Kilkenny 1-23 Westmeath 1-16:FOUR JOHN Power points, plus one from Ger Aylward, helped 14-man Kilkenny battle past Westmeath and earn a place in the Walsh Cup senior hurling final.
Played in Castlecomer, it was Power’s goal 30 seconds after the restart that helped Kilkenny stretch into an 11-point lead (1-15 to 0-7).
At that stage Westmeath looked done for, but a red card for back Eamon Walsh saw the visitors take over after the 40th minute.
Working hard, scores from Brendan Murtagh, Cormac Boyle, Andrew Mitchell and Dan Carty saw Westmeath reduce arrears to just two points by the hour.
The home side retaliated with a John Power pointed free on 65 minutes, their first score in 15 minutes. It lifted the pressure, allowing Kilkenny kick on and grab four more points to edge the contest.
Fielding a development squad side, Kilkenny cut the visitors open with their fast play in the first half.
They were seven points up before Brendan Murtagh (free) got Westmeath off the mark in the 16th minute. At the break they trailed by eight – 0-14 to 0-6.
Westmeath looked dead and buried after that Power goal, but rallied following Walsh’s dismissal for a second yellow. However, when it was needed most, Kilkenny found that extra gear to book a place in the final against Galway.
KILKENNY: D Walsh; J Corcoran; E Walsh; B Kennedy; P Walsh (0-1); W Phelan; J Holden; C Buckley (0-2); D McCormack; P O’Flynn (0-2); L Harney (0-1); M Bergin (0-4); M Aylward (0-2); J Power (1-8, 0-6 frees); G Aylward (0-3). Subs: M Gaffney for P O’Flynn (half-time); C Tobin for D McCormack (46 mins); S Phelan for J Holden (46 mins); R Reid for M Aylward (56 mins).
WESTMEATH: C Scally; P Fennelly; A Price; C Jordan; D Fennell (0-1); E Price; P Gilseain; P Dowdall; C Boyle (0-1); A Mitchell (0-3, 0-1 free); F Boyle; P Greville; D Higgins; B Murtagh (1-10, 1-8 frees); J Shaw. Subs: A Dermody for D Higgins (22 mins); D Carty (0-1) for C Boyle (55 mins); J Gilligan for A Dermody (55 mins); D McCormack for P Gilseain (57 mins).
Referee: P Murphy (Carlow).
