Gaelic Games

TJ Reid returns to Kilkenny line-up as they blitz Westmeath in opener

Cats’ failure to score a goal the only negative as they open defence of Leinster title

Westmeath's Johnny Bermingham and Timmy Clifford of Kilkenny in action during the Leinster SHC round one game at UPMC Nowlan Park. Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho
Westmeath's Johnny Bermingham and Timmy Clifford of Kilkenny in action during the Leinster SHC round one game at UPMC Nowlan Park. Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho
Robert Cribbin at UPMC Nowlan Park
Sat Apr 22 2023 - 20:23

Kilkenny 0-29 Westmeath 0-7

Kilkenny opened up the defence of their Leinster Championship title with a commanding 22-point victory over a disappointing Westmeath side at a dreary UPMC Nowlan Park on Saturday evening.

Kilkenny manager Derek Lyng welcomed TJ Reid into the Cats starting side for the first time since last July’s All-Ireland final defeat to Limerick and he finished top scorer in what was an otherwise uneventful affair.

As expected the Cats proved much too classy for their Westmeath counterparts and they won pulling up in the end.

Kilkenny led for the entirety of the contest and had 11 players on the scoresheet as they overwhelmed a Westmeath side that only scored four points from play over the course of the 70-plus minutes.

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While Derek Lyng will have been content with the victory, he would have been slightly irritated that his side failed to find the net. In some ways that looked a foregone conclusion when Adrian Mullen was brought down for a black card offence to Westmeath sub Charlie McCormack, but despite striking the penalty well Reid had his effort well saved by Noel Conaty.

All Kilkenny eyes will now be on a meeting with Galway next weekend whereas Westmeath will aim to bounce back with a trip to Parnell Park to take on Dublin.

KILKENNY: E Murphy; M Butler, H Lawlor, T Walsh; D Blanchfield (0-1), R Reid, P Walsh (0-1); D Corcoran (0-1), P Mullen; T Clifford (0-1), A Mullen (0-6), J Donnelly (0-4); B Ryan (0-1), TJ Reid (0-9, three frees, two 65s), E Cody (0-2).

Subs: C Kenny for P Mullen (46 mins); M Keoghan (0-2) for Ryan (47); C Buckley for P Walsh (56); N Brennan (0-1) for A Mullen (61); C Delaney for Lawlor (64).

WESTMEATH: N Conaty; D Egerton, C Shaw, J Bermingham; R Greville, T Doyle, A Craig; D Glennon, S McGovern; S Clavin, J Boyle (0-1), E Keyes; K Regan, C Doyle (0-4, two frees), D Clinton (0-1).

Subs: C Boyle for McGovern, C McCormack for Clavin (both h-t); D McNicholas (0-1) for Clinton (48); J Gillen for Keyes (56); Gary Greville for Egerton (67).

Referee: C Mooney (Dublin).