McGuire leads the way in fine win for The Downs

The Downs 2-11, Mullingar Shamrocks 0-8

By Gerry Buckley

The Downs were full value for their nine-point winning margin against old rivals Mullingar Shamrocks in last Thursday’s entertaining Westmeath ladies senior football championship game, played in drizzly conditions on the back pitch in the winners’ resplendent complex.

The black and amber-clad outfit led from start to finish and, despite some wastefulness when wind-assisted in the first moiety, they always looked the better side against their neighbours who depended heavily on excellent free-taking by Anna Jones for the bulk of their relatively small tally.

Fine points from Megan Dowdall and Beth McGuire (from a very acute angle) had the winners two points to the good with as many minutes on the clock. The latter player almost got in for a goal before Karen Hegarty halved the deficit with a terrific solo score in the eighth minute. Her opposite number, Niamh Rowan, soon put the winners 0-3 to 0-1 ahead from a routine free.

In the 11th minute, Holly Dowdall was unlucky to see her rasping shot come back off the junction of the crossbar and upright. A point exchange between Jones (a free taken from the ground) and Niamh Nolan (rounding off a flowing move) left The Downs ahead by 0-4 to 0-2 at the end of the opening quarter.

The respective number 14s then exchanged points - McGuire doubling her tally from play in style, with Jones doing likewise from another placed ball. The latter then slotted over another top-class free from the ground.  Approaching the half-hour mark, the home team pounced for the game’s first goal, Olivia Glynn teeing up McGuire who duly slapped the ball to the net from close range. This left the scoreline at the interval reading: The Downs 1-5 Mullingar Shamrocks 0-4.

Another brace of frees from Jones – the first of them from her hands – had the gap down to a flattering two points for the ladies in green and white within six minutes of the resumption of play. Lucy Power had a goal attempt saved by Lauren McCormack before McGuire converted a free for The Downs. A powerful left-footed shot by Chloe Smullen and another Jones free had the deficit down to the bare minimum (1-6 to 0-8) with 40 minutes elapsed, leaving the wind-assisted Mullingar side seemingly poised to take the spoils.

However, that was as good as it got for Shamrocks, and their opponents outscored them by 1-5 to 0-0 during the time remaining. Niamh Keogh pointed under pressure in the 41st minute, and further white flags were raised by Power (after soloing goalward) and Nolan (a delightful score). Smullen was then denied a goal at the other end by great defending from the home side.

Power was wide for The Downs at the end of a great move, but McGuire slotted over a free before her deft flick set up Kristabella Tamosiunaite for a game-clinching goal in the 56th minute, the corner forward doing superbly to find the net after a long solo run. Glynn got the late point her hard work deserved to wrap up an impressive win.

Scorers – The Downs: B McGuire 1-4 (0-2f), K Tamosiunaite 1-0, N Nolan 0-2, M Dowdall, N Keogh, L Power, O Glynn, N Rowan (f) 0-1 each.

Mullingar Shamrocks: A Jones 0-6 (6f), K Hegarty, C Smullen 0-1 each.

The Downs: Sarah McGuire; Aisling Egerton, Helen Walsh, Emily Rose McNamee; Aoife Rowan, Lucy Power, Gemma Faulkner; Niamh Nolan, Megan Dowdall; Olivia Glynn, Niamh Rowan, Holly Dowdall; Kristabella Tamosiunaite, Beth McGuire, Niamh Keogh. Subs used: Michelle Bohan for Keogh (47), Róisín Scally for A Rowan (47), Gillian Ferguson for H Dowdall (49), Francesca Walsh for Tamosiunaite (58), Lauren Guilfoyle for Walsh (60).

Mullingar Shamrocks: Lauren McCormack; Melek Fagan, Siobhán O’Donnell, Annemarie O’Reilly; Chloe Swarbrigg, Tara Fagan, Mairéad Newman; Caoimhe Gaffney, Rachel Cheevers; Susanna Buckley, Karen Hegarty, Miceala O’Connor; Chloe Smullen, Anna Jones, Alison Bane. Subs used: Jenna Kelly for Gaffney (h-t), Róisín O’Toole for Bane (47), Sinéad Sweeney for M Fagan (60), Shona McNicholas for Cheevers (60).

Ref: Ciaran Daly (Kilbeggan Shamrocks).

Examiner's Eye on the game

Player of the match

Beth McGuire (The Downs).

The full forward scored 1-4 in her own right, while her flick to set up the second goal was a thing of beauty.

Key moment

The aforementioned second goal, an excellent three-pointer from Kristabella Tamosiunaite in the 56th minute, removed any lingering doubts about the outcome.