Goals key as Cork edge Westmeath to extend winning-run
GOAL-GETTER: Shane Kingston of Cork in action against Darragh Egerton of Westmeath. Pic: Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile
It was a case of job done for Cork in round 3 of the Division 1 Allianz HL (Group A) at a chilly Páirc Uí Chaoimh, whilst they also moved a step closer to securing a place in the knockout stage with three wins from three.
The six-point victory secured on a day when the home side wore a special jersey in support of Cork ARC Cancer Support House.
As the league begins to take shape, and Pat Ryan moves closer to his first championship as senior manager, competition for places is hotting up. Once again, he continued to rotate his team making eight changes from their impressive win over Galway.
One late change included Tommy O’Connell replacing the injured Sean O’Leary-Hayes in a re-arranged defence and Ciarán Joyce added to the substitute bench. There was also one alteration on the Westmeath team with Johnny Bermingham coming in for Adam Ennis, and numerous positional switches.
Even if they weren’t overly convincing, Cork led from pillar to post with both goals arriving in the first-half from Shane Kingston and Shane Barrett.
Killian Doyle, meanwhile, provided superb leadership for Westmeath until he was forced off injured late on.
The wind blew straight down the field into the city end, and Cork made use of it from the word go when Shane Kingston sprinted through for a goal in the third minute after he collected from an Ethan Twomey delivery.
They moved 1-6 to 0-1 ahead by the 10th minute.
Kingston was in for a second goal but a smart block by Westmeath goalkeeper Noel Conaty denied him.
Westmeath captain Killian Doyle kept their hopes alive through play and frees.
The gap closed 1-9 to 0-6, but another surge from the Rebels led to their second goal in the 27th minute when Shane Barrett rattled the net after he was set-up by Brian Hayes.
Hayes was one of four starters from county champions St Finbarr’s, along with Ben Cunningham, Ethan Twomey and Conor Cahalane - Cunningham and Twomey making their league debuts.
At the end of the half, Cork had done enough to lead by 2-11 to 0-10, with six different scorers, including wing-back Cormac O’Brien.
By the 50th minute, Westmeath to their credit, had cut the deficit to five points, 2-14 to 0-15.
Substitute Padraig Power had the best chance of a Cork goal but Conaty was alert. While Westmeath went toe-to-toe with their opponents for the closing quarter, the Rebels held on for victory.
Cork are at home to Wexford in a fortnight, and away to Clare a week later.
It doesn’t get any easier for winless Westmeath, Joe Fortune’s side are at home to Limerick and away to Galway for their final group games.
S Kingston (1-7, 0-5 frees), S Barrett (1-2), C Cahalane (0-3), P Power and B Hayes (0-2 each), C O’Brien, E Twomey, B Cunningham, C Cormac and T O’Connell (0-1 each).
K Doyle (0-13, 0-10 frees), C Doyle (frees) and J Galvin (0-1 sl) (0-2 each), R Greville, S McGovern, D Glennon and D Clinton (free) (0-1 each).
P Collins; E Roche, N O’Leary (Capt), G Millerick; C O’Brien, T O’Connell, D O’Leary; S Quirke, E Twomey; B Cunningham, L Meade, C Cahalane; S Kingston, B Hayes, S Barrett.
E Downey for G Millerick (half-time), C Cormack for D O’Leary (45), P Power for B Cunningham (49), D Connery for S Quirke (60), C Walsh for S Barrett (67).
N Conaty; C Shaw, T Doyle, D Egerton; J Galvin, R Greville, J Bermingham; S Clavin, S McGovern; K Regan, D Glennon, O McCabe; P Clarke, K Doyle (Capt), J Boyle.
J Gillen for J Boyle (35 to half-time bs), E Keyes for P Clarke (46), D Clinton for S Clavin (56), A Ennis for K Doyle (60 inj), C Doyle for C Shaw (60 inj), G Greville for J Bermingham (70).
Michael Kennedy (Tipperary).
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