Lake County ladies curb Cavan

In Ballinagore on Saturday afternoon last the ladies of Westmeath did something their male counterparts could not do and won a Championship game after an enthralling 60 minutes. It was a sweet success for the girls after Cavan gave them a trimming 12 months ago at the same stage of the competition and it further illustrates the transformation of this team in the intervening year.Add to that the fact that Westmeath fielded without star players Jenny Rogers and Aileen Martin and still managed to dominate is testament to the girl's new found confidence and belief and the result never really looked in any doubt from early in the second half.The introduction of Karen Hegarty was another key factor to the win and she lifted the whole tempo of the game and despite a third quarter dip Westmeath were always the better side and took sweet revenge for 2010's drubbingOn a miserable afternoon for football both teams struggled in the trying conditions and it was three minutes before Emma Morris opened the scoring for Westmeath with a point after Fiona Claffey had fielded superbly. Elaine Finn and Ruth Kearney missed good chances for Westmeath with Kearney's effort just going wide of the post for a goal but they doubled their lead when Maude Annie Foley finished a flowing Westmeath move with an excellent finish.Chances were coming thick and fast and Johanna Maher and Laura Walsh were guilty of two poor misses that would have seen the Westmeath girls into a commanding lead and Cavan punished them with a point from an Ailing Treanor free. Maude Annie Foley had a wonderful goal chance for Westmeath shortly afterward but her effort came back off the post although Johanna Maher made up for it when she slotted over a well worked point on 19 minutes.Westmeath were totally in the ascendancy at this stage but missed some very scorable chances until Emma Morris put three between the sides with an excellent score from a very acute angle to put three between the sides. More Westmeath opportunities went a begging before they got a huge slice of luck when what looked a fairly legitimate Cavan goal was ruled out for a square ball and after an eventful but stop/start first half Westmeath lead by 0-4 to 0-1Bronagh Sheridan was introduced in the second half for Cavan but she was only on the field less than two minutes when she received a yellow card for a dangerous tackle on Elaine Finn. Westmeath wasted another couple of chance thereafter and Cavan began to up their game considerably. René Murphy saw her goal bound shot come off the post before Aisling Doonan pointed a long range free for the Breffni girls to narrow the margin and they should have pulled another one back but Eilish Cronin's effort was poor after a well worked move.Westmeath needed a lift and they got it when first sub Hegarty set up Emma Morris with a fine solo run for a point and then Hegarty herself looked to have scored a goal only to see it come back off the post but on the rebound Johanna Maher was on hand to somehow force the ball over the line although referee Joe Murray had to consult with his umpires first. It looked as if Westmeath would surge on at this stage but in fact it was Cavan who made a last stand and Aisling Doonan got the ball rolling when she cracked in a superb goal from the 21 yard line that gave Gemma Leahy in the Westmeath goal simply no chance.Laura Walsh kept the Westmeath score ticking over with a fine individual point but Cavan responded when sub Grainne Smith punished some poor Westmeath defending with a fine point. Cavan had another couple of great chances as the game entered its dying throws but they simply could not convert their superiority into scores and the final nail in the coffin came when Hegarty burst through and was fouled and Foley pointed the free for the insurance score and moments later it was all over.Scorers: Westmeath: Johanna Maher 1-1, Emma Morris 0-3, Maude Annie Foley 0-2, 1 free, Laura Walsh 0-1. Cavan: Aisling Doonan 1-1, Aisling Treanor (free) and Grainne Smith 0-1 each.Westmeath: Gemma Leahy, Carol Finch, Triona Durkan, Grace Kearney, Kelly Boyce Jordan, Michelle Malone, Aoife Brady, Maude Annie Foley, Laura Brennan, Elaine Finn, Ruth Kearney, Laura Walsh, Emma Morris, Johann Maher, Fiona Claffey. Subs: Karen Hegarty for Ruth Kearney 39 mins, Katie Somers for Finn 58 mins.Cavan: Christine McCuthcheon, Ciara Reilly, Grainne McGlade, Claire Kerins, Catriona Smith, Pamela Crowe, Sinead Greene, Rosie Crowe, Rene Murphy, Aisling Treanor, Eilish Cronin, Elaine Costin, Breege Boylan, Claragh Reilly, Aisling Doonan. Subs: Deana Clerkin for Treanor 28 mins, Grainne Smyth for Costin 46 mins, Mona Sheridan for Claragh Reilly 55 mins.Referee: Joe Murray, Dublin.