Kerry have too much firepower for Lake ladies

Kerry 1-15 Westmeath 0-10 Four weeks after the Westmeath men's team exited the All-Ireland senior championship at the hands of Kerry, the same fate befell the Lake County's ladies at Nenagh last Saturday. On this occasion, however, there were no hard luck stories from a Westmeath perspective - something which is clearly indicated by the scoreline. In truth, despite their valiant efforts, Westmeath just couldn't cope with the pace and firepower of Kerry. On a very blustery day in North Tipperary, Kerry were backed by the elements in the first half and they built up a half-time lead of 0-14 to 0-5. Westmeath did manage to cut the deficit to seven points (0-15 to 0-8) by the 40th minute, but that was as close as they got in the second half. The goal the maroon and whites needed to fuel a comeback never arrived, and Kerry always looked capable of stepping up a gear when necessary. In mitigation, Westmeath were without the services of several key players from the team which memorably won the All-Ireland intermediate title last year. From the team which started against Cavan in last year's All-Ireland final replay, Westmeath were missing eight players. Indeed, an eye catching statistic is that the entire defence from last year's final was not involved on Saturday. The absence of wholehearted centre half-back Jenny Rogers was keenly felt, and Kerry players continually surged through the Westmeath defence like fleet-footed gazelles on open grass plains. Alan Mangan's charges produced a highly commendable display in their Leinster championship defeat to Meath on July 1. Having been granted a bye in the draw for the qualifiers, the Westmeath ladies then found themselves pitted against defeated Munster finalists Kerry. It looked a tall order, and so it proved. Kerry might be perceived as a lesser force at present than elite teams like All-Ireland champions Cork and Monaghan - they lost the Munster final to the Rebels - but they still represented a considerable step-up in class for Westmeath. There were two changes from the listed Westmeath starting fifteen, with Aileen Martin and Carole Finch replaced by Carol Butler (Moate) and Joyce Kearney. Westmeath's hopes of staying in contention were undermined by two bad early wides, including a close range free by Emma Morris. Kerry's Louise Ni Mhuircheartaigh who finished with 0-10 - opened the scoring with a third-minute point and soon added another. Points followed from Lorraine Scanlon (two) and Deirdre Corridan to give the Kingdom a 0-5 to 0-0 lead by the ninth minute. The midlanders opened their account on 10 minutes with a pointed free by Maud Annie Foley. Moments later, Johanna Maher had a goal chance but blasted over for a point. However, it was merely temporary respite as the Munster side landed four points on the trot to go seven clear. Outstanding midfielder Bernie Breen started this sequence, using the strong wind to great effect with a fine point from long range. Kerry No. 8 Lorraine Scanlon was being deployed at full-forward and she showed her fielding prowess to lay on a point for pacy wing-forward Sarah Houlihan. Ni Mhuircheartaigh and Corridan then raised white flags in splendid fashion. The likes of Kelly Boyce-Jordan, Johanna Maher, Fiona Claffey, Laura Walsh and Elaine Finn were trying hard to lift Westmeath. And a well-worked move involving Karen Hegarty, Maher and Finn led to a free-in on 18 minutes. Maud Annie Foley's free hit the upright, but Laura Walsh was alert to the rebound and the Glasson native set up Emma Morris for a badly needed score. With the ball-carrying ability of wing-forward Louise Galvin to the fore, William O'Sullivan's side responded with a brace of points. Both were scored by Ni Mhuircheartaigh, the first a free, and the second could have been a goal but Westmeath 'keeper Christine Warburton did well to tip her rasping shot over. At the other end, a perceptive pass by Claffey set up Finn, and the latter fisted over when there was a hint of a goal chance. A couple of sweet points by Houlihan increased Kerry's lead (0-13 to 0-4), before Foley boosted Westmeath with a fine score. But Houlihan had the last word in the scoring stakes in the first half with a point which restored Kerry's nine-point lead. Could wind-assisted Westmeath launch a comeback in the second half? But, in a deflating reprise of what happened earlier, Westmeath began the second period by missing a close-range free, with Foley the player off target this time. After Breen found the range (her shot clipping the post on the way), Maher earned a free which was pointed by Morris. Westmeath followed this with points from Finn (after a forceful solo run) and another Morris free. However, Kerry reacted to Westmeath's nascent comeback with a string of points, Ni Mhuircheartaigh (two, one free), Corridan and Breen the players on target. As Westmeath sought the goal they badly needed, Kerry 'keeper Edel Murphy had to be vigilant to get to the ball ahead of Maher; Hegarty managed to send over a point in ensuing play. A trio of points, two from Ni Mhuircheartaigh and one from Emma Sherwood, then saw Kerry go 0-22 to 0-9 in front. Westmeath's last score came from a Foley free, but Kerry embellished their victory with an unanswered 1-3 in the last few minutes. Ni Mhuircheartaigh, Scanlon and Breen scored the points, and Scanlon grabbed the game's only goal in injury time with a clinical finish. Both teams had a player yellow-carded and therefore sent to the sin bin in stoppage time - Johanna Maher for Westmeath and Emma Sherwood for Kerry. But it mattered little at that stage, as Kerry advanced to an All-Ireland quarter-final clash with Dublin. Scorers - Kerry: L. Ni Mhuircheartaigh 0-10 (3f); L. Scanlon 1-3; B. Breen and S. Houlihan 0-4 each; D. Corridan 0-3; E. Sherwood 0-1 Westmeath: M.A. Foley (2f) and E. Morris (2f) 0-3 each; E. Finn 0-2; J. Maher and K. Hegarty 0-1 each. Kerry: Edel Murphy; Cait Lynch, Aisling Leonard, Aoife Lyons; Julie Brosnan, Aislinn Desmond, Caroline Kelly; Lorraine Scanlon, Bernie Breen; Sarah Houlihan, Emma Sherwood, Louise Galvin; Megan O'Connell, Deirdre Corridan, Louise Ni Mhuircheartaigh. Subs: Patrice Dennehy for O'Connell; Maria Quirke for Houlihan; Gina Crowley for Lyons; Sarah Jane Joy for Galvin; Cassandra Buckley for Brosnan. Westmeath: Christine Warburton; Carol Butler, Joyce Kearney, Aoife Brady; Kelly Boyce-Jordan, Karen McDermott, Tara Fagan; Maud Annie Foley, Ruth Kearney; Johanna Maher, Elaine Finn, Fiona Claffey; Karen Hegarty, Laura Walsh, Emma Morris. Subs: Ciara Blundell for Butler; Ruth Daniels for Morris; Beth Maguire for Hegarty. Referee: Shaun Dunne.