Senior Hurlers Pick Up First Leinster Championship Win With Victory Over Westmeath

DUBLIN 2-23 

WESTMEATH 1-14 

Dublin registered their first win of this year’s Leinster Senior Hurling Championship when accounting for Westmeath by twelve points at Parnell Park on Saturday evening.

After drawing with Antrim a week previously, Dublin took their time to find their stride but a Dónal Burke goal towards the end of the first half and a Cian Boland major midway through the second-half were enough to maintain Dublin’s unbeaten start.

Despite Paul Crummey opening the scoring for the hosts, it was the visitors that landed the first significant body blow in the 2^nd minute as Niall Mitchell was in the right place at the right time to fire past Seán Brennan.

Ciaran Doyle added a point soon after and he proved the contest’s most influential figure in the opening quarter, adding a further point from play and three frees as Westmeath enjoyed the brighter start.

Dublin stayed in touch through points by Mark Grogan, Crummey, Chris O’Leary and Conor Burke but still faced a four-point deficit by the end of the first quarter following a Kevin Regan score.

It was at this point that Dónal Burke began to exert an influence on the scoreboard with his two scores from placed balls sandwiching an excellent second score by centre-back Conor Burke as Dublin edged to a point behind.

Davy Glennon replied for the visitors in the 27^th minute but it proved their final score of the half as two further frees by Dónal Burke helped restore parity by the 34^th minute.

The hosts finished the half on a high and they found the Westmeath net a minute approaching the interval as Cian O’Sullivan’s intelligent pass was deftly controlled by Dónal Burke, who rattled home as emphatically as his finish in Corrigan Park against Antrim.

A Danny Sutcliffe point ensued with the Dubs in a far healthier position by the break, leading by 1-11 to 1-7. 

Conor Donohue and Dónal Burke strengthened Dublin’s hand with scores in the opening three minutes of the half but Doyle ensured that his side would wither as he landed a trio of scores on the bounce, two coming from open play.

Dublin responded with three successive scores of their own, two Dónal Burke frees and a fine Daire Gray effort before Doyle tagged on his ninth point of the day to leave five points between the sides.

However, Dublin reaffirmed their dominance with a second goal in the 52^nd minute as O’Sullivan once again turned provider, releasing Boland for a sublime finish to the roof of the net, easing Dublin nerves in the process.

The contest petered out somewhat from that point although substitute Alex Considine caught the eye with two tidy points upon his introduction while Boland added a brace of points of his own to complete a satisfactory evening’s work for Dublin.

Scorers - Dublin: D Burke 1-9 (0-9f), C Boland 1-2, C Burke, P Crummey, D Sutcliffe, A Considine 0-2 each, C O‘Leary, M Grogan, C Donohoe, D Gray 0-1 each. Westmeath: C Doyle 0-9 (5f), N Mitchell 1-0, E Keyes 0-2, K Regan, D Glennon, J Bermingham 0-1 each.

Dublin: S Brennan; P Doyle, E O’Donnell, P Smyth; C Donohoe, C Burke, D Gray; M Grogan, C O’Leary; C Boland, D Burke, D Sutcliffe; R Hayes, P Crummey, C O’Sullivan. Subs: S Currie for Crummey (50), A Considine for Hayes (50), D Power for Grogan (62), J Bellew for O’Donnell (64), F Whitely for Sutcliffe (66).

Westmeath: N Conaty; T Doyle, C Shaw, D Egerton; J Bermingham, J Galvin, A Craig; R Greville, J G Greville; C McCormack, D Glennon, J Boyle; C Doyle, N Mitchell, K Regan. Subs: N O’Brien for G Greville (half-time), E Keyes for Boyle (43), D McNicholas for Regan (53), C Boyle for Galvin (61), D Clinton for Mitchell (65).

Referee: S Hynes (Galway).