Cork 3-12

Westmeath 1-14

Patrick Horgan scored 2-8 from placed balls as Cork overcame the awful conditions and a plucky Westmeath side at TEG Cusack Park for their second win in Division 1 of the Allianz Hurling League.

The Rebels put 1-40 past the same opponents in last summer's All-Ireland SHC preliminary quarter-final, but were made to work hard for their victory on this occasion. Both teams finished with 14 men after Damien Cahalane (straight red card) and Joey Boyle (second yellow) were dismissed following a 43rd minute flashpoint.

With the wind and driving rain behind them, the visitors dominated the early exchanges. Scores from Luke Meade, Conor Lehane, who retired injured after only 12 minutes, and Horgan helped them to a 0-7 to 0-1 lead after 20 minutes before the hosts finished the half strongly with three Allan Devine points and another from Joey Boyle to leave a goal in it, 0-5 to 0-8, at the break. 

Westmeath’s Conor Shaw battles with Cork's Declan Dalton. ©INPHO/Brian Reilly-Troy.

Horgan doubled the Munster side's lead from a penalty in the first minute of the second half before Devine replied with a goal directly from a '65. A Derek McNicholas point narrowed the gap before a fortuitous Bill Cooper goal with 15 minutes remaining gave Cork some leeway once again.

But Westmeath rallied with points from Devine and Aonghus Clarke to bring themselves within striking distance, 1-10 to 2-10, with 10 minutes to go.

However, a second Horgan penalty, which followed a foul on Seamus Harnedy, finally put the game beyond them.

Cork - P Collins; S O’Leary Hayes, E Cadogan, C Spillane; T O’Mahony (0-1sl), B Cooper (1-0), D Cahalane; C O’Leary, L Meade (0-1); A Walsh, S Harnedy, C Lehane (0-2); D Dalton, P Horgan (2-8, 2-0pen, 0-7f, 0-1'65), J O’Connor. Subs: S Twomey for C Lehane, R Downey for S Twomey, N O’Leary for A Walsh, B Turnbull for J O’Connor.

Westmeath - A McHugh; C Shaw, T Doyle, A Ennis; A Craig, A Clarke (0-1), L Varley; C Boyle, E Price; J Boyle (0-1), D McNicholas (0-2), R Greville; N Mitchell, A Devine (1-8, 1-0'65, 0-7f), C Doyle. Subs: D Clinton (0-2) for N Mitchell, K Doyle for C Doyle, A Cox for C Shaw, S McGovern for R Greville, B Doyle for A Ennis.

Referee - L Gordon.

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