February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
By Pierce O’Reilly
Limerick 2-8, Westmeath 1-6
The decision to play senior hurling games at Van Cortlandt Park will have to be discussed in the future following the pitch conditions for this keenly contested clash between close rivals Limerick and Westmeath. The bumpy surface and Van Cortlandt is unsuitable to the silk skills that were evident on Saturday and it’s a disgrace that the top hurlers in New York have to play on the secondary field.
Limerick are still rebuilding for the championship and with several new faces on show it was difficult to assess their progress. Westmeath have struggled to compete with the top two teams in the last few years and Tom Nugent and Co. are eager to rectify the problems. Limerick, with Donal Fitzgibbon at center back, were rampant in the first half and dominated proceeding from the whistle. Westmeath, playing without several regulars, seemed a little off the pace and were guilty of some wayward shooting before the interval. In the second half Dalton and Costello upped their game and Westmeath finally played some exciting hurling. Limerick, however, had too many aces in front of goal and when Cagney hit the net for two opportunist goals they were home and dry.