Lakeside ladies rue missed opportunities in tight affair

Westmeath 1-12 Tyrone 2-13

Westmeath manager Michael Finneran summed up the game perfectly after this rip-roaring contest in TEG Cusack Park on Sunday afternoon last when he said, "Tyrone were just that bit more clinical than we were today and that’s what got them over the line’.

Missed opportunities, especially goal chances late on, were something for the Westmeath faithful to ponder, but conceding 2-6 from their own kick-outs was another telling factor as Tyrone punished the lake girls .

"We were too soft, letting in easy chances when we were on top, but our work rate was excellent and we got to look at players throughout this league and we possibly still don’t know our best team at the moment. But the girls are working extremely hard and we have three weeks now to work on our game and set right the negatives from today," remarked Finneran.

That said, Westmeath were the better team for long passages of the game, but they could not handle Tyrone’s Aoife McGahan who finished with six points from play and was a constant thorn in their side. The midfield battle was certainly tipped in the red hands favour after a shaky start but this was certainly a game that Westmeath could have, and possibly should have, got a better return from on the overall balance of play. Alas lady luck and some debatable shot selection proved their nemesis.

REPRIEVE

Tyrone opened the scoring after three minutes with a point from Niamh Hughes, but Westmeath had missed two good goal chances prior to that and they stepped up again with the next six points per Ciara Blundell, Vicky Carr (from distance), Aoife Connolly, after a clever short free with Karen Hegarty, and three Sarah Dillon frees which she won herself from some wonderfully incisive play. Aoife McGahan pulled one back for the visitors, but Sarah Dillon negated that with another free after being hauled down again. Tyrone then went through the gears and after McGahan pointed from a Westmeath defensive blunder, Chloe McCaffrey netted a fortuitous goal after some calamitous Westmeath defending.

The same player levelled the game 30 seconds later as Westmeath struggled to clear their lines. Aoife Horisk and Slaine McCarroll pushed the visitors two ahead with Westmeath seriously struggling, but the Lake ladies got a reprieve when a hanging Sarah Dillon effort was dropped and Aoife Connolly fly hacked the ball to an empty net to restore the lead. Tyrone finished the half the brighter, though, with McGahan and Emma Hegarty pointing for them to lead by 1-8 to 1-7 at the short whistle, that after playing against a stiff breeze.

LENGTHY DELAY

Tyrone resumed with more purpose and after Niamh Hughes and the excellent McGahan had added to their lead, Sarah Dillon pulled one back slightly against the run of play for the home side. However, a high ball from McGahan was not dealt with in the Westmeath square and Aoife Horisk stuck a foot out and it was goal number two for Tyrone and a five-point cushion that they probably deserved at that stage.

Connolly pulled one back from a free, but that was cancelled by a beauty from McGahan and at this stage there looked only one winner. But Westmeath dug deep and with substitutes Kelly Boyce Jordan and Clara Thornton showing well, they got another point back from Sarah Dillon and the momentum seemed to have shifted somewhat. However, a serious looking injury to Tyrone’s Aoife Horisk led to a lengthy delay, holding up the game up for a good eight minutes which stopped Westmeath’s flow.

The Tyrone player was taken from the field by ambulance and we all wish her well and the medical staff are to be commended for the care she was given.

Upon resumption, Aoife Connolly narrowed the gap further after a move started by Tracey Dillon on her own 21-year line, but the Lake girls could not add to it despite dominating that period and Tyrone substitute Grainne Rafferty pushed the gap out to four again with the score of the game.

Connolly replied with a free and a brilliant move saw Anna Jones fist just wide. Moments later, Clara Thornton did the same as the home side pushed for a goal, but McGahan had the final say in the interim with another well-taken point and the four-point gap remained to the finish, as Tyrone took the two points and Westmeath ruminated on what might have been.

Westmeath manager Michael Finneran was disappointed with the easy scores given away, but happy with the performance.

"We created so many chances and we make our own luck, but we need to be more clinical. When Tyrone had their purple patch, we made it too easy for them to score, and that’s something we have to work on. But there are plenty of other positives from the overall display and despite some good challenges to come, we have fairly clear areas to work on and to try and negate the negatives. But it's early days yet and the girls are giving a great account of themselves with huge work rate and endeavour. We will work as much on the positives as the negatives as the weeks progress," he said.

Scorers - Tyrone: Aoife McGahan 0-6, Aoife Horisk and Chloe McCaffrey 1-1 each, Niamh Hughes 0-2, Slaine McCarroll, Grainne Rafferty and Emma Hegarty 0-1 each. Westmeath: Aoife Connolly 1-4 (2 frees), Sarah Dillon 0-6 (4 frees), Ciara Blundell and Vicky Carr 0-1 each.

Tyrone: Sinead McVey; Emma Loane, Caoimhe McGee, Aoife McGahan; Jayne Lyons, Eimear Quinn, Slaine McCarroll; Emma Jane Gervin, Aoibhinn McHugh; Niamh Hughes, Emma Hegarty, Meabh Corrigan; Chloe McCaffrey, Meabh Mallon, Aoife Horisk. Subs: Nicole Murphy for Loane (38 mins), Grainne Rafferty for Hughes (46 mins), Meabh McGleenan for McCaffrey (48 mins), Aimee Daly for Lyons (52 mins).

Westmeath: Lauren McCormack; Mary Dunne, Lucy Power, Ayesha Roche; Chloe Kelly, Tracey Dillon, Laura Kiernan; Vicky Carr, Ashley Ruane; Anna Jones, Karen Hegarty, Rachel Dillon; Sarah Dillon, Aoife Connolly, Ciara Blundell. Subs: Kelly Boyce Jordan for Kiernan (37 mins), Clara Thornton for Hegarty (41 mins), Mairead Newman for Kelly (61 mins), Meadbh Monaghan for Connolly (64 mins).

Referee Patrick Smith.