Westmeath cruise to emphatic first-round victory
Westmeath 7-13, Wicklow 0-4
By Shane King
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Wicklow’s Charlotte Doyle and Westmeath’s Eilen Mulvaney compete for the ball in Sunday’s minor camogie clash at Lakepoint Park, Mullingar. Pics John McCauley. JOHN_MC_CAULEYImage 2 of 8
Wicklow's Aoibhinn Hartley puts pressure on Westmeath's Maggie Bartley . JOHN_MC_CAULEYImage 3 of 8
Wicklow's Lucy Doyle attempts to stop Westmeath's Abbie McCauley. JOHN_MC_CAULEYImage 4 of 8
Westmeath's Ruth Hynes scores a great point as Wicklow's Lucy Byrne puts in a tackle. JOHN_MC_CAULEYImage 5 of 8
Westmeath's Eleanor Corcoran gets away from Wicklow's Ruby Horan. JOHN_MC_CAULEYImage 6 of 8
Wicklow’s Maya O’Driscoll attempts to stop Westmeath’s Roisin Connaughton. JOHN_MC_CAULEYImage 7 of 8
Wicklow’s Laoise Doran moves in to challenge Westmeath’s Rachel Molloy. JOHN_MC_CAULEYImage 8 of 8
Westmeath’s Rebecca Ward comes in for a high challenge by Wicklow’s Lucy Byrne. JOHN_MC_CAULEYThe Westmeath camogie minor team delivered a commanding performance to power their way to an emphatic victory in the opening round of the All-Ireland Minor ‘B’ Camogie Championship last Sunday. In a contest that packed four seasons into the space of an hour, from lashing hailstones to welcome bursts of sunshine, one element never wavered: Westmeath’s complete control.
Played on the 3G pitch at St Loman’s, Jim Bob Baker’s side established their dominance early and never loosened their grip. Clinical finishing from Róisín Connaughton, coupled with the attacking threat of Ruth Hynes and Rebecca Ward, helped build a formidable 16-point cushion by the interval.
Though the weather deteriorated after the restart and the tempo dipped slightly, Westmeath’s control never wavered. A brace of goals, including a hat-trick from Rachel Molloy, kept the scoreboard ticking over. Ellen Mulvaney and Erin O’Faoláin worked tirelessly around midfield to limit Wicklow to a single second-half point, sealing an emphatic and thoroughly deserved opening round win.
Westmeath made a blistering start, registering 2-7 without reply inside the opening 20 minutes. Connaughton set the tone with a point from play followed by a converted ’45, before Ruth Hynes added another neat effort. Rebecca Ward then struck for the game’s first goal with a well-taken finish to the net.
Connaughton continued to dictate matters from placed balls and open play, adding a further free before exchanging points with Hynes and Ward. She then raised a green flag of her own, finishing confidently before converting another free to leave it 2-7 to no score and firmly in Westmeath’s control.
Wicklow eventually opened their account in the 21st minute through a Leah Keogh free, but the response was immediate. Ellen Mulvaney landed an excellent long-range free sailing between the posts, while Katie Muldoon added another point to restore momentum.
The hosts stretched their advantage further when Eleanor Corcoran found the net following good approach work by Erin O’Faoláin, with Ward also adding to her tally. Wicklow midfielder Charlotte Doyle struck twice, once from play and once from a placed ball, but at the interval Westmeath were in complete command on a scoreline of 3-10 to 0-3.
The second half began in difficult, wintry conditions, with heavy rain affecting the early exchanges. However, Westmeath quickly reasserted themselves when Rachel Molloy reacted sharply to a breaking ball in the square to fire home her first goal of the afternoon.
Katie McDonnell added a pointed free, while Kayla Kennedy combined cleverly with Molloy to create another goal chance that was clinically dispatched. Mulvaney also chipped in with a well-taken point to keep clear daylight between the sides.
Defensively, Westmeath remained resolute throughout. Grace Murtagh marshalled the back line impressively, while Laura Jane Doyle delivered an assured performance between the posts. The strong defence kept Wicklow to a single second-half score that arrived in the 56th minute courtesy of a Charlotte Doyle free.
Molloy completed her hat-trick with two further opportunistic finishes as the game drew to a close, and Kennedy rounded off the scoring with a smart point from play. In the end, Westmeath ran out 30-point winners, an emphatic statement of intent as they look ahead to the next round with confidence.
Scorers - Westmeath: R Connaughton 1-4 (2f, 1 ‘45), R Molloy 3-0, R Ward 1-2, K Kennedy 1-1, E Corcoran 1-0, R Hynes 0-2, E Mulvaney 0-2 (1f), K McDonnell 0-1 (1f), K Muldoon 0-1.
Wicklow: C Doyle 0-3 (2f), L Keogh 0-1 (1f).
Westmeath: Laura Jane Doyle; Aoife O’Connor, Grace Murtagh, Rachel McDonnell; Annabel Hynes, Katie Muldoon, Maggie Bartley; Ellen Mulvaney, Erin O’Faoláin; Rebecca Ward, Ruth Hynes, Roisín Connaughton; Abbie McCauley, Rachel Molloy, Eleanor Corcoran. Subs: Katie McDonnell for McCauley (HT), Claire Loughrey for R McDonnell (HT), Sara Shaw for O’Connor (35), Kayla Kennedy for Connaughton (38), Grace Doyle for Hynes (42), Jennifer O’Neill for Corcoran (42), Anjali Gopalakrishnan for Hynes (48).
Wicklow: Holly Byrne; Dearbhla Kinsella, Laoise Doran, Maya O’Driscoll; Aoibhinn Hartley, Lucy Byrne, Ruby Horan; Charlotte Doyle, Helen Winterbotham; Meabh Molloy, Karen O’Brien, Maria Roche; Anna Cullen, Leah Keogh, Hannah O’Neill. Subs: Erin Byrne for Roche (35), Áine Goggin for Horan (50), Megan Kelly for O’Driscoll (50), Caoimhe Jackson for Keogh (50), Amy Davis for E Byrne (55), Bethany Chard for O’Neill (55).
Referee: Nadine Murphy (Dublin).