O’Mara hopes team can respond in ‘biggest game of the year’

Westmeath manager Barry O’Mara cut a disappointed figure after last Saturday’s All-Ireland intermediate camogie championship defeat at home to Carlow.

“I would say we were completely outplayed for large periods, which is a major disappointment, to be honest,” the Crookedwood stalwart said.

“There were times when Carlow completely out-hurled us. When we went at it, it was probably too late. We could have actually snuck a draw but we wouldn’t have deserved it on the day.”

Westmeath struggled for scores in the second half and were heavily reliant on Megan Dowdall (scorer of 4-3) for their output, but O’Mara reckons that the major problems weren’t necessarily in the vanguard.

“I don’t think the problem was even on the inside. We scored four goals. I don’t think the major problems were there,” he reflected. “I would have thought they were out around the middle – not just midfield, but the middle eight. We talked about it a little bit during the week.

“We just looked lost at times, which is a worry, but it happens to teams. We’ll just have to fight back when we meet Laois next week.”

The entire season now hinges on the final round robin clash with Laois in Kinnegad tomorrow (Saturday, throw-in 3.30pm).

The O’Moore girls defeated Westmeath in the recent Leinster intermediate final, and O’Mara hopes the Carlow defeat will give his charges the impetus to go out and reverse the provincial final result.

“It’s after turning into the biggest game of the year, unfortunately. We thought that maybe if we won today, we could have qualified already,” the Westmeath bainisteoir continued. “If we did, that’s the way it would have worked out because Laois won [against Meath] down in Portlaoise.

“Look, it is what it is. We’ll get the bodies right, dust ourselves off, and I don’t think we’ll be lacking for hunger next week after a performance like that,” he added.

*See this week's print edition for a report on the Westmeath vs Carlow game.