Camogie: Kenny’s early goal crucial as Westmeath lose out to Galway

Glen Dimplex All-Ireland intermediate camogie championship: Galway 1-15, Westmeath 0-11

Gerry Buckley

A better-balanced Galway side were deserving winners over their wholehearted counterparts from Westmeath in yesterday afternoon’s (Saturday’s) entertaining All-Ireland intermediate camogie championship round robin game, played in lovely weather at TEG Cusack Park in front of a small but enthusiastic crowd.

As the two counties traditionally wear maroon and white, the visitors wore white with a slight maroon trim, and they were full value for their seven-point winning margin.

One of the game’s traditional powers, they field their second string in this competition but Cathal Murray, the man associated with so many trophy-winning Galwegian sides, still managed to parade some outstanding players. They always looked the more likely victors against a somewhat understrength Lake County outfit.

Galway had the aid of a strong wind in the first half blowing towards the Dunnes Stores end of the ground, and they were straight out of the traps with impressive midfielder Laura Kelly pointing after just 15 seconds.

Seven scoreless minutes ensued before lively corner forward Cora Kenny soloed goalward and neatly flicked the sliotar past Fiona Keating for what proved to be the game’s only goal. The same player quickly added a quality point to put her side ahead by 1-2 to 0-0.

Róisín Scally teed up Emma Broughan for Westmeath’s opening point, but Diarmuid Cahill’s charges were unable to add to this for the remainder of the first moiety.

For their part, Galway – despite ‘winning’ the wide count 6-1 – added a further six points before the break. These came courtesy of Kelly (two – the second of them from a great free near the terrace sideline), Tegan Canning (after turning cleverly outside the 45-metre line), Niamh McPeake (two tidy scores from open play), and Katie Gilchrist. The Connacht side led by 1-8 to 0-1 at the interval.

Hopes of a dramatic comeback by the home team rose when Megan Dowdall pointed a mere 12 seconds after play resumed. However, Galway soon cancelled out this score via a Kelly free. Broughan doubled her tally for the losers with a fine score, but eye-catching work from Kenny set up McPeake who completed her white flag hat-trick with 36 minutes on the clock.

Points from Sheila McGrath and Dowdall (a ‘45’, shortly after Caoimhe Starr had done well to hold the ball from a Dowdall delivery) reduced the gap to eight points (1-10 to 0-5), but Galway always seemed to be able to keep the scoreboard ticking over.

A point exchange ensued from placed balls between Kelly (a 45-metre free) and Dowdall (her second successful ‘45’of the afternoon). Both Laura Loughnane and Niamh McInerney opened their accounts to restore their side’s interval cushion of ten points.

McGrath and McInerney then traded points. Westmeath continued to battle gamely and were rewarded with three unanswered points from the sticks of Dowdall, Muireann Scally (a 65-metre free) and Róisín Scally (who ought to have found the net after an Aoife O’Malley shot had come back off the woodwork on the hour mark).

Galway sub Olwen Rabbitte made an instant impact with a point. Dowdall rounded off match scoring by slotting over a free. Westmeath came close to scoring a consolation goal with time almost up, but Denise McGrath’s effort was stopped on the goal line.

Next up for Westmeath is the visit of Carlow next weekend.

Scorers – Galway: L Kelly 0-5 (3f), C Kenny 1-1, N McPeake 0-3, N McInerney 0-2, K Gilchrist, L Loughnane, T Canning and O Rabbitte 0-1 each. Westmeath: M Dowdall 0-5 (2‘45’, 1f), Sheila McGrath and E Broughan 0-2 each, Muireann Scally (f) and R Scally 0-1 each.

Galway: Fiona Ryan; Caoimhe Starr, Alannah Kelly, Ciara Donoghue; Katie Manning, Lisa Casserly, Ciara Hickey; Laura Kelly, Jennifer Hughes; Niamh McInerney, Katie Gilchrist, Tegan Canning; Cora Kenny, Niamh McPeake, Laura Loughnane. Subs used: Caoimhe Reidy for A Kelly (h-t), Ally Hesnan for Hughes (54), Shannon Corcoran for L Kelly (57), Olwen Rabbitte for McInerney (60), Siobhán Divilly for Loughnane (60 + 2).

Westmeath: Fiona Keating; Sandra McGrath, Méadbh Scally, Emily McCabe; Laura Doherty, Muireann Scally, Sheila McGrath; Una Leonard, Aoife O’Malley; Karen Gaffney, Maria Kelly, Megan Dowdall; Emma Broughan, Denise McGrath, Róisín Scally. Subs used: Hannah Core for Leonard (27), Elaine Finn for Gaffney (40), Caoimhe Scally for Kelly (56).

Ref: Gavin Donegan (Dublin).