Fiona Leavy in full flight for Westmeath against Roscommon last Sunday.

Late Roscommon goals break Westmeath's hearts in Athleague playoff

Roscommon: 4-7

Westmeath: 2-7

Westmeath’s senior camogie team reached the end of the road in their 2014 campaign, when they were defeated by neighbours Roscommon in a rain-soaked All- Ireland premier junior playoff at Athleague on Sunday.

Spirits were high in the Westmeath camp following a season-saving win over Dublin last week, but ultimately – and in heartbreaking fashion – two late goals from the Rossies put paid to the Lake county’s hopes of qualifying for the All-Ireland semi-final.

Sunday’s playoff didn’t start in ideal fashion for the Maroons, when Roscommon drew first blood with a goalfrom Kelley Hopkins. Dinah Loughlin pulled a point back for Westmeath, but the Rossies shot over four points on the trot to open up a six point lead by the 21st minute. Caitríona Regan, Elaine Daly and Hopkins (two, including a penalty) were the scorers.

A lull ensued, at the end of which Westmeath appeared to settle into some kind of a rhythm, and a free from Loughlin followed a first point from play for the visitors, courtesy of Denise McGrath (32 minutes).

However, the hopes of the visiting support took a dent a minute later, when Gillian Dufficy found the net for Roscommon, and although Westmeath had the last say of the half (with a point from Dinah Loughlin), the Lake county trailed 2-4 to 0-4 at the short whistle. Westmeath’s afternoon got even more dreadful after the restart, when Kelley Hopkins converted two frees for the hosts, leaving the Maroons eight points adrift. But some half time changes made by Ger Jackson and his management team began to pay dividends when sub Aisling Conaty (Lough Lene Gaels) netted for Westmeath on 35 minutes, as the Lake county girls took control of proceedings with a new-found pep in their step. They dissected the posts three times over the next ten minutes, with a decent point from castletown-Geoghegan’s Mairead Mccormack edging the girls further down the comeback trail, followed by scores from play by Denise McGrath and Dinah Loughlin (a free).

With just two points in the difference and Roscommon at sixes and sevens, Ballyboden St Enda’s and former delving star McGrath raised a green flag at the opportune moment, giving Westmeath a 2-7 to 2-6 lead with 12 minutes to go. However, the Maroons ran out of steam just when they appeared to get a second wind, and Roscommon bossed the dénouement. the Lake county had no answers to goals from Roscommon’s Elaine Daly (50) and Gillian Dufficy (59, her second), and in time added on, Annette McGeeney’s point sealed a two-goal winning margin for the Rossies, who meet down in the All-Ireland semi-final on August 24. Meanwhile, Westmeath – having put a disappointing league campaign behind them – can look forward to 2015 with their commendable All-Ireland premier junior campaign as something to build on.

Scorers

Roscommon: K Hopkins 1-4 (0-1 pen, 2f), G Dufficy 2-0, E Daly 1-1, C Regan and A Mcgeeney 0-1 each.

Westmeath: D Mcgrath 1-2, D Loughlin 0-4 (2f), A Conaty 1-0, M McCormack 0-1.

 

Roscommon: Caroline Connaughton; Carmel Killeen, Fiona Connell, Joanne Beattie; Aisling Fallon, Caitríona Morris, Patricia Lennon; Susan Spillane, Caitríona Regan; Elaine Daly, Annette Mcgeeney, Gertie Dowd; Sinead O’Brien, Gillian Dufficy, Kelley Hopkins.

Subs used: Siobhan Coyle, Laura Fleming, Niamh Conway, Edel Gately.

Westmeath: Fiona Keating; Eileen Murphy, Edel McCormack, Róisín Scally; Sarah King, Fiona Leavy, Niamh Horan; Pamela Greville, Ellen Taite; Dinah Loughlin, Mairead McCormack, Laura Hannon; Sandra Mcgrath, Denise Mcgrath, Jemma Egan Maybury.

Subs used: Aisling Conaty for Hannon (h-t), Teresa Lynch for egan Maybury (h-t),

Aisling Boyhan for Horan (48), Julie McLoughlin for S Mcgrath (48), Jena McKeogh for Murphy (55).

 Ref: Ray Kelly (Kildare).