Early goals key as Westmeath overcome battling Carlow side

Westmeath 2-9, Carlow 0-7

A fine performance in the first half sent Westmeath on their way as they overcame a determined but ultimately second-best Carlow side in round three of the Very National Camogie League last Saturday afternoon.

Raharney GAA can be proud of their pitch as it withstood some poor weather throughout and the good surface meant some good camogie was on view. Megan Dowdall and Ava Balfe found the net before the break and although Westmeath were outscored in the second period, they were never under enough stress to be in danger of relinquishing the lead.

Dowdall blasted home 1-3 before the clock had reached double-digits in a similar fashion to her blitz start against Offaly on the opening outing. The Clonkill forward tapped a routine free before using her trademark slaloming run to bypass defenders and hammering home. Hannah Core pointed in fine fashion and it looked like it would be one-way traffic. Eleanor Tracy fired an excellent free to start Carlow’s scoring but with the home side dominating in defence it was proving to be a difficult outing for the visitors. Amelia Shaw (a 45), Aoife O’Malley, and Ava Balfe all pointed in the second quarter to extend the lead. Balfe also found the net just before her point. The St Brigid’s / Rochfortbridge dual star batted home once found by a combination of Megan and Holly Dowdall. At the break, Pádraic Connaughton saw his side enter the huddle with a commanding 2-7 to 0-2 lead.

While the second thirty was far less intense in many parts, the inability of Carlow to break through the solid and more determined Westmeath midfield of O’Malley and Maria Kelly meant it was a patchy affair with more scrapping for possession. Katie Penrose was the first of seven substitutes introduced for vital game minutes and she, like the others, added something to the maroon jersey. Core pointed early in the half as Áine Newman, Balfe, and Aisling Egerton all maintained the lead with defensive blocks and hooks. Balfe went for goal again but her effort was saved. Fiona Keating did well to save at the other end, the first of her three saves in the half.

Tracey added two more frees either side of Shaw’s placed-ball as the game entered into the final quarter in a mix of some hard-hitting and scraps for possession. Tracey would end the game by striking three more, including two fine points from play – the only from Carlow all game. Róisín Scally ended a fine performance at corner-back for Westmeath by winning a fifty-fifty tussle. The final whistle cemented the home sides spot in second place in the group behind Derry. Cavan, a side on a major downward spiral, await on the road in two weeks for the Midlanders.

Scorers - Westmeath: M Dowdall 1-3, A Balfe 1-1, H Core, A Shaw (1 free, 1 45’) 0-2 each, A O’Malley 0-1.

Carlow: E Tracey 0-7 (5 frees).

Westmeath: Fiona Keating; Emily McCabe, Julie McLoughlin, Róisín Scally; Aisling Egerton, Meadbh Scally, Áine Newman; Aoife O’Malley, Maria Kelly; Megan Dowdall, Ava Balfe, Holly Dowdall; Sheila McGrath, Hannah Core, Amelia Shaw. Subs used: Katie Penrose for McCabe (half-time), Sandra McGrath for H Dowdall (35), Meadhbh McLoughlin for Core (41), Ellen Shaw for Balfe (44), Caoimhe McCrossan for McGrath (49), Emma Broughan for Shaw (49), Megan Ennis for Egerton (52)

Carlow: Catherine Kavanagh; Gillian Doyle, Michelle Nolan, Rachel Breen; Niamh Canavan, Anna Breen, Mairéad O’Shea; Aibha Kiernan, Caoimhe Jordan; Aimie Nolan, Caoimhe Coady, Eleanor Tracey; Michaela Donoghue, Eve Sinnott, Ciara Kavanagh. Subs used: Anna Murphy for Sinnott (45), Emma Lillis for Donoghue (51), Holly Wall for Ciara Kavanagh (52)

Referee: Karol Collins (Galway).