciaran Curley added a second goal for the winners on the restart before Noel Conaty grabbed a third 10 minutes from the end to bring the curtain down on a frustrating year for Eamonn Gallagher's men. Tweet
