For the second year in-a-row, the Westmeath hurlers were in the shake-up for promotion to Division 1 of the National League, but an unlucky defeat to Carlow ultimately cost them their place in the final. Westmeath will have to wait at least another year before they can reclaim their place in Division 1 of the National Hurling League after they narrowly missed out on promotion for the second year on the trot. In 2004, an eight-match unbeaten run ended with an abject performance against Down in the Division 2 final at the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick. Tom Ryan's charges were anxious to atone for that disappointment in this season's National League but, despite winning five of their seven matches, they were denied a place in the Division 2 final on scoring difference. The result which ultimately cost Westmeath was the 3-8 to 3-11 reversal at the hands of Carlow on April 23. The Lake County led by 13 points after 25 minutes, but a controversial goal just before half-time threw Carlow a lifeline and they went on to stage a remarkable second half comeback to take the spoils. Westmeath subsequently beat Meath by three points in their final phase two match, and while Carlow lost to Derry, they still qualified for the final against Offaly by virtue of their superior scoring difference. We begin our review of the past 12 months last May when Westmeath opened their Leinster championship campaign with a 1-18 to 1-6 drubbing of Kildare at Cusack Park. However, the result was overshadowed by the 'six subs' controversy which almost lead to Westmeath being thrown out of the championship. The home side were far from convincing in the first half and actually trailed by 0-6 to 1-5 at the interval after Joe Dempsey had scored a goal for the Lilywhites in injury-time. Kildare were still very much in it after 10 minutes of the second half and it took a goal from substitute Jonathan Forbes to swing the game in Westmeath's favour. The home side dominated the remainder of the game and so much were they in control that the management decided to make a spate of substitutions in the closing stages. It was only afterwards that they realised they had used one sub too many and expulsion from the championship appeared a distinct possibility. But, after hours of committee room arguments, the result stood and so Westmeath progressed to a quarter-final meeting with Dublin at Croke Park. Despite their unfamiliarity with the surroundings, Westmeath played some great hurling in the first half before the Metropolitans found an extra gear to run out somewhat flattering 2-14 to 0-11 winners. This game also had a controversial finish when Dublin dual star Conal Keaney received a straight red card for a wild pull on Paul Greville. Westmeath subsequently travelled to O'Moore Park to face Laois in the All-Ireland qualifying series. The visitors got off to the worst possible start when they conceded two goals in the first two minutes, but they gradually regained their composure and with Ronan Whelan and Killian Cosgrove both finding the net, they trailed by just two points at the interval. Following the restart, however, Laois regained the upper hand and went on to record a 3-13 to 4-5 victory - the two Westmeath goals coming from Derek McNicholas and Andrew Mitchell. The All-Ireland 'B' championship represented Westmeath's best chance of securing silverware but a disastrous defeat to Mayo at Hyde Park in Roscommon marred an otherwise progressive year. Had Westmeath taken the game seriously, they would surely have advanced to the final which was played in Croke Park as a curtain-raiser to the Westmeath-Laois Leinster football final replay. Much later in the year, Westmeath looked to have lost the services of Tom Ryan when just seven out of 61 players turned up for the first training session of the new season. Fortunately for all concerned with Westmeath hurling, the necessary undertakings were given to Ryan and what would have been a near fatal blow to the game was averted. 2005 opened with an embarrassing defeat to Athlone IT in the Kehoe Cup. But Westmeath put that disappointment behind them when they recorded a facile 3-15 to 1-5 victory over Kildare in the opening round of the National League at Newbridge. The Lilywhites were particularly poor in attack and, in fact, failed to score from play after corner forward Adrian McAndrew rocked the visitors with a goal inside the first minute. Westmeath eventually settled themselves with unanswered points from Emmet Dalton, Enda Loughlin, Brendan Murtagh and Brian Smith giving them a 0-4 to 1-0 lead after 15 minutes. Tom Carew and Killian Cosgrove traded points before a Ciaran Divilly 65 levelled the scoring for a third time. However, the game was effectively ended as a contest when Westmeath grabbed two goals in as many minutes. Andrew Mitchell blasted a penalty to the net in the 27th minute and that was followed moments later by a similar score from Cosgrove. Mitchell and Brendan Murtagh tagged on points before a Carew free left Kildare trailing by 1-3 to 2-7 at the interval. Further points from Cosgrove and Mitchell extended Westmeath's lead on the restart before Derek McNicholas scored a spectacular goal from 30 metres in the 42nd minute to make it 3-9 to 1-4. And while Carew replied with a point for the Lilywhites, it continued to be one-way traffic with a flurry of late points from Cosgrove (two), Mitchell (two) and substitutes David Cunningham and Paul Williams easing the visitors to victory. Following the win over Kildare, Westmeath were confident of causing an upset against Offaly when they visited Cusack Park, but the gulf in class soon became apparent with the visitors superior in every facet of the game. Offaly dominated from the start and, after leading by 1-10 to 0-5 at the interval, eventually ran out 3-18 to 2-8 winners. Favoured by a strong breeze in the opening half, the Faithful County were quickly into their stride with two frees from Carroll and points from Michael Cordial and Brown easing them into a 0-4 to 0-0 lead after six minutes. Tom Ryan's side replied with points from Andrew Mitchell and Dalton before further efforts from Damien Murray and Brown restored the visitors' four-point advantage after 17 minutes. Mitchell reduced the leeway again before a third Carroll free and two points from Cathal Parlon made it 0-9 to 0-3. Offaly then had a major let-off when a Derek McNicholas shot hit the butt of the post and Dalton had to be content with a point from the rebound. Carroll and Mitchell traded points before Westmeath's hopes were dealt a severe blow on the stroke of half-time when Paudie Mulhare collected a cross-field pass from Murray before rounding 'keeper Mark Briody and finishing to the net. Although substitute Barry Kennedy opened the second half scoring for Westmeath, John McIntyre's charges were out of sight when Brown first-timed a Cordial sideline cut to the net in the 39th minute. Further points from Parlon and Carroll (free) increased Offaly's lead to 2-13 to 0-6, and while Dalton replied with a goal in the 44th minute, the dismissals of Kennedy and McNicholas in the space of a minute killed off any chance of a Westmeath comeback. A third goal from Mick O'Hara, sandwiched between two more points from Brown, had the visitors perched on a 3-15 to 1-6 lead by the 55th minute and not even the concession of a late goal from a Mitchell free could spoil a fine afternoon's work by Offaly. Westmeath bounced back to defeat Roscommon by 1-15 to 0-10 in their third outing at Athleague. Despite playing into a strong wind in the first half, the visitors led by 0-7 to 0-4 at the break. The outcome was never in doubt after that with a Derek McNicholas goal easing Westmeath to victory. The midlanders' safe passage into the top section of the second phase was secured when they overcame Derry on a 1-20 to 2-10 scoreline at Cusack Park. Though Derry scored two goals, they only led once and in the second half, Westmeath cut loose with some fine scores from Andrew Mitchell, Blaine Lahart, John Shaw, Enda Loughlin and Brendan Murtagh to copper-fasten the win. In 2004, Westmeath walloped Kerry by 4-21 to 0-9 in Tralee, but the exchanges were a lot closer this time with Tom Ryan's charges having to withstand a late Kingdom comeback in a 10-goal thriller at Kilmoyley. The result was in doubt until Andrew Mitchell pointed a 65 which had been awarded against Kerry goalkeeper Brendan Harris who was adjudged to have stolen a metre on the puck out. Despite being without their star player Shane Brick, the home side led by 3-7 to 2-7 at the interval thanks to a brace of goals from John Mike Dooley and another from Tom Murnane. Westmeath's first half goals were scored by Derek McNicholas and Blaine Lahart. On the restart, substitute Barry Kennedy goaled for the visitors, only for Dooley to reply with his third. But Westmeath then took charge, firing over eight unanswered points to ease into a 3-17 to 4-9 lead. Kerry looked down and out but they were thrown a lifeline when Michael Conway scored a fourth goal. Then, after Kennedy and John Egan had swapped further goals, top scorer Mitchell sealed a 4-18 to 6-10 win for the visiting side. With inclement weather having led to the postponement of Westmeath's match against Meath, Westmeath's next assignment was against Carlow in Dr Cullen Park. The Barrowsiders were on a high after their sensational victory over Offaly in the previous round, but they were quickly brought back down to earth when goals from Killian Cosgrove, Blaine Lahart and Andrew Mitchell saw Westmeath lead by 3-5 to 0-1 after 24 minutes. But, after Mark Brennan scored a somewhat dubious goal before half-time, Carlow came storming back in the second half. They hit the front for the first time in the 68th minute when Barry Cox beat Mark Briody to give them a 3-8 to 3-7 lead. And late scores from Johnny Kavanagh and Des Murphy saw them prevail by three points. Westmeath now needed to beat Meath comprehensively and for the result of the Carlow-Derry match to go their way if the final was to be reached. And while Derry obliged, Westmeath's 2-11 to 1-11 victory over Meath wasn't good enough to earn them a rematch with Offaly. A first half goal from Andrew Mitchell and a string of points from the same player saw Westmeath into a commanding lead at half-time. The same pattern continued in the second half and when Killian Cosgrove had his side's second goal, the game was effectively ended as a contest.. Unfortunately, Westmeath took their foot off the gas in the final 10 minutes or so and allowed Meath back into the game. During this period, Meath scored 1-3 to Westmeath's 0-1 and these scores were to prove decisive in denying Westmeath a place in the final. The Christy Ring Cup now awaits Westmeath and hopes are high of outright success in this new second tier competition. Tweet

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