Westmeath fade after bright start against Mayo

A totally-committed Westmeath ladies minor football side, who were unable to build on an early five-point advantage, lost out to a better-balanced Mayo team in the splendid Sean O'Heslins ground in Ballinamore on Saturday afternoon last in the All-Ireland 'A' shield final. Peter Leahy's troops raced into a 1-2 to 0-0 lead by the seventh minute, albeit aided by a very soft goal, but it was the girls in green and red who dominated most of the remainder of the game. The conversion of a needlessly-conceded penalty deep into first-half injury-time proved to be a body blow to the losers and the Connaught representatives went on to comprehensively outscore the Lake County by 1-8 to 0-1 in the second moiety for a fully-deserved victory. While the day itself was quite pleasant, the recent rain made for slippery underfoot conditions and it took both sets of girls some time to adjust. However, overall, the game was an outstanding spectacle from start to finish. Westmeath got off to a dream start when an innocuous shot from wing back Kelly Boyce Jordan from 35 metres deceived Elaine Murphy for a gift goal after less than three minutes. Points soon followed from Ciara Blundell (rounding off a lovely move) and Megan Brick (from a 25-metre free) to put the underdogs five points to the good. However, by the midpoint of the half, the westerners had settled and were on level terms. Their slick attacking sextet began to put together eye-catching moves and team captain Carol Hegarty showed the way with an 11th-minute point. Hegarty and Avril Kikelly then combined for Ciara Carroll to poke home a goal from close range and, in the 14th minute, the ever-dangerous Leona Ryder started the move which ended with a fine equalising point from Sinead Cafferky. A whopping 14 scoreless minutes followed, with Westmeath's Bronagh Beglan unlucky to see her free-kick come back off the upright, before the same player chipped in with a brace of points (the second from a free). With the ladies' game meticulously stopping the clock for all injuries, however minor, it was inevitable that a large amount of added-time would be needed. In the fourth of the seven minutes played, Mayo took the lead when Avril Kilkelly superbly despatched a penalty to the net, after she had been fouled by Westmeath netminder Christine Warburton, who initially seemed to have the situation under control having done well to hold Sinead Cafferky's delivery. This left the scoreboard at half-time reading: Mayo 2-2 Westmeath 1-4. Megan Brick levelled the contest within a minute of the restart when she converted a free, for what seemed a harmless challenge. However, the losers failed to score for the remainder of the game, despite no shortage of effort from all concerned. The cause of the girls in maroon and white was certainly not helped when Kelly Boyce Jordan was 'sin-binned' for ten minutes and Paul Jordan's troops took full advantage. Sandwiched between two converted frees from Avril Kilkelly, Sinead Cafferky almost got in for a second Mayo goal. The latter outstanding player made amends with two great points within a minute and her half-forward colleague Carol Hegarty all bar wrapped up the game in the 20th minute of the half when she buried the ball in the Westmeath net, after Avril Kilkelly's 40-metre shot rebounded off the post. The winners could easily have been awarded a second penalty, but hard-working substitute Aileen Gilroy put eight points between the sides with four minutes of normal time remaining with a neat point from 25 metres. Mayo rounded off the contest with three further points from the boots of Carol Hegarty, Sinead Cafferky (a free) and Avril Kilkelly. A late, late 'sin-binning' of Carol Hegarty was of no consequence. Mayo: Elaine Murphy; Emma Lowther, Mary Naughton, Linda Walsh; Ciara Hanahoe, Amy Bell, Grace Kelly; Clodagh McManamon, Ciara McManamon; Carol Hegarty (capt) (1-2), Sinead Cafferky (0-4, 0-1 from a free), Tracey Hall; Avril Kilkelly (1-3, 1-0 from a pen, 0-2 from frees), Leona Ryder, Ciara Carroll (1-0). Subs: Aileen Gilroy (0-1) (for Kelly, 26 mins), Rebecca Conway (for Carroll, 44 mins), Amy Hopkins (for Hall, inj, 53 mins), Aine Charlton (for Walsh, 59 mins), Mary Catherine Walsh (for Ryder, 60 + 2 mins). Westmeath: Christine Warburton; Avril Corbett, Aoife Brady (capt), Ciara Brannock; Kelly Boyce Jordan (1-0), Teanna Watts, Katie Dunne; Aoife O'Brien, Karen Hegarty; Bronagh Beglan (0-2, 0-1 from a free), Megan Brick (0-2, both from frees), Ciara Blundell (0-1); Nicole Feery, Sheila Kelly, Ciara Scally. Subs: Laura Kiernan (for Feery, 42 mins), Sinead Boyce (for Brannock, 60 +2 mins), Meadbh Flynn (for Watts, 60 + 2 mins). Referee: Terence McShea (Donegal).