Second half fight back not enough to rescue Westmeath

Antrim 1-9, Westmeath 0-9

ALTHOUGH Westmeath lost their third successive game in Division 1B of the Very National Camogie League at the northern tip of the island in Ballycastle, the management and team will return to prepare for the remaining two games in much better form than they have been over the previous two weekends.

However the absence of a consistent scorer from play will leave Westmeath, promoted last year via a Croke Park victory over Derry, struggling to remain in this division. Caoimhe McCrossan scored another six frees and added one from play, but most teams in this division can handle that threat and cut down on the frees.

Antrim followed that pattern, although at the other end they struggled at times to break down a fairly well-organised defence and the opening half ended on a par at 0-4 each.

It was a stop start game throughout with the whistle of Cavan referee Philip McDonald sounding on a regular basis. There was plenty of physicality in it as well and Dearbhail McLoughlin, Katie Penrose, Katie Coleman and Muireann Scally all played well.

Antrim opened with a point from Caitrín Dobbin inside the first 30 seconds. McCrossan levelled after seven minutes and her defence did well to thwart a goal-bound run from Dobbin a minute later.

Fionnuala Kelly added a second Antrim point, but Julie McLoughlin then won a free and Caoimhe McCrossan again pointed.

A few minutes later Antrim took a double-scores lead with points from Kelly and Orlaith McAllister who ran on to a well-placed pass from Dobbin. But Hannah Core won another free for McCrossan to point and Laura Doherty fired over a first from play to leave it all square at the change of ends in McQuillan Park.

In the early stages of the second half Antrim began to open up the play better and points from Eavanne Martin, two more from Caitrín Dobbin and a solo effort from Fionnuala Kelly put the Saffrons in command on the score-board.

Caoimhe McCrossan responded with her fourth point, yet again from a free. But the gap between the teams widened significantly when Fionnuala Kelly’s neat pass sent sub Dervla Cosgrove into the clear. She stretched the home side’s lead to Antrim 1-8 Westmeath 0-5 with a powerful finish that gave Aoife Corcoran no chance.

To the visiting side’s credit they outscored Antrim by five points to one over the last quarter, but it would be a stretch to say that the Saffrons looked in danger of losing their 100% winning start to the season.

McCrossan pointed in the 46th minute before Eavanne Martin stepped into a long-range free and found the target for what would be her side’s final score.

Aoife O’Malley had the advantage when she played through for Hannah Core to find the target and McCrossan would reduce the margin with a further two points from placed balls. But they never looked like hitting an equalising goal although neither did Antrim look like adding to their tally.

Westmeath now have a rest week before they face into a home fixture on March 15 against Wexford and then a trip to Limerick a week later.

This was an excellent game of camogie, despite attracting twenty-nine fouls and only seven scores from those, the physicality, determination and effort in the latter stages by Westmeath made for an entertaining finale.

Antrim get a break and return to play Down, at home, on March 15.

Scorers - Antrim: Dervla Cosgrove 1-0, Fionnuala Kelly 0-3, Caitrin Dobbin 0-3, Eavanne Martin 0-2 (1f), Orlaith McAllister 0-1.

Westmeath: Caoimhe McCrossan 0-7 (6f), Laura Doherty 0-1, Hannah Core 0-1.

Antrim: Becky Ellis, Dearbhail Dobbin, Katie Lynn, Caoimhe McNaughton, KatieRose Bell, Sarah O’Neill, Shannagh Heggarty, Amy Boyle, Eimear Johnston, Annie Lynn, Aisling O’Donnell, Eavanne Martin, Fionnuala Kelly, Caitrin Dobbin, Orlaith McAllister.

Subs: Janey McIntosh for E Johnston and Dervla Cosgrove for A Lynn (both ht), Katie Molloy for O McAllister (40), Lucia McNaughton for A O’Donnell (45), Niamh Neeson for KR Bell (50).

Westmeath: Aoife Corcoran, Emily McCabe, Dearbhail McLoughlin, Katie Penrose, Katie Coleman, Muireann Scally, Kate Whyte, Caoimhe McCrossan, Laura Doherty, Claire Gaffney, Julie McLoughlin, Aoife O’Malley, Hannah Core, Karen Keegan, Olivia Kelleghan.

Referee: Philip McDonald (Cavan).