Dublin Senior Hurlers Start 2024 With Walsh Cup win over Westmeath

DUBLIN 2-31 

WESTMEATH 1-12 

Dublin made a winning start to the 2024 season when overcoming Westmeath by twenty-two points in their Dioralyte Walsh Cup Group 2 encounter at Parnell Park on Thursday evening.

There was only five points separating the teams at the break but the hosts ran riot in the second-half as their opponents became increasingly ragged in their defensive marking and general play.

In total, fourteen players contributed to the home tally with goals in wither half from Donal Leavy and the impressive Brian Hayes proving too much for the midlanders.

Both teams took their time to settle as they each recorded two early wides before Cian O’Sullivan eventually troubled the umpires when converting a 6^th minute free.

The St Brigid’s attacker almost added a goal in an instant but failed to take advantage of an errant Westmeath puck-out, flashing wide from twelve yards.

Brian Hayes doubled the Dublin lead with a classy effort in the 6^th minute with O’Sullivan’s second free of the half leaving his side three points clear with ten minutes played.

James Madden and Conor Donohoe added points from Dublin’s half-back line to enhance the hosts’ position before Westmeath finally opened their account through a 17^th minute free from David Williams.

Seán Gallagher and O’Sullivan ensured that Dublin’s general dominance was reflected on the scoreboard but some errant shooting undermined their supremacy as they allowed their opponents back into the game.

Westmeath struck three points on the bounce through Michael Daly, Kevin Regan and Williams before O’Sullivan added a degree of Dublin control with two scores in quick succession.

Williams replied with a brace of frees before Dublin spurned a goal chance in the 32^nd minute as Ciarán Foley’s attempt appeared to strike Westmeath goalkeeper Conor Lynch with the umpires undec7ided initially before a wide was eventually awarded.

Foley’s Naomh Olaf clubmate, Donal Leavy, did find the net three minutes later however, one-handing to the net from close range after a fine move involving O’Sullivan and Brian Hayes.

The half ended with O’Sullivan and Niall Mitchell trading scores as Dublin entered the break with a deserved five-point (1-10 to 0-8) advantage. 

Dublin’s marksmanship was far more eye-catching upon the restart as they blitzed their opponents in the third quarter, with Paul Crummey setting the tone with a facile score in the 37^th minute.

Brian Hayes, Ronan Hayes, O’Sullivan, Donohoe and Crummey all added to the home tally with a glut of scores with substitute Liam Murphy and Darragh Power also availing of the oceans of space afforded to them by the flagging away defence.

It was only a matter of time before Dublin added a second goal and it duly arrived in the 50^th minute as Ronan Hayes released younger brother Brian Hayes racing through the middle with his low shot proving too much for Lynch in the Westmeath goal.

The visitors did manage a goal of their own as Eoin Daly swept home in the 62nd minute but by that point, the damage was long done as the hosts pulled further away through scores from substitutes Diarmuid Ó Dúlaing, Davy Keogh, Joe Flanagan and Jake Malone.

Scorers – Dublin: C O’Sullivan 0-10 (5f, 1 ‘65’), B Hayes 1-2, S Gallagher, P Crummey, J Flanagan (2f) 0-3 each, D Leavy 1-0, C Donohoe, R Hayes 0-2 each, J Madden, D Power, J Malone, D Keogh, L Murphy, D Ó Dúlaing 0-1 apiece. Westmeath: D Williams 0-8 (7f), E Daly 1-0, K Regan, M Daly, D Clinton, N Mitchell 0-1 apiece.

Dublin: E Gibbons; E Moran, P Smyth, R Smith; J Madden, C Donohoe, S Gallagher; B Hayes, D Power; C Foley, R Hayes, P Crummey; C O’Sullivan, D Leavy, D Purcell. Subs: D Ó Dúlaing for Leavy (half-time), J Malone for Foley (half-time), L Murphy for Purcell (half-time), J Bellew for Madden (52), C Walsh for B Hayes (52), J Flanagan for O’Sullivan (57), D Keogh for R Hayes (57), O Gaffney for Crummey (65).

Westmeath: C Lynch; J Bermingham, J Mulkearns, C Gaffney; K Regan, D Egerton, J Gillen; P Maxwell, M Daly; E Daly, D Williams, M Cunningham; D Clinton, N Mitchell, P Clarke. Subs: R Holding for Mulkearns (Blood Sub 4-14 mins), R Holding for Mulkearns (half-time), S McGovern for Bermingham (half-time), O Loughlin for Maxwell (48), C McCarthy for Gillen (50), J Smyth for Mitchell (52), C Murphy for M Daly (60), R Keyes for Cunningham (66).

Referee: Conor Daly (Kildare).