GAA: Rebels best Westmeath

Cork and Westmeath were the only teams to enjoy NHL Division 1A action at the weekend, their game in Mullingar on Sunday ending with a 3-12 to 1-14 win for the Rebels in a tight enough contest.

Patrick Horgan netted twice from penalties and Bill Cooper scored a soft goal from distance as Cork withheld the stubborn home challenge at TEG Cusack Park.

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Cork boss Kieran Kingston said afterward, “Today’s game wasn’t going to be pretty, we knew that coming up here. We knew it was going to be a war zone and we put ourselves in a good position in the first half.

“We’re disappointed that complacency came into our game when we were seven points to one up after 20-odd minutes and left Westmeath back in. We conceded 12 frees in the first half that really put us in a difficult position at halftime.

“I thought the lads showed fantastic character in the second half to dig it out. At half-time, we regrouped. We knew we were in a battle. Normal hurling skills go out the window.

“This was just a fight. I was delighted with the character they showed in the second half, facing the breeze when we had to battle hard for the two points.”

Storm Dennis forced the postponement of the Tipperary vs. Galway and Limerick vs. Waterford games in the same division.

GAA Shorts

- Substitute Stephen Murray scored twice in the second half in Portlaoise as Cavan beat Laois by 3-10 to 1-6 in their re-arranged NFL Division 2 game on Sunday. Offaly beat Louth by 2-13 to 2-10 in Drogheda in Division 3 while Wicklow were too good for Sligo in Division 4, winning by 1-15 to 1-10 in Aughrim . 

- Cork will be without defender Kevin Crowley for the remainder of the NFL campaign after tests confirmed he fractured his shoulder in the recent Division Three win over Down.

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