Powerful Armagh put Lake County ladies to sword

A second-half rout from ruthless Armagh brought a frustrating end to an otherwise laudable campaign by Westmeath's senior camogie side, as the Orchard ladies claimed the Nancy Murray Cup in Sunday's All-Ireland junior 'A' final replay at Donaghmore/Ashbourne.After a game and a half of dogged resistance, Westmeath finally gave way to a powerful Ulster outfit, leaving manager, Noel Boyce and his charges rueful of missed opportunities in the first outing.The Maroons were the better team in Sunday's first half, and although holding their opponents 2-3 to 1-6 at half time, Armagh approached the second moiety with all guns blazing.Making most noise for the Orchard were the attacking troika of Colette McSorley, Michelle McGuigan and Bríd O'Hagan, who terrorised Westmeath's nervous defence in a second half in which the Lakesiders, to their credit, never surrendered.After conceding an early goal and losing key forward, Lorraine Leavy to a nasty leg injury, Westmeath were on the back foot from the get-go.The worst possible start came in the second minute, when Armagh's Ciara Donnelly swept a loose ball into the back of the Westmeath net, after the Maroons' full back line failed to deal with a dead ball from McSorley.Leavy's injury followed, but the Lakesiders stayed focused and almost drew level, when Sandra Greville shot just wide after latching on to a free from Dinah Loughlin.Loughlin converted two frees, but a Bríd O'Hagan pointed maintained a two-point gap.But on 17, some good attacking play from Westmeath paid off. A shot at the posts from Nadina Grace bounced back off the frame of the goal, and her Lough Lene Gaels clubmate, Catríona Murtagh, pounced for what was at the time a crucial goal.Another Gaels stalwart, Joanne Walsh - who had a wonderful first half - then played a superb pass to Sandra Greville, who shot over the bar to make it 1-3 to 1-1.Westmeath weren't coasting, but they certainly enjoyed the better of the exchanges, albeit while giving away one free too many.On 21, Colette McSorley reminded them just how much of a threat she could be, converting one such free with aplomb from the sideline. Katie O'Brien equalised a minute later, signalling the Orchard's intentions from play.But on 24, a second Westmeath goal followed. It was another Loughlin free, this time fortuitously making its way into the Armagh net, and Noel Boyce's troops were in front once again.The Maroons deserved to lead at the break. They could have added to their score on two occasions, but for interventions from Armagh full-back, Ann McGuigan, who threw herself at pucks from Loughlin and Denise McGrath.But in the remaining minutes of the first half (lengthened by the Leavy injury), Westmeath surrendered their lead, thanks to a second point from O'Hagan, and two more (including one from play) from the exemplary McSorley.OptimisticWestmeath had plenty of reason to be optimistic in the second half. It was a dull, misty but breezeless day at the superb Ashbourne grounds, so there was no question of either side deriving any advantage from the elements.But the Lakesiders simply ran out of steam, and Armagh helped themselves.They moved ahead on 32 thanks to the hurl of Katie O'Brien, as the Orchard marauders laid siege to Westmeath's rattled back six.Michelle McGuigan, who was anonymous in the first half, suddenly sprung to life for Armagh, making regular sorties into the opposing defence. On one occasion, Westmeath captain Aisling Conaty was booked for a robust challenge on the tricky corner forward.Four further unanswered points (Joanne Mallon, McGuigan, a penalty from McSorley and a delightful score from captain, Bernie Murray) left five between the sides, and 43 minutes had elapsed before Muireann Scally responded with a point for Westmeath.Still the Lakesiders fought, with Pamela Greville coming close. But no sooner had her shot travelled wide than Armagh had the sliotar in the opposing net. Again, it was the tormentor-in-chief, McSorley who swung the axe, with the Westmeath defence in chaos. The Maroons never took advantage of a brief lull after Armagh's second goal, and another free from Loughlin was all they could muster before the third, killer strike.It came after a breathtaking move that epitomised the Ulster side's class. Michelle McGuigan played a key role, playing the final ball to McSorley, whose rocket-like finish was a goal worthy of any occasion.McGuigan added a point seconds later, and at 3-12 to 2-5, it was curtains for Westmeath's challenge.There was, however, still time to take the gloss off an Armagh win. Tireless Armagh full-back, Ann McGuigan received a yellow card on the stroke of sixty minutes. Pamela Greville stepped up for the resulting free, which she duly crashed to the net (the Raharney star walloped a penalty off the crossbar moments later).Deep into stoppage time, a fine point from Armagh's Andrea McAlinden rubber-stamped an eight point victory for the Orchard, and captain Bernie Murray claimed the Nancy Murray Cup from Joan O'Flynn, president of the Camogie Association.Scorers - Armagh: C McSorley 2-4 (0-2 frees, 0-1 pen), C Donnelly 1-0, B O'Hagan, K O'Brien and M McGuigan 0-2 each, J Mallon, B Murray and A McAlinden 0-1 each. Westmeath: D Loughlin 1-3 (frees), C Murtagh and P Greville (free) 1-0 each, S Greville and M Scally 0-1 each.Armagh - Bronagh Moen; Clare McKinley, Ann McGuigan, Caoimhe McKenna; Paula Mallon, Joanne Mallon, Gráinne Kelly; Laura Brunton, Niamh McGeown; Bríd O'Hagan, Bernie Murray (capt.), Katie O'Brien; Michelle McGuigan, Colette McSorley, Ciara Donnelly. Subs used: Emma Farrell for P Mallon (49), Andrea McAlinden for J Mallon (51), Petrina Cosgrove for M McGuigan (60 + 3).Westmeath - Fiona Keating; Laura Hannon, Jemma Egan, Emma Martin; Liz Shaw, Aisling Conaty (capt.), Dinah Loughlin; Nadina Grace, Denise McGrath; Joanne Walsh, Pamela Greville, Lorraine Leavy; Muireann Scally, Sandra Greville, Catríona Murtagh. Subs used: Aoife Higgins for Leavy (inj., 6), Sarah King for E Martin (39), Louise O'Connor for Scally (44), Emer Clarke for S Greville (53). Rest of panel: Orla Brady, Janette McCormack, Elaine Faughnan, Aisling Boyhan, Amée Dunne, Denise Egan, Andrea Martin.Ref - Éadhmonn Mac Suibhne (Dublin).FOOTNOTE - Before Sunday's throw-in, a minute's silence was observed in memory of the late Karen Coyles, the Ballycastle GAA Club and Antrim camogie stalwart, who died last month.