Wexford make better use of wind to sink Westmeath

LGFA Leinster Festival of Football Under-14 semi-final

Wexford 3-7, Westmeath 1-6

By Eamon A. Donoghue

Wexford took full advantage of the strong wind and rain in the second half to run out convincing winners against Westmeath in this Leinster Festival of Football U-14 semi-final at Caulry GAA last Saturday.

Both teams warmed up in the strong wind but to make a bad situation worse, the rain teemed down on the brave young girls from the moment the game started. Credit to both sets of girls; they gave their all and performed heroically in dreadful conditions.

In a game which was moved from Páirc Chiaráin to Caulry GAA, Westmeath started off the stronger team, helped hugely by the wind. It was so blustery with the wind swirling all over the place that it didn’t help either side at times, although the advantage was with the team playing from the road end.

Wind assisted Westmeath were first to score, Elise Buckley coming forward from wing-back to kick the opening score from a free. Wexford responded and gave Westmeath plenty of warning of their ability from early in the contest. Against the wind, they scored 1-1 without reply.

After midfielder Ava Roche scored a point, Lily Brophy and Lainey O’Leary combined and Brooke O’Leary Nolan finished the ball past Amy Mulligan in the Westmeath goal. That goal against the wind rocked Westmeath, and it would prove to be key by the final whistle. Roche scored Wexford’s second goal before the break and those two goals against the wind were key in the game.

Westmeath’s half-back line, with all three tall, attack-minded players, proved influential in the first quarter. Wing-back Aimee Greene kicked the Lake County’s first point from play.

Wexford though had the better of the exchanges in the first quarter, they were leading 2-1 to 0-2 in the 19th minute. Westmeath finally grasped parity around midfield and they outscored the Slaneysiders in the second quarter, 1-3 to 0-0. The points came from Buckley (another free, after fellow half-back Aoibheann Quinn was fouled), Roisin O’Neill and Clodagh Keane.

The score of the game arrived as Westmeath pushed home their superiority with a goal. Buckley, Greene, Aoife Leavy were all involved in a blistering move before the excellent Keane finished past Abbie Keogh in the Wexford goal. At half-time, it was Westmeath 1-5 Wexford 2-1.

Westmeath were in the ascendancy at the break and deservedly so but they hadn’t done enough when they had the wind. A one-point lead surely wouldn’t be enough.

After the resumption, Wexford grabbed the initiative and, helped by a wind that was getting stronger, they pushed on to win comfortably. Westmeath had no answer to the power game of the more physical Wexford girls.

The hosts scored just once in the second half, substitute Aoife Clyne from a free and, unlike Wexford, they struggled against the wind. I

The home side did battle to the very end, but Wexford simply made better use of the elements when they were at their backs, and played better than Westmeath when facing the gale. Wexford were ruthless and they had a powerful full forward in Lily Brophy, whom Westmeath never came to grips with. They brought in subs like Roisin Kehoe who did a lot of damage and the visitors ran out convincing winners in the end.

For Westmeath, this experience will stand them in good stead for the future and they surely won’t play a championship game in conditions as bad again.

Scorers – Wexford: R Kehoe 1-2, A Roche 1-1, B O’Leary Nolan 1-0, L Brophy, L O’Callaghan, D O’Dwyer and C Kinsella 0-1 each. Westmeath: C Keane 1-1, E Buckley 0-2 (2f), A Greene, R O’Neill and A Clyne 0-1 each.

Wexford - Abbie Keogh; Nina Naughton, Amy Donnelly, Laura Blazekova; Millie Morris, Wallis Ashmore, Ali Sheehan; Ava Roche, Eibhin O’Dwyer; Alexis O’Neill, Tess Hogan, Lily O’Callaghan; Brooke O’Leary Nolan, Lily Brophy, Laine O’Leary. Subs used: Roisin Kehoe, Ciara Kinsella, Orlaith O’Donnell, Katie Mernagh and Aoife Shortall.

Westmeath - Ella Graham; Eilis Nohilly, Anna McCormack, Lauren O’Connor; Aimee Greene, Aoibheann Quinn, Elise Buckley; Liadán Gavin, Aoife Leavy; Lexi Grady, Clodagh Keane, Aoibhin O’Sullivan; Emily McDonnell, Anna Beth Fallon, Roisin O’Neill. Subs used: Eliza Martin, Kate O’Donoghue, Grace Pillon, Cara Winters, Sophia Callaghan, Amy Carey, Orla Casey, Katie Claffey, Aoife Clarke, Eva Cleere, Aoife Clyne, Emily Fahy Kelly, Caoimhe Farrell, Ruby Flanagan.

Referee - Ger Egan (Longford).