LADIES’ GAA: LIDL LADIES’ NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION 1
Jones impresses for spirited Westmeath
DUBLIN 1-8
WESTMEATH 1-3
DAIRE WALSH
DESPITE a spirited effort amidst torrential conditions at the DCU Sportsgrounds last Sunday afternoon, Westmeath fell to a third Division 1 defeat.
Following reversals to Cork and Galway during rounds three and four respectively, the Lake County outfit were seeking a return to winning ways in the top-flight.
With teenage attacker Anna Jones in fine form, they pose a number of questions for the Sky Blues – who they also face in the final of this summer’s Leinster Senior Football Championship.
Nevertheless, with the experienced duo of Carla Rowe and Noelle Healy leading the way, the league and All-Ireland champions ultimately prevailed. Westmeath displayed their intent straight from the throw-in as Annie Dolan fired agonisingly past Ciara Trant’s right-hand post.
While Dublin responded to this let-off by breaking the deadlock through Oonagh Whyte, the impressive Jones eventually raised a white flag at the opposite end.
Westmeath’s Sarah Dillon was unfortunate to see her close-range effort smothered by the retreating Dublin defence, but they also restricted their provincial rivals when they threatened to break forward.
As expected, though, Mick Bohan’s Metropolitans squeezed in front courtesy of a Carla Rowe free. When the marauding Aoife Kane was picked out in space on the right-flank, she floated the ball between the posts to double the home team’s lead.
In the absence of Footballer of the Year Sinead Aherne (who later appeared as a second-half substitute), the aforementioned Rowe was on placed-ball duties for Dublin. After converting another free on 16 minutes, she latched onto a Kane pass to register a fine score on the run.
Rowe was joined up front by Clann Mhuire compatriot Whyte – a late inclusion in the Blues’ line-up. She added a second point on the turn in the 26th-minute to leave Westmeath staring into a interval deficit of 0-1 to 0-6.
Having already made a couple of alterations in the opening period, manager Sean Finnegan also introduced Sarah Dolan on the resumption. It was a much-changed Dublin side that re-entered the fray, with Sinead Goldrick assuming her customary role in the half-back line.
Goldrick recently featured for Foxrock/Cabinteely in the All-Ireland senior club final alongside Fiona Claffey – one of Westmeath’s best performers in this contest. Even though they soon found themselves adrift (Dublin inside forward Siobhan Killeen curling between the posts), Jones’ second point on the stroke of 40 minutes significantly lifted their spirits.
Only for the outstretched fingertips of substitute netminder Rachel Fleming, the Mullingar Shamrocks ace may well have rattled the Dublin net on this occasion. Instead, the holders increased the gap to eight points with a somewhat fortuitous three-pointer.
Noelle Healy’s speculative shot looked set to climb over the woodwork, but at the final moment it drifted beyond the reach of Milltown’s Karen Walsh. Though this had all the appearance of an unassailable cushion, a resilient Westmeath fired back in determined fashion.
A successful Leanne Slevin free handed them their third point of the tie and a morale-boosting goal followed with just nine minutes remaining. Holding a numerical advantage as a result of Olwen Carey’s sin-binning, Westmeath worked the ball towards Lucy McCartan.
Her right-footed drive somehow found its way into the path of Jones and she bravely fisted home to bring the margin down to four. The game was still alive for Westmeath at this juncture – although scoring opportunities continued to come at a premium.
Dublin showed all of their experience in the dying moments, however, and Aherne slotted over a late free to get them over the line.
Westmeath’s next outing is at home on St Patrick’s Day to Mayo, managed of course by Mullingar man Peter Leahy.
Scorers – Dublin: C Rowe 0-3 (2f), N Healy 1-0, O Whyte 0-2, S Aherne (f), A Kane, S Killeen 0-1 each. Westmeath: A Jones 1-2, L Slevin 0-1 (f).
Dublin – Ciara Trant; Rachel Ruddy, Niamh Collins, Emma McDonagh; Aoife Kane, Lauren Magee, Sarah Fagan; Carla Rowe, Olwen Carey; Eabha Rutledge, Nicole Owens, Kate Sullivan; Siobhan Kileen, Noelle Healy, Oonagh Whyte.
Subs: Rachel Fleming for Trant, Orlagh Nolan for Rutledge, Niamh Hetherton for Whyte, Sinead Goldrick for Fagan (all h-t), Sinead Aherne for Sullivan (41), Ciara McGuigan for Rowe, Siobhan Woods for Collins (both 45), Niamh McEvoy for Killeen (55).
Westmeath – Karen Walsh; Rachel Dillon, Jennifer Rogers, Lucy Power; Fiona Coyle, Nick Feery, Fiona Claffey; Maud-Annie Foley, Vicky Carr; Jo-hanna Maher, Anna Jones, Lucy McCartan; Leanne Slevin, Sarah Dillon, Annie Dolan.
Subs: Karen McDermott for Maher (23), Aoife O’Malley for Carr (25), Sarah Dolan for Dillon, Maher for O’Malley (both h-t), Dillon for Dolan (39), Carr for McDermott (50), Laura Brennan for Maher (55), Ashley Ruane for Slevin (61).
Referee: Jonathan Murphy (Carlow).