Relegation problems loom as Laois goals defeat Westmeath

Laois 4-18, Westmeath 1-19

By Gerry Buckley

Westmeath’s senior hurlers are now in very real danger of relegation from Division 1B of the National League after a wasteful and error-ridden display saw them lose out by an eight-point margin on a heavy surface in TEG Cusack Park last Sunday to Laois, who like their hosts had come into the game pointless after two matches.

There is no disguising that this was a step back after the promise shown the previous weekend against Dublin. Yes, the loss of injured defensive talisman Tommy ‘Jogger’ Doyle was immense, but the concession of very preventable goals and the spurning of a plethora of chances from scoreable frees are burdens that no team can afford. In addition, the losers had an extra man for the last half an hour, but they took no advantage of this on the all-important scoreboard.

Overall, given the recent form shown to date by the Lake County’s remaining three opponents – and with two of the matches away – it would be a brave man who would predict that Seoirse Bulfin’s troops will avoid being one of the two relegated sides come the end of March.

Westmeath had whatever aid was accruing from the wind blowing towards the Dunnes Stores end of the ground, but it was Laois who were profligate in the early stages. The home team went on to lead by 0-2 to 0-1 after eight minutes, both of their scores coming from frees by David Williams, either side of a well-worked point from Patrick Purcell. Untypically, Williams went on to miss several scoreable frees as the half progressed. Laois took the lead in the ninth minute when a long run from Aidan Corby teed up Mark Dowling for a well-taken goal from close range.

Four unanswered points restored the home team’s advantage courtesy of Peter Clarke, Eamon Cunneen, Shane Williams and Mark Cunningham, but Laois quickly responded with three points of their own – a Jordan Walshe point at the end of a counterattack, followed by two successful PJ Scully frees – to edge ahead by 1-4 to 0-6. The margin increased to four points when David Dooley made the most of sloppy Westmeath play to set up Scully for a fine goal in the 23rd minute. Purcell added a great angled point in the next passage of play.

Despite racking up more misses, Westmeath still had slightly the better of the final 13 minutes of the half (including one minute of injury-time), outscoring their opponents by three points (two Williams frees and a great individual score from Eoin Keyes) to one (a neat effort by Jer Quinlan). However, Laois still led by 2-6 to 0-9 at the break.

Corby opened his account in fine style from long range some 90 seconds after play resumed, and it got even better for Tommy Fitzgerald’s troops just two minutes later when Scully whipped the sliotar to the net at the end of a long free taken by new goalkeeper Cathal Dunne, who deputised impressively for long-standing and highly-rated netminder Enda Rowland. Again, the goal might have been prevented.

Sub Darragh Clinton (a great score) and Clarke (doubling his tally) pointed, but the O’Moore County men responded with points from Walshe and Dooley. Laois now led by 3-9 to 0-11 and looked well in control, but PJ Scully got his marching orders in the 44th minute for an off-the-ball incident. Buoyed by this, the men in maroon and white came right back into contention a minute later when sub Niall O’Brien whipped the ball past Dunne, after the latter had initially pulled off a great save from David Williams.

Within a minute of his introduction – clearly for free-taking duties in Scully’s absence – Aaron Dunphy converted a placed ball and Corby doubled his haul, moments after Westmeath ought to have scored at the other end. Robbie Greville pointed for the home team, but a blunder from goalie Jack Gillen gifted Laois their fourth goal in the 51st minute, Quinlan the scorer on this occasion.

Laois now led by 4-11 to 1-12, but – to their credit – Westmeath rallied by scoring six points without reply by the hour mark – three from Williams (including his only score from play), two from Cunningham, and one from Clinton.

The gap was now just two points, but the winners made little of their numerical disadvantage in the closing stages as Westmeath’s difficulties converting frees continued. Just one more point via a Williams free was added to their total, while Laois tagged on seven courtesy of Aaron Dunphy (four frees), fellow-subs Willie Dunphy (two from play) and Tomás Keyes (a great solo effort deep into added-time).

Scorers – Laois: PJ Scully 2-2 (0-2f), A Dunphy 0-5 (5f), J Quinlan 1-1, M Dowling 1-0, W Dunphy, J Walshe, A Corby, P Purcell 0-2 each, D Dooley, T Keyes 0-1 each.

Westmeath: D Williams 0-8 (7f), N O’Brien 1-0, M Cunningham 0-3, P Clarke, D Clinton 0-2 each, S Williams, E Cunneen, R Greville, E Keyes 0-1 each.

Laois: Cathal Dunne; Padraic Dunne, Lee Cleere, Donnchadh Hartnett; Fiachra C Fennell, Cody Comerford, Jordan Walshe; Aidan Corby, Patrick Purcell; David Dooley, PJ Scully, Eanna Lyons; Jer Quinlan, Charles Dwyer, Mark Dowling. Subs: Aaron Dunphy for Dowling (47), John Lennon for Corby (53), Tomás Keyes for Lyons (53), Willie Dunphy for Dwyer (56).

Westmeath: Jack Gillen; Conor Gaffney, Johnny Bermingham, Gary Greville; Shane Williams, Aaron Craig, Eoin Keyes; Peter Clarke, Eamon Cunneen; Robbie Greville, David Williams, Mark Cunningham; David O’Reilly, Darragh McCormack, Niall Mitchell. Subs: Niall O’Brien for Cunneen (h-t), Darragh Clinton for McCormack (h-t), Davy Glennon for Mitchell (47), Joey Boyle for Craig (52), Rory Keyes for Clarke (69).

Ref: Colum Cunning (Antrim).