Regan strike halts Westmeath comeback

Meath 2-9, Westmeath 1-6

By John Dermody

The Westmeath Camogie team opened their National League campaign on Saturday last, February 14, against near neighbours Meath on the 3G pitch in St. Loman’s GAA in Mullingar.

This was the first competitive fixture for the Westmeath girls under the new Trial Rules currently being tested by the Camogie Association. Manager Barry O’Mara, and his management team, made two changes to the starting Westmeath team as per the match programme with Megan Dowdall and Erin Core coming into start in place of Maria Kelly and Karen Keegan. Alongside these personnel changes, there was a positional change to the line-up, with Áine Newman moving back to right half-back for Maria Kelly who was named to start instead of her listed position in the half-forward line. After a huge shift put in by the Westmeath players over more than sixty minutes of competitive camogie, it was the Meath team, however, who came away with a six-point victory.

Both teams seemed to start the game reasonably well even though they were playing on the 3G surface instead of a grass pitch. Meath were the first to score in the second minute when the lightning quick Emma Regan won possession 30 metres out before turning and shooting over the bar to give Meath the lead for the first time. The response from Westmeath was swift. In the third minute, when the ball spilled out of a ruck, Megan Dowdall gathered the sliotar and launched an accurate shot over the bar from 45 metres out to level the score at 0-1 a-piece.

Westmeath appeared to grow in confidence with that score from the Clonkill star, who was returning to the team after a year away. In the fourth minute, a free taken by Caoimhe McCrossan on the 65-metre line found its way to Amelia Shaw. Shaw recycled the sliotar backed to McCrossan, who unfortunately shot narrowly wide. The exchanges in the opening quarter of the match remained cagey, with marking tight and scores hard to come by. Meath took the lead again after nine minutes when Roisin Heaney accurately slotted a 45-metre award over the bar in the 9th minute.

Westmeath responded again and equalised in the 13th minute when Caoimhe McCrossan scored an excellent point from a free from over 60 metres from goal. Westmeath were beginning to grow in confidence as the match moved into the second quarter. In the 17th minute, a diagonal line ball across the field from Amelia Shaw found Megan Dowdall. Dowdall beat the Meath defender and fed the perfect pass to the oncoming Sheila McGrath who struck the ball over the bar to give Westmeath the lead for the first time. Westmeath 0-3 Meath 0-2. Westmeath subsequently added to their lead with two quick fire points in the 23rd minute from the sticks of Aoife O’Malley, from an extremely difficult angle, and Sheila McGrath. Westmeath now enjoyed a three-point lead.

Meath, however, responded. The dangerous Emma Regan added to her tally with another point on 26 minutes, and this was followed by a pointed free by Roisin Heaney in the 28th minute to leave the minimum between the teams. As the game entered the final of four additional minutes added on by referee, Ciaran Goff, Meath scored a vital goal to take the lead before half-time. Following an initial excellent save by Westmeath netminder, Aoife Corcoran, the ball spilled out to Ciara Foley. Dearbhail McLoughlin made a brave diving block of the goal bound shot, but the ball spilled out and was struck to the net from the ground by the awaiting Olivia O’Halloran. This left Meath ahead by two at the break: Meath 1-4, Westmeath 0-5.

Given the manner that Meath had regained the lead just before half-time, it was important that Westmeath responded with the opening score of the second half, and that they did. Amelia Shaw pointed from a 45-metre award in the 38th minute, but it could have been so much more. Prior to the 45, Westmeath had created an excellent goal chance. Caoimhe McCrossan played an accurate pass to Megan Dowdall in the attacking left corner of the field. Dowdall then made an incisive run towards goal, and her powerful shot was saved by Maggie Randle in the Meath goal, going out for a 45.

Meath again show great resilience and responded to that Westmeath point with one of their own, this time from their energetic midfielder Isabel O’Connor from play. Meath moved to a four-point lead in the 45th minute following another two 45-metre awards by Roisin Heaney. This left the scoreline Westmeath 0-6, Meath 1-7.

A murmur of excitement could be heard within the home crowd on 46 minutes. Megan Dowdall gathered the ball and again ran at goal from the left wing. This time her shot caused the net to ripple, and the umpire waved his green flag. Westmeath were now only a point behind. Unfortunately, this was to be the last score of the game for the home team.

Meath, yet again, responded to the Westmeath challenge. In the 52nd minute, Meath scored their second major of the afternoon. Emma Regan was fed the sliotar by her colleague Ellen Burke and finished the ball decisively to the back of the Westmeath net. Meath added two more points through an Aoife Carey free (58) and Erin Leddy from play, leaving Westmeath six points behind. The Lake County battled hard looking to score a goal to bring themselves back into the contest, but the Meath backs defended vigorously, bringing back numbers to leave space at a premium.

On Ciaran Goff’s final whistle, Meath were visibly jubilant to have picked up the victory. Despite the disappointment of this defeat, Barry O’Mara and his charges know they only must wait a week for the next round of the league, away to Carlow. This game against Meath will have been a huge help for the players returning to the panel, such as Megan Dowdall; Amelia Shaw and Sheila McGrath.

Scorers - Meath: Emma Regan 1-2; Roisin Heaney 0-4 (0-1 free; 0-3 ’45s); Olivia O’Halloran 1-0; Isabel O’Connor 0-1; Erin Leddy 0-1 & Aoife Carey 0-1 (free).

Westmeath: Megan Dowdall 1-1; Sheila McGrath 0-2; Aoife O’Malley 0-1; Caoimhe McCrossan 0-1 (free) & Amelia Shaw 0-1 (’45).

Westmeath team: Aoife Corcoran; Katie Coleman; Dearbhail McLoughlin; Roisin Scally; Áine Newman; Ellen Flanagan; Laura Doherty; Aoife O’Malley (Capt.); Caoimhe McCrossan; Meadbh McLoughlin; Amelia Shaw; Megan Dowdall; Sheila McGrath; Julie McLoughlin; Erin Core. Subs used: Ashley Ruane for Eric Core; Caoimhe Coogan for Meadbh McLoughlin & Olivia Kellaghan for Amelia Shaw.

Meath team: Maggie Randle; Sophia Payne; Maeve Clince; Rachel Moran; Leah Devine (Capt.); Abbye Donnelly; Rachel O’Neill; Isabel O’Connor; Erin Leddy; Aoife Carey; Ellen Burke; Roisin Heaney; Olivia O’Halloran; Ciara Foley; Emma Regan. Subs: Grace Connolly for Ellen Burke & Ella O’Brien for Olivia O’Halloran.

Referee: Ciaran Goff (Wicklow).