Gaelic Games

Tipperary take advantage of late own goal to hold off Westmeath’s whirlwind finish

Home side led by 14 points with 19 minutes to go at Semple Stadium before Westmeath rallied

Cathal Quinn of Tipperary in action against Johnny Bermingham and Tommy Doyle of Westmeath during the Allianz Hurling League Division 1B game at FBD Semple Stadium in Thurles. Photograph: Natasha Barton/Inpho
Cathal Quinn of Tipperary in action against Johnny Bermingham and Tommy Doyle of Westmeath during the Allianz Hurling League Division 1B game at FBD Semple Stadium in Thurles. Photograph: Natasha Barton/Inpho
Stephen Barry at FBD Semple Stadium
Sat Feb 24 2024 - 18:52
AHL Division 1B: Tipperary 3-25 Westmeath 2-21

A stoppage-time own goal from goalkeeper Noel Conaty saw Tipperary survive a late scare against Westmeath and move closer to a place in the Allianz Hurling League semi-finals.

Two Mark Kehoe goals in the space of a minute put Tipp on course for their third win on the spin before he was withdrawn at half-time due to a knock.

They led by 14 points with 19 minutes remaining but Westmeath created havoc with long balls in the second half.

Niall Mitchell was the target and David Williams the major beneficiary, scoring 2-12 and seeing a penalty saved by Rhys Shelly.

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They closed the gap to four entering two added minutes before Conaty spilled the ball into his own net under pressure after saving from Jason Forde.

Forde landed 0-12 (11 frees) while Conor Stakelum contributed 0-6 from play in front of 1,962 fans at Semple Stadium.

Conaty somehow denied Cathal Quinn a debut goal but he was beaten twice by a pair of fine Kehoe finishes when teed up by Andrew Ormond and Stakelum to leave Tipp leading 2-12 to 0-10 at half-time.

Stakelum had five points after the break which equalled the impact of the Westmeath subs bench, but as Mitchell caused panic, Williams whipped a loose ball to the net in the 53rd minute.

Within a minute, they had a penalty to bring it back to a seven-point game. Barry Heffernan wrestled Mitchell to the turf but he was bailed out by Shelly, who turned Williams’s strike around the post.

The gap was still 10 with four minutes remaining when Westmeath drilled 1-3, Mitchell laying off a long delivery to Williams for the goal.

But amid a goalmouth scramble at the other end, Patrick Maher forced Conaty into his error to seal a seven-point win.

TIPPERARY: R Shelly; Johnny Ryan, B Heffernan, D Kelly; D McCormack, B McGrath, S Kennedy; N McGrath (0-3), C Quinn (0-1); S Hayes (0-1), J Forde (0-12, 0-11 frees), C Stakelum (0-6); A Ormond, B Seymour, M Kehoe (2-1).

Subs: P Maher for Kehoe (h-t), J Fogarty for Seymour, C O’Dwyer for Ormond (both 53 mins), J Campion (0-1) for Quinn (60), E Heffernan for B Heffernan (64).

WESTMEATH: N Conaty (1-0, own goal); C Gaffney, J Bermingham, K Regan; J Gillen, D Egerton, T Doyle (0-1); S McGovern, P Clarke (0-1); J Boyle (0-1), N Mitchell (0-1), D Williams (2-12, 0-7 frees, 0-2 65s); D Clinton, O McCabe, E Keyes.

Subs: C Doyle (0-1) for Keyes, D O’Reilly (0-2) for Clinton (both h-t), A Craig for Gillen, R Greville for McGovern (both 47 mins), K Doyle (0-2, one free) for McCabe (58).

Referee: S Cleere (Kilkenny).

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