Joe McDonagh Cup final: Laois 3-26 Westmeath 1-21
LAOIS turned on the style at Headquarters yesterday to capture the Joe McDonagh Cup and secure their place in next year’s Leinster Senior Hurling Championship. For Westmeath, it was agony, as the defeat meant they had lost back-to-back McDonagh Cup finals.
Despite the outcome of yesterday’s decider, both the victors and Westmeath will be in action again this weekend in the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-finals, with Laois taking on Dublin and the beaten finalists facing the daunting challenge of Cork. Both McDonagh sides will have home advantage.
Eddie Brennan’s side the momentum from yesterday will drive them on after goals from Ross King, Aaron Dunphy and Stephen Bergin guaranteed an emphatic victory.
Mark Kavanagh was also in fine form for the O'Moore county, hitting 0-12 as they racked up a score that would see them win most games. Killian Doyle was Westmeath’s star man, coming up with all but 0-10 of what they put on the scoreboard.
Westmeath were facing an uphill battle from as early as the fourth minute, when Ross King seized possession and fired to the net after a costly slip in the Westmeath defence. After nine minutes, they six to the good, with Westmeath yet to make a dent on the scoreboard.
Doyle opened the scoring for Westmeath with a converted sideline cut and finished the half on 1-7 to continue his summer scoring exploits.
Laois hit the interval with a commanding 2-11 to 1-10 lead and, while Westmeath twice got the deficit down to just two points in the second-half, that was as good as it got for them.
There were two separate bursts of four Laois points without response as Brennan's side went up through the gears and put the result beyond doubt.
MATCH STATS
LAOIS: E Rowland; L Cleere, M Whelan, D Hartnett; J Kelly, R Mullaney, P Delaney; J Lennon (0-2), P Purcell (0-1); A Dunphy (1-4), M Kavanagh (0-12, 0-5f, 0-2 65s), S Maher; W Dunphy, C Dwyer (0-2), Ross King (1-0); Subs: S Bergin (1-0) for Kavanagh (44-48), Bergin for King (48), É Lyons (0-3) for Maher (56), N Foyle (0-2) for Dwyer (58), J Phelan for Kelly (71).
WESTMEATH: C Lynch; D Egerton, T Doyle, G Greville; L Varley, A Clarke (0-2), P Greville; S Clavin (0-1), J Gilligan; J Boyle (0-1), K Doyle (1-11, 0-6f 0-1sl), C Boyle (0-1); R Greville, D Clinton, A Devine (0-1); Subs: E Price (0-1) for Gilligan (33), D McNicholas (0-1) for Clinton (h/t), C Doyle (0-2) for C Boyle (54), D O'Reilly for Devine (66), A Craig for G Greville (70).
Referee: C Cunning (Antrim).
