Joe McDonagh Cup Round 3

WESTMEATH 2-12 KERRY 0-15

by Paul Brennan at Austin Stack Park, Tralee

A Darragh Clinton goal in the 53rd minute was the decisive score that saw Westmeath beat Kerry in Tralee this afternoon for a result that puts the Leinster county top of the Joe McDonagh Cup group after three rounds, and in pole position to reach the Final.

For Kerry, meanwhile, the defeat means they will not only have to beat Meath and Antrim on the road, but they'll also need other results to fall their way if they're to finish in the top two in the group and make the final.

Clinton's goal arrived just at the time Kerry were getting on top in what was a tense but scrappy contest under intermittent rain, which made for difficult conditions for both teams.

A brilliant sideline cut from Jack Goulding pushed Kerry 0-12 to 1-7 ahead in the 53rd minute to lift the tiny Kerry support in a small attendance, but Westmeath responded in the best possible fashion with Clinton's slipping the ball past Martin Stackpoole within seconds of Goulding's point.

That score saw Westmeath regain the lead, and in a tense finish Michael Ryan's men held on for a vital win. The final quarter was a taut affair with Westmeath missing a big amount of scoring chances while Kerry didn't help themselves either with defender Bryan Murphy sent off for a second booking, and Stackpoole gifting Allan Devine the last two scores of the game after two really poor puck-outs.

The first half was a fairly pedestrian affair played under a heavy drizzle, which made it difficult on both teams to get any real pattern or rhythm to their play going. It took almost eight minutes for Westmeath to get their first score - a Cormac Boyle point - and another two minutes before Barry O'Mahony got Kerry off the mark with a fine score.

Kerry led 0-3 to 0-1 after 14 minutes when Westmeath corner forward Niall O'Brien snaffled a point and then a goal within a minute of each other to put the visitors in front again, but neither team could break free of the other in a taut, scrappy half.

Shane Nolan scored the pick of Kerry's scores in the half when he converted after an excellent five-man Kerry move all the way of their defence, while three Devine frees kept Westmeath in contact as the Leinster men took a 1-7 to 0-8 lead to the interval.

Padraig Boyle converted two frees to get Kerry level by the 40th minute, and they were two ahead 13 minutes later, but then Clinton struck that goal to swing the momentum back Westmeath's way.

It was still level, 0-15 to 2-9, going into four minutes of added time, but Devine scored two frees and one from play to see Westmeath home and put them clear of Antrim and Carlow at the top of the table.

Scorers for Westmeath: A Devine 0-7 (6f), N O'Brien 1-2, D Clinton 1-0, C Boyle 0-1, A Clarke 0-1, J Boyle 0-1.

Scorers for Kerry: D Griffin 0-3, P Boyle 0-3 (2f), S Conway 0-3 (2f), B O'Mahony 0-2, J O'Connor 0-1, S Nolan 0-1, J Goulding 0-1 s/l, J Conway 0-1.

WESTMEATH: Paddy Carroll, Shane Power, Tommy Doyle, Gary Greville, Liam Varley, Paul Greville, Derek McNicholas, Eoin Price, Cormac Boyle, Ciaran Doyle, Robbie Greville, Aonghus Clarke, Niall O'Brien, Niall Mitchel, Allan Devine. Subs: Joey Boyle for C Boyle (blood, 22), Darragh Clinton for R Greville (50), John Gilligan for E Price (58)

KERRY: Martin Stackpoole, Sean Weir, John Buckley, Bryan Murphy, Brandon Barrett, Daniel Collins, James O'Connor, Shane Nolan, Brendan O’Leary, Dáithí Griffin, Mikey Boyle, Barry O'Mahony, Jack Goulding, Padraig Boyle, Shane Conway. **Subs: **Jordan Conway for S Nolan (48), Daniel O'Carroll for J Goulding (69)

Referee: Cathal McAllister (Cork)