Gaelic Games

Warren Casserly’s goal helps Westmeath shock Kilkenny

Leinster U21 HC: Offaly prove too strong for Kildare

Wed May 25 2016 - 21:58

Westmeath 1-11 Kilkenny 0-12

A 34th-minute goal by midfielder Warren Casserly propelled Westmeath’s under-21 hurlers to a sensational, but fully deserved, win against Kilkenny in their Leinster Championship quarter-final in Mullingar.

Westmeath carried the game to Kilkenny for large parts of the first half and they deserved to be more than a point (0-9 to 0-8) ahead at the break.

Within four minutes of the resumption, the home side got a great boost when Casserly poked the ball to the net from close range at the end of Killian Doyle’s delivery.

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Six minutes of injury-time was played and substitute Andrew Gaffney looked set to spoil the home supporters’ party with a last-gasp penalty, but his shot was wide of the target.

WESTMEATH: S Maher; A Cox, C Shaw, M Heeney; J Rabbitte, L Varley (0-1, free), R Gillen; W Casserly (1-0), K Doyle (0-1); N Mitchell, L Cassidy, D Egerton; J Galvin, C Doyle (0-1), D Clinton (0-8, eight frees).

Subs: D Giles for Heeney (29 mins), P Lynam for Casserly (inj, 47 mins).

KILKENNY: D Brennan; E Cody, C Delaney, H Lalor; P Lyng, J Cleere, P Deegan; C Browne, E Kenny; L Blanchfield, S Morrissey (0-2), N Mullins; B Ryan (0-3), A Murphy, J Walsh (0-6, six frees).

Subs: A Gaffney (0-1, '65') for Kenny (h/t), K Blanchfield for Murphy (49 mins), T Phelan for Mullins (59 mins).

Referee: B O'Leary (Wexford).

Offaly 5-22 Kildare 1-12

A total of 5-8 between Offaly’s Emmet Nolan and Oisin Kelly ensured a hard landing for Kildare at Newbridge.

The visitors took a blistering first-half lead with full-forward Kelly scoring two goals in the opening ten minutes. Kildare closed the gap to two points thanks to Conor Dowling’s 21st minute goal but Nolan helped Offaly to a lead at the break of 3-7 to 1-7.

The second-half saw Nolan scoring his second goal in the 45th minute with Kelly claiming his third as Offaly ran out comfortable winners.

OFFALY: E Cahill; C Taylor, D O'Toole, P Delaney; D Doughan, B Conneely, J Hardiman; D Wyer 0-1, P Guinan 0-3; J O'Toole, E Nolan 2-7 (four frees, one 65), R Hughes 0-3; A Cleary 0-1, O Kelly 3-1, D Murray 0-3 (two frees).

Subs: C Kiely 0-2 for O'Toole (37 mins), C Freeman 0-1 for Murray (44 mins), E Parlon for Hardiman (50 mins), C Cleary for Kelly (55 mins).

KILDARE: J Keane; C Crogan, C Dowling (1-2), K Maher; L Quinn, D Brereton, C Gordon; J Reeves, J Sheridan; E O'Hehir (0-1), R Casey 0-2 (one free), T Brady; C Egan (0-1), E Dempsey (0-1), B Byrne (0-5).

Subs: T Forde for Crogan (h/t), F Bass for Reeves (39 mins), M Stapleton for O'Hehir (49 mins), C Byrne for Gordon (55 mins).

Referee: K Brady (Louth)