Blundell goal ensures second victory for Lake County ladies

Despite the concession of a controversial late goal, Westmeath had four points to spare over a tenacious Wicklow side, in the Leinster Intermediate Football Championship at TEG Cusack Park on Sunday.

Westmeath goalkeeper Lauren McCormack was adjudged to have caught the ball behind the goal line from a late Wicklow free and after less than convincing consultation among the officials, a goal was awarded, reducing the Lake County’s lead to four points deep in injury time. Ultimately it had no material effect on the outcome as Westmeath prevailed, and deservedly so, after a game in which they were the dominant side for long spells.

Following their victory over Offaly the previous Sunday, this was a good win for the Lake County who will surely feel in a confident mood ahead of their trip to Louth next weekend.

Westmeath were leading by six points at the interval, 1-5 to 0-2, following a goal by Ciara Blundell in first half injury time. It came from one of many fine moves on the part of the home side, who put together some really nice passages of play. Westmeath remained seven points clear with 12 minutes of normal time remaining and that convincing lead proved a good shield when Wicklow came raiding at times.

An area for Westmeath to address, perhaps was their tendency to force the final pass when sometimes they didn’t need to and they certainly weren’t as ruthless in front of goal as they should have been, but they will be satisfied with the outcome.

DEFLECTED

In fine conditions, Wicklow had the advantage of a diagonal breeze in the first half, but it was Westmeath who took the lead when corner forward Aoife Connolly converted a free after three minutes. A nice move involving Rachel Dillon and Vicky Carr almost led to an opening as Westmeath moved the ball at pace.

Wicklow had plenty of the ball in the opening stages also, but they couldn’t prise an opening.

Westmeath went two clear when Chloe Kelly scored a wonderful point in the seventh minute: Caoimhe Clarke McMahon, Carr and Ashley Ruane were all involved in the move and Kelly found the target with a lovely left-footed strike.

Wicklow remained stubborn opposition and they had their opening score in the eighth minute when the lively Marie Kealy slotted over a free after she was fouled. But after she had struck the upright from a free, Aoife Connolly shot over from play to give Westmeath a two-point cushion again with 11 minutes played.

Westmeath were almost in on goal when Kelly played a fisted pass across for Anna Jones, but the Wicklow ‘keeper Ellen Griffin was smartly off her line and intercepted the ball. After Rachel Dillon and Ciara Blundell combined, Connolly had a shot at goal, but the ball struck a Wicklow defender’s boot and was deflected out for a 45’ that led to nought.

Wicklow’s Kealy got her second point when she shot over off balance and from a goal chance at one end, Westmeath were not just a point ahead.

Fine defensive work by Ashley Ruane ensured no further ground was lost and Westmeath had a good chance at the opposite end only for Caoimhe Clarke McMahon to miss the target. Clarke McMahon, Carr and Kelly Boyce Jordan created a chance for Blundell in the 23rd minute, but again the Wicklow ‘keeper advanced quickly to avert the danger.

This was a crucial spell and Blundell was narrowly wide with another goal chance, after Anna Jones’ pass. Eventually Carr got the score Westmeath deserved for their efforts as she shot over a point, following Rachel Dillon’s pass.

Griffin was again strong in the air for Wicklow, who were under much pressure and Ruane got Westmeath’s fifth point of the day in the final minute of normal time. There was to be one final twist before the break as Johanna Quinn and Ayesha Roche combined to set up Blundell, who shot for a point but the ball dipped and found the Wicklow net instead.

Rachel Dillon almost slapped home another goal after Jones did the spade work, but Griffin again denied her. At the half-time whistle, Westmeath had a very useful six-point lead.

ACUTE

Into the second half and again Westmeath had a goal chance when Ruane, Roche and Blundell combined, but Griffin saved Wicklow’s bacon. The visitors still looked threatening and Kealy’s dipping shot went over rather than under the crossbar, much to the relief of the Westmeath fans.

Wicklow then closed the gap to four points when Eimear O’Sullivan found Lucy Dunne, who shot over.

Crucially, Westmeath found a response. Connolly got through and scored a classy point from an acute angle to halt the Wicklow recovery. Following a foul on Jones, Connolly notched another minor (via the upright), making it 1-7 to 0-4. Westmeath added another point, their third in an eight-minute spell, when Kelly found Jones, who set up Blundell for the finish.

Wicklow needed a goal at this juncture and they pressed hard, but Westmeath held firm. In the fourth minute of added time, Kealy won a free and her shot was claimed by McCormack. However, the umpire ruled that the ball had crossed the goal line and after consultation with the referee, the green flag was eventually raised.

The late goal had no effect on the outcome, though, as the Lake County claimed their second win in the competition.

Scorers - Westmeath: C Blundell 1-1, A Connolly 0-4 (2f), C Kelly, V Carr and A Ruane 0-1 each. Wicklow: M Kealy 1-2 (1-1f), L Dunne and N Cullen 0-1 each.

Westmeath: Lauren McCormack; Melek Fagan, Lucy Power, Ayesha Roche; Kelly Boyce Jordan, Tracey Dillon, Chloe Kelly; Vicky Carr, Johanna Quinn; Ashley Ruane, Ciara Blundell, Rachel Dillon; Caoimhe Clarke McMahon, Anna Jones, Aoife Connolly. Subs: Susanna Buckley for Ruane (49), Méadbh Monaghan for Clarke McMahon (51), Niamh Nolan for R Dillon (55), Aoife O’Malley for T Dillon (55), Katie Dunne for Boyce Jordan (58).

Wicklow: Ellen Griffin; Sarah Evans, Sarah Jane Winders, Roisin Byrne; Niamh Kenny, Lucy Dunne, Jackie Byrne; Aimee Maher, Aoife Gorman; Eimear O’Sullivan, Niamh Cullen, Helena Dowling; Sarah Delahunt, Marie Kealy, Erika Dagge. Subs: Sarah O’Toole for Dagge (41), Gráinne Flynn for Dowling (46), Megan Healy for Byrne (60+1), Eimear Murphy for Kenny (60+1).

Ref - Gary Carthy (Dublin).