Spectre of relegation looming for Westmeath

Tipperary 3-8, Westmeath 0-8

By Paul Hughes

A disappointing defeat to Tipperary in Dovida Lakepoint Park last Sunday afternoon means that the spectre of relegation looms large over Westmeath ladies ahead of their final do-or-die Division 2 games against Mayo and table-toppers Cavan.

A well-drilled Tipp outfit won by three goals as Westmeath failed to click on the day, not helped by a chaotic breeze and an outstanding performance from the opposition goalkeeper, Lauren Fitzpatrick.

The Premier County played into the teeth of the breeze in the first half but still led 1-6 to 0-2 at the short whistle, buoyed by an early goal from Heather Spillane and Fitzpatrick’s heroics against Anna Jones at the opposite end.

Further goals from Anna Rose Kennedy and Lauren Fitzpatrick early in the second half killed off the contest, and although Westmeath went outscore their opponents 0-6 to 0-1 in the final third of the game, during this time, Tipp were more focused on emptying their bench.

Mercifully for Frank Browne’s Lake County charges, Monaghan lost to Cavan at the weekend and lie just one point ahead of them in the league standings, but the Maroons will need results to go their way in the coming weeks if they are to avoid the drop.

The writing was on the wall after four minutes when Tipp raced into a 1-1 to nil lead. Niamh Martin opened the scoring with a point before Clara English teed up Spillane to net with a dipping shot. Both scores came about after some nice, patient build-up that epitomised Tipperary’s approach to the game.

With six minutes gone Westmeath responded when some lovely football from Lucy McCartan and Anna Jones led to Sarah Dillon beating two defenders and dividing the posts.

Scarcely a minute later, Rebecca Higgins was held back en route to goal and Jones cut Tipp’s lead in half with the resultant free.

Though doing the simple things well, Tipp only managed two scores over the next 20 minutes, courtesy of Emma Morrissey and Lauren Cunningham (the latter after a neat one-two with Spillane) but at the other end, Westmeath struggled to make inroads.

Their best chance came on 14 minutes after Lucy McCartan, with a beautifully flighted ball, picked out Anna Jones at the far post but Tipperary netminder Lauren Fitzpatrick was alive to the danger and kept Jones’ effort at bay.

The cross-field breeze was surely a factor as McCartan (a free) and Dillon subsequently missed scoreable opportunities for the hosts. On 22 minutes, Fitzpatrick denied Jones again after the Mullingar Shamrocks forward got a touch when Sarah Dillon’s attempt at a point fell short.

In the dying embers of the half, Cunningham and English came to the fore for the Premier County. The latter, now operating on the inside line, cut in from the right corner after a precision ball from Niamh Martin to drive the ball over the bar and on the stroke of 30 minutes, Cunningham added her second point to make it 1-5 to 0-2.

Lauren Fitzpatrick was called into action again in stoppage time when a swift Westmeath move involving Philippa Ruane and Sarah Dillon ended with Vicky Carr getting a shot at goal, but the Tipp stopper was equal to it.

Tipperary ended the half with another score when English, again drifting in from the right, was set up by Lily Maher to fire over and leave seven between the sides at the break.

Westmeath almost had the ideal start to the second half when Tracey Dillon set Ashley Ruane through on goal, but the Loughnavalley star fizzed a powerful shot just wide of the post.

Normal service from Tipp resumed shortly afterwards when English added her third point and then, on 34 minutes, Westmeath’s task became even more daunting when Anna Rose Kennedy knocked down a free from Emma Morrissey before sweeping the loose ball to the net with her right boot.

Back came the Maroons for another raid, this time with even more urgency, and a speculative soccer-style shot from Sarah Dillon pinged off a defender and fell kindly for Anna Jones, who turned her marker and went for goal. At full stretch, Fitzpatrick came to the rescue again for Tipp and pushed the shot away.

Then, with 37 minutes gone, Tipperary effectively killed off the game. With Westmeath all at sea defensively, Lily Maher won the ball with her back to goal and although she couldn’t get a shot away, she shipped to the unmarked Lauren Cunningham, who smashed to the net.

The visitors, now 14 points clear, took their collective foot off the gas and spent much of the next 25 minutes introducing ten subs. Westmeath gradually improved and hit five points in a row, but the flurry of goals needed to panic Tipperary never materialised.

Lucy McCartan, who never stopped battling, finished off a solo run with a fine point on 38 minutes, and by the 50th minute the Maroons had taken some of the dirty look off the scoreline, trailing 3-7 to 0-7 after scores from Ashley Ruane (a fine effort after some patient approach play), Anna Jones (two frees) and Sarah Dillon (after a quick move).

The hosts had some hope of finally raising a green flag in the 52nd minute, when Vicky Carr found Sarah Dillon lurking around the parallelogram but, again, Tipp’s Lauren Fitzpatrick sprang from her line and snuffed out the danger.

The Maroons had the last say in stoppage time when an excellent score from sub Sinéad Seery cancelled out an earlier free from Tipperary’s Anna Carey. They will hope for better fortune at home to Mayo on March 22.

Scorers - Tipperary: L Cunningham 1-2, C English 0-3, H Spillane and A R Kennedy 1-0 each, N Martin, E Morrissey and A Carey (free) 0-1 each. Westmeath: A Jones 0-3f, S Dillon 0-2, L McCartan, A Ruane and S Seery 0-1 each.

Tipperary: Lauren Fitzpatrick; Tara Hoare, Maria Curley, Emma Cronin; Niamh Martin, Nora Martin, Sarah English; Laura Morrissey, Clara English; Angela McGuigan, Anna Rose Kennedy (capt.), Heather Spillane; Lauren Cunningham, Lily Maher, Emma Morrissey. Subs used: Katelyn Downey for S English (h-t), Aoibhe O’Shea for McGuigan (40), Shona Lang for Niamh Martin (42), Emma Buckley for Kennedy (45), Anna Carey for E Morrissey (49), Éabha Hogan for Cunningham (52), Nicole Shelly for C English (58), Áine O’Dwyer for L Morrissey (59), Izzy Carr for Maher (60+1), Kate Cashman for Spillane (60+3), Ava Ryan for Hoare (60+3).

Westmeath: Aoife Temple; Holly Keenan, Tracey Dillon, Lara McCartan; Chloe Kelly Gonoud, Fiona Coyle (capt.), Sandra McWade; Caoimhe Kilmurray, Ashley Ruane; Vicky Carr, Lucy McCartan, Niamh Mullarkey; Rebecca Higgins, Sarah Dillon, Anna Jones. Subs used: Philippa Ruane for McWade (29), Sinéad Seery for Mullarkey (h-t), Aoife Keegan for Higgins (42), Maisie Currams for Kelly Gonoud (58), Lisa Seery for S Dillon (58).

Referee: Ray McBride (Dublin).