West fail to impress

A THOMAS Caldwell goal just after the hour mark settled a game that was unbelievably ordinary as West United advanced to the Third Round of the Umbro FAI Junior Cup. At South Park on Saturday the top two in the Premier League went head to head and there were expectations of a compelling contest.However it seemed fear took over and it turned out to be a game that nobody seemed to want to lose rather that one side going all out to win it. Without a shadow of doubt West have a squad that is the envy of other sides in the local game and, to acknowledge those talents, they were the better side here. But they laboured against a Hibs side that is woefully short of talent and, in fairness, they are having a difficult time with injuries.The one shining light from this game was the performance of Hibs central defender Stephen Walsh. A product of the club’s Youth system the 18 year old was absolutely outstanding throughout. His pace and covering extricated his side out of a number of difficult situations, while his aerial prowess was a match for anyone on the park. Facing the might of Mats O’Malley, Dara Ryan, and Simon Murray didn’t faze him in the slightest and it was a treat to witness such an accomplished performance.Missing the likes of .....