Defending champions Kilkenny went through their paces at an easy level but there was little resistance as they got their Leinster senior hurling championship campaign off to a winning start by out-classing Westmeath this evening.
The visitors never really raised a gallop as the Cats took control from the throw-in. By the time Westmeath had Charlie McCormack black-carded following a foul on the goal-threating Adrian Mullen in the 49th minute it was already game over.
Goalkeeper Noel Conaty stood up to the challenge in that moment. He brought off a brilliant save from the well-struck penalty by TJ Reid, but with the gap already at 0-19 to 0-05 the effort meant nothing apart from it being a golden moment for the Lough Lene Gaels man.
One thing for sure, Kilkenny can expect a much hotter affair when they entertain Henry Shefflin's Galway next Sunday.
Westmeath were under pressure from the throw-in. During the opening seven minutes alone Kilkenny tapped over points by John Donnelly, Eoin Cody, the roving Adrian Mullen at the double and Timmy Clifford to set the tone for a dominant performance.
The losers lone reply came from Joseph Boyle, but they just couldn’t nail down a slick-passing and easy-moving home side. By the end of the opening 10 minutes, five Kilkenny attackers had contributed to a lead of 0-7 to 0-1, and the scoring threat was virtually all at one end.
Westmeath’s best moment of the half arrived in the 19th minute when Darragh Clinton clipped over a lovely sideline cut from 40 metres on the right. Apart from that, and a neat save by Conaty from Eoin Cody, it was hard going for the visitors, who reached half-time trailing by 0-04 to 0-17.
There was an early exchange of pointed frees between TJ. Reid and Ciarán Doyle in the opening minutes of the second half, but then normal service was resumed. The Cats pointed through Billy Ryan before the black-card incident that came about when Adrian Mullen was grounded as he threatened the visitors goal.
For a while during this half the returning TJ Reid – he hadn’t played since the All-Ireland club final in January – opened his shoulders and looked really dangerous. Reid’s return was about the best piece of news from the match for manager, Derek Lyng, who knows things will get much tougher from now on.
Kilkenny: E. Murphy; M. Butler, H. Lawlor, T. Walsh; D. Blanchfield (0-01), R. Reid, P. Walsh (0-01); D. Corcoran (0-01), P. Mullen; T. Clifford (0-01), A. Mullen (0-06), J. Donnelly (0-04); B. Ryan (0-01), T.J. Reid (0-09, three frees, two 65s), E. Cody (0-02).
Subs: C. Kenny for P. Mullen 46th min; M. Keoghan (0-02) for B. Ryan 47th min; C. Buckley for P. Walsh 55th min; N. Brennan (0-01) for A. Mullen 61st min; C. Delaney for H. Lawlor 63rd min.
Westmeath: N. Conaty; D. Egerton, C. Shaw, J. Bermingham; R. Greville, T. Doyle, A. Craig; D. Glennon, S. McGovern; S. Clavin, J. Boyle (0-01), E. Keyes; K. Regan, C. Doyle (0-04, three frees), D. Clinton (0-1).
Subs: C. McCormack for S. Clavin ht; C. Boyle for S. McGovern ht; D. McNicholas (0-01) for D. Clinton 48th min; J. Gillen for E. Keyes 56th min; G. Greville for D. Egerton 66th min.
Referee: C. Mooney (Dublin)
