Kerry and Westmeath couldn’t be separated in their Allianz Hurling League Division 2 encounter in Austin Stack Park, while Laois made it two wins from two with a routine victory over Derry in Portlaoise.
Making their first start of the campaign after a bye-week in Round 1, Westmeath began well with three opening points but were hit with two first-half goals, Tom Doyle and Ronan Walsh finding the net in the first half to leave Kerry 2-05 to 0-07 ahead at the break.
Kerry enjoyed a very heavy win away to Derry last week and led for most of the game here against their erstwhile promotion rivals.
They held onto a three-point lead as the game entered the closing stretch, however a brace of points from Killian Doyle and an equaliser deep in injury-time from Eamonn Cunneen salvaged a draw for Westmeath, 2-11 to 0-17 the final score.
It was considerably less dramatic in O’Moore Park, Laois backing up their eye-wateringly large victory over Mayo (6-23 to 0-12) with a more humdrum 10-point win at home to Derry.
Aaron Dunphy hit 0-12 overall as the home side ran out easy winners, Derry undermined by Thomas Brady’s first-half red card. Laois slackened off a touch after that but cantered home on a 0-25 to 0-15 scoreline.
Two of Sunday’s three Division 2 games ended up in draws, with Mayo snatching a point against London in Ruislip. Cormac Phillips hit a second-half goal as the visitors struck the last three points to earn a draw on a 0-19 to 1-16 scoreline.
In the day’s sole Division 3 game, Wicklow found the going especially easy against Armagh, goals from Seanie Germaine and Padraig Doyle the highlights as they sauntered to a 2-26 to 0-10 win.