Dessie Hutchinson of Waterford celebrates after scoring his side's fifth goal during the Allianz Hurling League Division 1B match between Westmeath and Waterford at TEG Cusack Park in Mullingar, Westmeath. Photo by Michael P Ryan/Sportsfile.
Allianz Hurling League Division 1B
Waterford 7-34 Westmeath 0-24
By Gerry Buckkley at TEG Cusack Park
Promotion-chasing Waterford proved far too strong for a weak Westmeath side in lovely conditions for hurling in Mullingar, the winners in no way flattered by their 31-point margin, with the winless home team now relegated to Division 2A for 2026.
Waterford had the aid of a strong wind in the first half, but Westmeath stayed well in touch for the opening ten minutes at the end of which they were on level terms (0-4 each), three of the home team’s points coming from Killian Doyle frees.
However, when the outstanding Stephen Bennett superbly teed up Kevin Mahony for the visitors’ first goal in the 11th minute, the signs were already ominous for Seoirse Bulfin’s charges. A second goal in the 13th minute from the stick of Patrick Curran put the Deise men 2-6 to 0-6 ahead, Jack Prendergast providing the assist on this occasion. Sandwiched between these the hard-working Mark Cunningham had seen his rasping shot come back off Billy Nolan’s crossbar at the other end.
Doyle was not as reliable as usual from placed balls for the Lake County, while Waterford were much more ruthless with chances from play and frees. They rattled over five points in a two-minute period at the start of the second quarter and further goals seemed inevitable.
They duly arrived in the 26th and 37th minutes, both courtesy of Charlie Treen (after cutting in along the endline for the first, and availing of awful Westmeath defending for the second). The contest was already well and truly settled at the interval, with Peter Queally’s troops leading by 4-21 to 0-11.
The teams equally shared six points in the opening ten minutes of the second half, but Waterford then pounced for their fifth goal when a fabulous run by Jack Prendergast teed up Dessie Hutchinson for a well-taken three-pointer. This left the winners ahead by 5-24 to 0-14.
Westmeath had only pride to play for at this juncture, but despite picking up some good points, mainly from Niall O’Brien, they never remotely looked like eating into the yawning gap between the sides. The crowd, mainly supporting the visitors, had long since fallen quiet but there was a great cheer approaching the hour mark when Austin Gleeson was introduced after taking a sabbatical from the white and blue jersey.
The Munster men wrapped up a very facile win when sub Sean Walsh scored a quickfire brace of goals within 90 seconds of his introduction. Westmeath’s woes were compounded when Mark Cunningham picked up his second yellow card on the 70-minute mark to round off a miserable afternoon.
Scorers for Waterford: S Bennett 0-10 (8f), C Treen 2-3, K Mahony 1-6, D Hutchinson 1-4, S Walsh 2-0, P Curran 1-2, J Prendergast 0-3, C Sheahan, S Bennett 0-2 each, P Fitzgerald, M Fitzgerald 0-1 each.
Scorers for Westmeath: K Doyle 0-11 (8f, 1'65'), N O'Brien 0-4, D Williams 0-3 (2f), M Cunningham, S Williams 0-2 each, D O'Reilly, E Cunneen 0-1 each.
Waterford: Billy Nolan; Seamus Fitzgerald, Conor Prunty, Ian Kenny; Gavin Fives, Mark Fitzgerald, Kieran Bennett; Kevin Mahony, Conor Sheahan; Peter Hogan, Charlie Treen, Jack Prendergast; Dessie Hutchinson, Stephen Bennett, Patrick Curran. Subs: Shane Bennett for Fives (h-t), Darragh Lyons for Hogan (40), Padraig Fitzgerald (0-01) for Treen (50), Austin Gleeson for Curran (58), Sean Walsh for Prunty (63).
Westmeath: Ciaran O’Brien; Conor Gaffney, Johnny Bermingham, Gary Greville; Adam Ennis, Robbie Greville, Eoin Keyes; Peter Clarke, Davy Glennon; David Williams, Killian Doyle, Mark Cunningham; Eamon Cunneen, Niall O’Brien, David O’Reilly. Subs: Tommy Doyle for Ennis (30), Shane Williams for G Greville (33), Niall Mitchell for Glennon (h-t), Aaron Craig for Keyes (h-t), Darragh McCormack for K Doyle (60).
Ref: Thomas Gleeson (Dublin).
