Westmeath retain Division Two status with win over Laois
Westmeath 3-13, Laois 0-9
Westmeath ladies overcame Laois in convincing fashion on Sunday afternoon in Heywood Community School’s all-weather surface.
The visitors knew coming into the game that a win would see them retain their division two status for the 2025 season and they achieved their aim.
The game started at a hugely intense pace from both sides as they battled to kick off the scoring. Laois found themselves with a goal opportunity inside the first three minutes that was driven just wide of the posts.
It was Westmeath’s Sarah Dillon who kicked the game’s first score after five minutes. A sloppy ball out from Eimear Barry found the hands of Dillon once again and she made no mistake to add her second score.
Laois kicked two scores on the trot from Orla Hennessy and Alice Walsh from the resulting kickout to make up for the deficit. Leanne Slevin popped the ball over from a free and Laois broke from the kickout with Hennessy squeezing a score from a difficult angle.
Laois conceded two more frees that were perfectly placed over from the boot of Leanne Slevin to make it three from three on her frees.
Andrea Moran from the centre of the field broke through the Westmeath defence earning herself a place on the scoresheet.
With only one between the sides, Westmeath attacker Sarah Dillon hand-passed inside to Ashley Ruane, who found the back of the Laois net.
Searching for a goal, Lauren Kearney was pulled back and awarded a penalty, but a superb save from Lauren McCormack pushed the ball onto the right post denying Mo Nerney.
McCormack did well again when intercepting a ball over the top from Susie Delaney to Katie Donoghue. Westmeath finished the first half strongly with a fine score from Sarah Dillon to push them five points clear.
Leanne Slevin contributed a point from play to open the scoring for the second half. After another huge save for McCormack to once again deny Mo Nerney, the latter kicked her first free of the game, while Rebecca Higgins and Dillon added to Westmeath’s tally.
A long-range score from Katie Donoghue soon followed but Westmeath powered on with another two scores coming from Chloe Kelly and Meadbh Monaghan.
Nerney converted her second free but Westmeath completely took charge up the other end, kicking 2-2 to no reply.
Impact substitute Karen Hegarty set up Sarah Dillon who slotted the ball past Eimear Barry. Hegarty then kicked a fine score before finding the back of the Laois net herself.
Slevin kicked Westmeath’s final score of the contest from a placed ball before Laois raised two late white flags courtesy of Orla Hennessy and Katie Donoghue.
Westmeath were deserving winners in the end, and they’ll be delighted to have secured their Division 2 status as they prepare to compete in the Leinster and All-Ireland championships at intermediate level.
They’ll end their league campaign next Sunday with a trip to All-Ireland intermediate champions Kildare, who have already sealed their place in next year’s Division 1.
SCORERS— Westmeath: S Dillon 1-4, L Slevin 0-5 (4 frees), K Hegarty 1-1, A Ruane 1-0, C Kelly, R Higgins and M Monaghan 0-1 each. Laois: O Hennessy 0-3, K Donoghue and M Nerney (2 frees) 0-2 each, A Walsh and A Moran 0-1 each.
Westmeath: Lauren McCormack (Mullingar Shamrocks); Laura Kiernan (Milltown), Lucy Power (The Downs), Lara McCartan (St Loman's); Chloe Kelly (Tyrrellspass), Fiona Coyle (St Mary's), Rachel Dillon (Milltown); Kelly Boyce Jordan (Milltown), Vicky Carr (St Loman's); Ashley Ruane (Loughnavalley), Rebecca Higgins (Goldsmiths), Meadbh Monaghan (Killucan); Sarah Dillon (Milltown), Leanne Slevin (Milltown), Tracey Dillon (Milltown). Subs: Melek Fagan (Mullingar Shamrocks) for McCartan (42 mins), Caoimhe Kilmurray (St Loman's) for Ruane (49), Karen Hegarty (Mullingar Shamrocks) for Monaghan (53), Mairead Newman (Mullingar Shamrocks) R Dillon (55), Sadhbh Gorman (Milltownpass) and Susanna Buckley (Mullingar Shamrocks) for S Dillon and T Dillon (both 60).
Laois: Eimear Barry; Sinead Farrelly, Mary Cotter, Ciara Malone; Susie Delaney, Clodagh Dunne, Grainne Lalor; Anna Moore, Andrea Moran; Alice Walsh, Orla Hennessy, Katie Donoghue; Mo Nerney, Grainne Moran, Lauren Kearney. Subs: Emily Lacey, Aoife Finlay and Isabel Finlay for G Moran, Delaney and Malone (all H-T), Aoife Cummins and Aerin Ryle for Lalor and Walsh (both 52 mins).
Referee: Angela Gallagher (Dublin).
Player of the match
Lauren McCormack (Westmeath): The team captain had an outstanding performance between the posts with three key saves, the penalty save being the most important as it could have brought Laois sides to within one score and given the home a serious boost of confidence. Westmeath managed to beat Eimear Barry in the Laois goal three times, but McCormack’s display at the other end enabled her side to power on and pull off an impressive win to retain their division two status for 2025.