GAA: Mitchell the saviour as Westmeath beat Kildare

Westmeath 1-14, Kildare 1-10 (full-time)

Andrew Mitchell emerged as his side's saviour as he finished with a personal tally of 1-08 to send Kildare crashing out of the Guinness Leinster Senior Hurling Championship at Mullingar.

Kildare may have finished the first-half four points in front but Westmeath and Mitchell in particular sprang to life in the second thirty-five minutes to completely control the game.

Westmeath had something special up their sleeve in Mitchell as he baffled the visitors defence with his clinical finishing.

A pity the crowd was small for both sides contributed to seventy minutes of frenetic hurling even if the skill levels may not have been what one would have expected from senior championship hurling.

Both sides were concerned that defeat would see them slip out of the championship race just four months into the new year.

This was particularly evident in the early play as both sides showed a great degree of hesitancy in their play, as the early exchanges were riddled with mistakes.

The absence of quality was particularly evident, but still the game was played at lively pace, once the players settled after that initial opening 15-minute spell.

Westmeath were controlling the outfield play through the fine midfield hurling of John Brennan, in the process stopping their rivals from getting enough quality ball to do the damage.

The Kildare inside forwards huffed and puffed but were creating little impression on the Westmeath full-back line in which Brendan Murtagh was outstanding.

Despite having the assistance of the strong wind, the Kildare inside attack was devoid of ideas with most of the damage coming from their wing forwards, Tony Spain and Joe Dempsey.

As wind-assisted Kildare shot three wides in as many minutes it was the home side who raced into a two point lead through Andrew Mitchell from a free and Ollie Devine. Kildare had to wait until the seventh minute for their opening score from the impressive Tony Spain.

This score seemed to settle Kildare who added four successive points through Conal Boran, Tom Carew, Joe Dempsey and Spain once again to lead 0-5 to 0-2 after just 20 minutes.

Back came Westmeath for an Andrew Mitchell point which was responded to by the visitors centre-forward Colm Buggy. But two superb points from Andrew Mitchell left the minimum separating the sides, 0-6 to 0-5 after 28 minutes.

Inspirational Tony Spain increased his sides lead with a point. Then came a further piece of Spain magic when a superb cross field ball picked out John Ryan, who in turn placed Joe Dempsey and the wing-forward finished superbly with a low drive to the bottom corner of the net just four minutes before the break.

While Westmeath finished with an Andrew Mitchell pointed free it was Kildare who held a four point interval lead, 1-7 to 0-6.

Wind-assisted Westmeath were finding it difficult to create an impression on the home sides defence as first corner-forward Barry Kennedy had a weak effort saved by keeper Patrick Ryan, with the Lilywhites keeper once again coming to his sides rescue in the 40th minute as he tipped a high Alfie Devine effort on to the crossbar before eventually been cleared to safety.

The home side eventually broke the deadlock in the forty-second minute through a well-struck Vincent Bateman point to leave just three points separating the sides.

Barry Kennedy eventually sprang to life with a lovely point off the left wing three minutes later. When a Brendan Murtagh pointed 65 one minute later left the minimum separating the sides, 1-07 to 0-09, the game very much hung in the balance.

After an Andrew Mitchell 50th minute point had brought the sides level the Kildare response was swift as Tommy Carew restored their lead through a pointed free almost immediately. Kildare were dealt a cruel blow when they had full-back John Brennan harshly sent off for a second yellow card offence, with Andrew Mitchell pointing the resulting free to bring the sides level with 16 minutes remaining.

The closing 16 minutes belonged to Mitchell as he first pointed his side in front before crashing a 45-metre free to the net past a startled Patrick Ryan with 12 minutes remaining. From there to the finish it was Westmeath who remained in control to qualify for a second round meeting with Dublin