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Brian Hanley will be glad to see the back of the 2014 season. Presseye/John McIlwaine/INPHO

Westmeath beat Kildare to secure 2015 Liam MacCarthy Cup spot

Christy Ring Cup champions Kildare couldn’t match last weekend’s result.

Westmeath 2-22

Kildare 2-13

KILDARE WERE UNABLE to match the heroics of last weekend’s first ever Christy Ring Cup win as Westmeath ran out nine point winners in their All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship playoff in Cusack Park, Mullingar this afternoon.

Westmeath already had a notable win over Kildare this season, their victory relegating the Lilywhites from Division IIA while ensuring they stayed up.

However, it was Kildare who made the better start to the game when, after six minutes, Bernard Deay cut inside on the 30 metre line, drove on and buried the sliotar in the back of Peter Collins’ net.

Three minutes later, the Lilywhites’ lead was six points when Gerry Keegan scored their second maximum to make it 2-4 to 0-4 inside ten minutes.

However, the home side worked their way back into the game and Niall O’Brien’s free made it five points in a row for Westmeath as they levelled the game on 25 minutes.

The men from the Lake County made their decisive move when Derek McNicolas scored 1-1 in the minute before half-time to give Westmeath a 1-13 to 2-7 half-time lead.

It was Brian Hanley’s players who kicked on in the second half, restricting Kildare to just six points before Alan Devine scored their second goal with the final play of the game to run out nine point winners and keep Westmeath in the Liam MacCarthy Cup in 2015.

Subs and scorers to follow.

KILDARE: Paul Dermody; John Doran, Fiachra Ó Muineachain, Niall Ó Muineachain (C); David Harney, Mark Moloney, Richie Hoban; Eanna Ó Neill, Martin Fitzgerald; Willie Greene, Paul Divilly, Bernard Deay; Gerry Keegan, Tony Murphy, Mark Delaney.

WESTMEATH: Peter Collins; Kieran Dunkin, Tommy Doyle, Liam Varley; Gary Greville, Aaron Craig, Philip Gilsenan; Philip Reilly, Eoin Price (c); Robbie Grenville, Alan Dunne, Davy Gavin; Aonghus Clarke, Derek McNicholas, Niall O’Brien.

Referee: John Keenan (Wicklow).

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Author
Steve O'Rourke
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