Limerick earn hard-fought win over Westmeath in Allianz Hurling League:
By John Keogh Limerick Leader Sports
LIMERICK made it two from two in the Allianz Hurling League following a 1-20 to 0-17 victory over Westmeath in Cusack Park, Mullingar this afternoon.
John Kiely’s men had to work extremely hard with the game in the balance until Donnacha Ó Dálaigh’s goal seven minutes from time finally giving them breathing space.
The Monaleen youngster scored 1-4 in another excellent display that followed up his 0-7 scoring haul that he picked up in the win over Antrim last time out.
Limerick had a superb chance to get a goal in the opening 30 seconds when a slick team move opened up the Westmeath defence but Graeme Mulcahy’s shot cannoned off the crossbar and away from danger.
Westmeath opened the scoring through a David Williams free but Limerick were soon back on level terms when David Reidy hit the target after good work from Cathal O’Neill.
Williams then sent an effort from play, before landing his second free of the half that saw Westmeath into a 0-3 to 0-1 advantage with seven minutes played.
Limerick came back into the game with a strike from Graeme Mulcahy after he was set up by Kilmallock clubmate Micheál Houlihan.
Seamus Flanagan then levelled the scores for a second time, finishing with a point following good link play by Donnacha Ó Dálaigh and Darragh O’Donovan.
Williams and Houlihan traded scores and Limerick then took the lead for a first time when Ó Dálaigh put them 0-5 to 0-4 up after 16 minutes.
Williams continued to be Westmeath’s chief scorer with his fifth of the half to level once more but strikes from Houlihan and O’Dalaigh saw Limerick go two ahead for the first time.
However, two Williams frees had the game tied up for a fifth time by the half hour and then a Shane McGovern effort from play had the home side in front once again.
Williams then put two in the game once more but points courtesy of Darragh O’Donovan and Ó Dálaigh saw the scores squared up at 0-9 apiece at half time.
A fine Niall Mitchell point for Westmeath opened the second half scoring but Limerick responded with a fine strike from Cathal O’Neill after good work from Tom Morrissey and Diarmaid Byrnes.
Williams and Houlihan added a point each from frees but two quickfire strikes from David O’Reilly and Joseph Boyle saw Westmeath 0-13 to 0-11 ahead after 48 mins.
Houlihan’s second free of the afternoon made it a one point contest moments later but Boyle restored Westmeath’s lead to two with a fine score from play. However, the game was soon squared up for a ninth time thanks to excellent efforts by Gearóid Hegarty and Ó Dálaigh.
Limerick then went into a two point lead themselves after a straightforward Morrissey free and a sublime Reidy strike from distance. That saw them 0-16 to 0-14 head with 10 to play.
The game was then put beyond doubt when a superb Morrissey run opened up the Westmeath defence and Ó Dálaigh fired into the roof of the net to give Limerick a five point advantage.
Williams immediately got Westmeath back on track with his 10th of the game and Mitchell then had a goal chance to put one in it but fired over.
Limerick finished the game strongly with Mark Quinlan and Paddy O’Donovan landing fine scores after being sprung from the bench. Morrissey and Conor Boylan then added late points to give Limerick a six-point winning margin.
SCORERS – LIMERICK: Donnacha Ó Dálaigh 1-4, Micheál Houlihan 0-4 (0-2 frees), David Reidy and Tom Morrissey (0-1 free) 0-2 each, Graeme Mulcahy, Seamus Flanagan, Darragh O’Donovan, Cathal O’Neill, Gearóid Hegarty, Mark Quinlan, Paddy O’Donovan and Conor Boylan 0-1 each.
3SCORERS – WESTMEATH: David Williams 0-10 (0-9 frees), Niall Mitchell and Joe Boyle 0-2 each, Shane McGovern, David O’Reilly and Ciaran Doyle 0-1 each.
LIMERICK: David McCarthy; Barry Nash, Emmet McEvoy, Aaron Costello; Diarmaid Byrnes, David Reidy, Darragh Langan; Barry Murphy, Darragh O’Donovan; Micheál Houlihan, Cathal O’Neill, Tom Morrissey; Donnacha Ó Dálaigh, Seamus Flanagan, Graeme Mulcahy;
SUBS: Gearóid Hegarty for Houlihan (51 mins), Conor Boylan for O’Neill (51 mins), Mark Quinlan for Langan (57 mins), Paddy O’Donovan for Mulcahy (60 mins), Ronan Connolly for O’Donovan (64 mins).
WESTMEATH: Noel Conaty; Darragh Egerton, Johnny Bermingham, Connor Gaffney; Jack Gillen, Kevin Regan, Cormac Boyle; Michael Daly, Shane McGovern; Owen McCabe, Darragh Clinton, David O’Reilly, Niall Mitchell, Eoin Keyes, David Williams;
SUBS: Tommy Doyle for C Boyle (3 mins, inj), Peter Clarke for Daly (25 mins), Joseph Boyle for McCabe (47 mins), Ciaran Doyle for Clinton (60 mins), Mark Cunningham for Keyes (66 mins).
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REFEREE: Colum Cunning (Antrim).