Connaughton points Westmeath to victory
Westmeath 1-13, Laois 1-1
Five points from play from Raharney’s Saoirse Connaughton helped Westmeath U15s to a comfortable victory over Laois in the All-Ireland U15 Championship Round 3 clash in Joristown last Saturday.
From the off, the home side were on top and were it not for a fine double-save from Laois goalkeeper Hollie Grehan it could have been goals for Westmeath in the opening minutes.
It did take six minutes for the maroon to get their first point and it was Connaughton who took her score well from distance after Muireann Lawlor and Seana Williams had combined in midfield.
By the twentieth minute it was Westmeath who were well ahead in the possession stakes and had three points on the board – a second for Connaughton and a pinpoint 45 from Lawlor.
After several fierce tussles for the sliotar across the pitch, Lawlor got herself a second. Orla Egerton found Sionainn McCormack who teed up Amelia McCabe and when her effort was swept off the line by Laois’ Amy Troy, the recycled possession found Lawlor who chipped over.
Approaching the break, a rare Laois attack was thwarted by Ellie O’Donnell. Her pass then found Sky McCormack before another foul was committed, this time on Emily Farrelly. Amelia McCabe made it 0-5 to 0-0 and the half-time whistle went.
Playing with the aid of the breeze in the second-half, Westmeath wasted no time in putting the result beyond any doubt. McCabe saw her effort saved before Caoilfhinn Bray was on hand to bury the rebound low to the Laois net in the 33rd minute.
Four more points were quick to follow from Lawlor, Connaughton (two), and Sionainn McCormack (free) as Westmeath looked to hit the target with every chance. Laois, to their credit, were never throwing in the towel and found 1-1 of their own soon after.
A 45 from Sarah-Jane Walsh sailed into the net over the heads of everyone in the danger-zone before Shona Bergin hit their only score from play.
Despite a plethora of wides, Westmeath had enough time in the final few minutes to tag on another four points. Connaughton began the mini run with her fifth of the day before wing-back, Maisie Daly, fired over off her left to get her name, very deservedly, on the scoreboard.
Amelia McCabe hit the target under pressure before the last action saw Muireann Lawlor point a free.
The final whistle meant that Westmeath finish their series of group games with two victories and one last-minute loss to Armagh and now head into the knockout stages in the coming weeks.
Scorers – Westmeath: S Connaughton 0-5, M Lawlor 0-4 (1f, 1 45’), C Bray 1-0, A McCabe 0-2, M Daly, S McCormack (f) 0-1 each. Laois: S-J Walsh 1-0 (45’), S Bergin 0-1.
Westmeath: Arwen Briody; Hannah Burke, Clodagh Gallagher, Kiera Coplen; Maisie Daly, Sky McCormack, Orla Egerton; Muireann Lawlor, Seana Williams; Amelia McCabe, Sionainn McCormack, Saoirse Connaughton; Emily Farrelly, Abbie Harte, Lily Tyrrell. Subs used: Ellie O’Donnell, Niamh Bowen, Caoilfhinn Bray, Nicole Morgan.
Laois: Hollie Grehan; Ruby Delaney, Amy Troy, Rachel Bennett; Grace O’Shaughnessy, Clodagh Geoghegan, Faye Challoner; Lucy Mulhall, Kate Ryan; Shona Bergin, Sarah Louise Phelan, Lauren Fitzpatrick; Sophia Redmond, Sarah-Jane Walsh, Cara Daly. Subs used: Grace Headen, Emma Glennon, Emma Walsh, Charlie Mortimer, Aileen Challoner, Rose Bergin, Katie O’Shea, Faye Scully, Kayla Phelan.
Referee: John Williams (Lough Lene Gaels).