Meath stun Westmeath in Leinster MHC
It wasn't quite the shock that rocked hurling, but Meath produced a rousing display to claim a hugely impressive 2-16 to 0-18 Leinster MHC victory over hosts Westmeath in Cusack Park Mullingar tonight.
As the scoreline suggests there was little or nothing between the sides as they each scored 18 times and each converted nine frees, but it was the first-half goals that proved crucial.
Meath started slowly and after missing an early goal chance they fell four points in arrears, but a huge slice of luck settled their nerves as Joe Ennis's free from distance deceived Anthony Mulvaney on the line and dropped to the net to restore parity.
That error knocked the stuffing out of Westmeath and with Ennis in mesmerising form Meath grew in confidence and scored six of the next eight scores to open up a 1-7 to 0-6 lead.
Ennis claimed responsibility for five of those points, including a brilliant strike from play, while Mark Horan was also on the mark in response to a free from David Williams and one from play for David O'Reilly.
Westmeath relied heavily on Williams and he accounted for five of his side's opening six scores as overly fussy refereeing and some poor discipline allowed the hosts stay in contention.
Boost by being still in the game despite being outplayed in the second quarter, Westmeath hit another purple patch with Williams (free), O'Reilly, Peter Clarke and Rian Holding from a great goal chance firing over to restore parity, 0-10 to 1-7 by the 30th minute.
However Ennis settled Meath again with yet another free and with two minutes of injury time played they struck for a second goal when Ennis's initial effort was saved by Scott Murray, but Dara Horan was on hand to pull to the net with the last strike of the half and secure a 2-8 to 0-10 interval advantage.
In the second-half the sides shared 16 points in an exciting contest that pushed both sets of players to their physical limits on a scorching summer evening.
Two frees from Williams either side of a score from O'Reilly closed Westmeath's deficit to a point, but Meath didn't buckle.
Once they settled they continued to create chances with Ennis's brilliant sideline falling to Tom Shine whose effort was deflected for a '65' which Ennis converted.
The ever-threatening O'Reilly cut the gap to the minimum again after 40 minutes, 0-14 to 2-9, and that gap remained to the water break as Tom Shine traded a superb score with a Williams free.
When play resumed Westmeath got back on level terms with Murphy breaking clear of Eugene O'Reilly, but between the 49th and the 52nd minute Ennis with a free from midfield, Daire Rohan with a massive point from out on the left and Mark Horan with a stunning score from in front of the stand pushed Meath 2-13 to 0-16 ahead.
Again Williams kept Westmeath ticking over, but Ennis responded with a fine score from play.
When Holding flashed a goal chance over the bar on the hour mark there was a sense it wasn't going to be Westmeath's evening and it was Meath who finished on the front foot with the mercurial Ennis and Sean Corbett tagging on the last couple of scores to cap a superb evening for Meath who will now face Antrim in round two in Dowdallshill next Wednesday.
REACTION - DAVY GAUGHAN (MEATH MANAGER)
"Westmeath are a good side. Their county have been playing Liam MacCarthy hurling and we are a Joe McDonagh county, so we were in no doubt there are good hurlers in Westmeath, but we have good hurlers in Meath too. We have some super talent and some really hard workers in our squad.
"We showed real character out there tonight and as we say to them all the time, when you are playing for Meath you have to play hard for 64 or 65 minutes. If a team goes ahead of us, so be it because every team gets their purple patch.
"We were happy enough going in at half-time, we were in the lead despite playing against a slight breeze, but it was still a bit of an advantage. Westmeath played very well against it too in the second-half.
"Every team needs a little bit of luck and our first goal was fortunate and I suppose it was the difference in the end, but I still think we deserved to win. Once we got our noses in front we were able to keep it there.
"There were a lot of frees in the game, we gave away a lot and we will have to be more disciplined in the future.
"We have been with this bunch of lads for four years. We had trials over the last eight weeks and out of the 50 players we saw we had our panel of 33. We are absolutely delighted with them because they give their all in every session.
"They come out and work hard, there is no gripes or arguments, everyone is there to play for Meath and we are delighted with them.
"We have Antrim next and like Westmeath they have been operating at a higher level than Meath over the last few years. We're not at home either, we've to travel away again, so we know we will be up against it.
"Antrim are a very good side. We have played them a few times over the last couple of years and there's only ever a point or two between us.
"They have nice hurlers, but we have nice hurlers too and plenty of fortitude in them."
SCORERS
Meath - Joe Ennis 1-11 1-8 frees, one '65'; Dara Horan 1-0; Mark Horan 0-2; Daire Rohan 0-1; Sean Corbett 0-1; Tom Shine
Westmeath - David Williams 0-9 frees; David O'Reilly 0-4; Peter Murphy 0-2; Rian Holding 0-2; Peter Clarke 0-1.
TEAMS
Meath - Ben Mather (Donaghmore/Ashbourne); Eugene O'Reilly (Clann na nGael), Daire Shine (Kilskyre), Kian Douglas (Killyon); Peter Connolly (Dunboyne), Paddy Barnwell (Kildalkey), Daire Rohan (Dunboyne); Domhnall Rogers (Ratoath), Dara Horan (Kilmessan); Sean Corbett (Ratoath), Tom Shine (Kilskyre), Denis Darby Killyon); Ronan Conheady (Ratoath), Mark Horan (Kilmessan), Joe Ennis (Clann na nGael). Subs - James Connolly (Killyon) for Rogers 48 mins, Lorcan Byrne (Kilmessan) for Conheady 57m, Liam Coogan (Dunderry) for D Horan 62m, Dara McVann (Kiltale) for Rohan 66m.
Westmeath - Scott Murray; Alan Conlon, Josh Murtagh, Anthony Mulvaney; Dylan Duffy, Cian Geary, Oisin Kelly; Conor Gaffney, Shne Doran; David Williams, Dean McKeon, David O'Reilly; Peter Murphy, Rian Holding, Peter Clarke. Subs - Lorcan O'Mara for Kelly 26 mins, Johnny Martin for Gaffney 53m, Ivan Smyth for Duffy 63m.
Referee - Mark Ryan (Dublin).