Hat-tricks galore as Westmeath advance to final

Westmeath 11-26, Leitrim 2-2

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Westmeath supporters came back from Mullahoran GAA in Cavan last Wednesday evening having watched their side score a barely-believable 11-26 against Leitrim to book their spot in the LGFA All-Ireland Minor 'C' final.

The comprehensive victory was thanks in no small part to hat-tricks from three players - Kate Stuart Trainor, Orla Collins and Shannon Breslin - and a very polished team performance overall.

The Leinster Minor C champions wasted little time in showing their credentials with 23 first-half scores to blow Leitrim out of the water with clinical precession. The Connacht side, coming in off the back of a winless campaign in their province, were given little hope of any success by the time the clock reached double-digits in Our Lady of Lourdes Park in Mullahoran as Westmeath simply scored at will from start to finish.

Only a few minutes of the game had elapsed but already four different scorers had helped themselves to early returns. Katie Kilmurray (free), Orla Collins (2-1), and Kate Stuart Trainor (1-2) ensured that the Westmeath girls were going for the jugular.

The Lake County were already putting on a show and before Kevin Corcoran’s watch hit 20 minutes, Westmeath's scoring tally had already reached 5-7. Kilmurray’s first goal ended a great team move before Rachel O’Sullivan’s double of points and Shannon Breslin’s green flag meant their place in the final was all but assured.

Leitrim, to their credit, did not capitulate entirely and fought on against the unenviable odds. A nervy couple of minutes for Westmeath allowed the O’Rourke County to get off the mark. Saoirse Davis at full-forward found the net with a neat finish after she had pointed just before.

With Leitrim struggling and down to14 players (Zara Collins in the sin bin), Westmeath simply put the foot down further and rifled in more goals. Kilmurray and Stuart Trainor hit 1-2 each before Breslin and Collins (completing her hat-trick goal) goals meant that it was Westmeath 9-14 to Leitrim’s 1-1 at half-time.

The second-half continued in a similar vein with Leitrim turning their tally of 1-1 into a final total of 2-2 thanks to a Siofra Mooney point early in the half, while Katie Brown just got the better of Keira Kelly in the Westmeath goals with a late penalty.

For Westmeath, the scores just continued. Aoibhinn Berry, Kilmurray, Breslin, and Stuart-Trainor all pointed in under six minutes of the half before Breslin’s goal brought Westmeath up to ten on the three-point column.

Quick hands, accurate passing, and pacey runs continued right to the end for the victors as substitutes Elizabeth Carey (two) and Niamh Farrell all registered points off the bench.

There was still enough time at the end for Kate Stuart Trainor to complete her hat-trick after Collins and Breslin had already done so. Number 26, Andrea Goggins, hit point number 26 in the dying seconds as Westmeath now look forward to a meeting with Waterford in the final after they overcame Armagh by one point in a tense affair.

The final between Westmeath and Waterford will take place on Saturday, July 26 in Baltinglass GAA, Co. Wicklow (throw-in 2.30pm).

Scorers – Westmeath: K Stuart Trainor 3-6, O Collins 3-2, S Breslin 3-1, K Kilmurray 2-6 (3f), A Keegan, S O’Sullivan, R Murphy, E Carey 0-2 each, A Berry, N Farrell, A Goggins 0-1 each. Leitrim: S Davis 1-1, K Brown 1-0 pen, S Mooney 0-1.

Westmeath: Keira Kelly; Rebecca Ward, Lucy Brogan, Áine Bracken; Aoibhinn Berry, Muireann Donohue, Orla Collins; Charlotte Butler-Clyne, Aoife Keegan; Sarah O’Sullivan, Rachel Murphy, Kate Stuart-Trainor; Grace Shortall, Shannon Breslin, Katie Kilmurray. Subs used: Katie Hogg for Ward (h-t), Lucy Allen for O’Sullivan (h-t), Elizabeth Carey for Collins (h-t), Niamh Farrell for Shortall (42 mins), Andrea Goggins for Kilmurray (47).

Leitrim: Loren Scott; Amy Malone, Clara Fee, Kayla Faughnan; Ellen McGowan, Ceoilín Byrne, Órla McWeeney; Aoibhe Charles, Síofra Mooney; Zara Cronin, Megan Rooney, Katie Brown; Emma Fox, Saoirse Davis, Éabha McCartin. Subs used: Maria Faughnan for McCartin (h-t), Lauren Cox for McWeeney (37 mins), Sarah Gray for Fox (42), Lauren Fee for Davis (42), Niamh Mahon for K Faughnan (47).

Referee: Kevin Corcoran (Mayo).