Kildare 2-17 Westmeath 0-21
David Hyland's second half goal proved crucial as Kildare scored a rousing Leinster quarter-final win over Westmeath in Newbridge.
Playing their first home game in Leinster for 30 years in front of the gleaming new stand at Cedral St Conleth’s Park, Kildare also bridged the gap to their last home win in the province, against Offaly back in 1987.
It was an all too familiar tale for Westmeath after their League campaign which resulted in relegation to Division Two despite a number of creditable performances as they were the better side for much of this game but ended up on the wrong side of the result yet again.
They have failed to win a Championship game since their Tailteann Cup win in 2022 and they will now see out the season in that competition.
Kildare played with the wind behind them in the first half and kicked a pair of two-pointers in the first seven minutes through Brian McLoughlin and Hyland as they took a 0-5 to 0-1 lead but they played second fiddle for much of the rest of the half.
With Ray Connellan in particular lording it around the middle and Luke Loughlin rampant inside, Westmeath hit 0-4 without reply to draw level and though Ryan Sinkey and Darragh Kirwan pushed Kildare back in front, the visitors kicked five on the trot to move three clear.
Kildare presented Westmeath with numerous counter-attacking opportunities as they dropped four shots short and had another effort blocked, as well as hitting four wides in the first half, though the visitors had eight missed chances themselves, four of them from wing-back Sam McCartan.
Kildare managed to draw level coming to half-time as Alex Beirne fielded Ben McCormack’s long delivery and fired past Conor McCormack, who then presented Kildare with a goal chance from the subsequent restart though he redeemed himself by saving Kirwan’s effort.
Westmeath held their composure, however, and slotted two of the last three points of the half, with Danny McCartan’s effort after the hooter sending them in 0-12 to 1-8 in front at the break.
Loughlin hit a two-pointer on the resumption to push Westmeath three clear and they looked the most likely winners until Hyland got a hand to Ben McCormack’s point effort that was dropping short as Kildare went in front in the 51st minute - 2-11 to 0-16.
With Niall Feely coming to the fore a midfield after Connellan was forced off through injury, the Kildare crowd got behind their team and Beirne led the attack superbly as they went five in front through Callum Bolton in the 62nd minute, with Westmeath now down a man after Nigel Harte’s black card.
They piled on the pressure in the closing minutes but Kildare held them off with reasonable comfort to book a semi-final meeting with Louth or Laois next weekend.
KILDARE: C Burke; H O’Neill, M Dempsey, B Byrne; K Flynn, D Hyland (1-2, 1tp), J McGrath; K Feely, C Bolton (0-1); B McCormack (0-2), A Beirne (1-5, 0-3f), C Dalton; R Sinkey (0-2), D Kirwan (0-1), B McLoughlin (0-2, 1tp).
Subs: R Burke for O’Neill (15), T Gill (0-1) for Flynn (32), N Kelly (0-1) for McLoughlin (52), M O’Grady for Dempsey (68).
WESTMEATH: C McCormack; J Gonoud (0-1), C Dillon, D Giles; S McCartan (0-1), R Wallace, M Whittaker; R Connellan (0-1), F O’Hara; K O’Sullivan (0-1), D McCartan (0-3), N Harte; R Forde (0-2), L Loughlin (0-11, 1tp, 1tpf, 0-2f), B Cooney (0-1).
Subs: B Guerin for Connellan (38), J Lynam for D McCartan (52), E McCabe for O’Sullivan (59), B Kelly for Cooney (59), K Martin for Forde (65).
REFEREE: D Gough (Meath).
