Westmeath end campaign with defeat to leaders Kildare

Kildare 2-9, Westmeath 1-7

Westmeath ladies completed their Lidl National Football League Division 2 programme with this defeat to Kildare at Manguard Park in Hawkfield last Sunday.

There was nothing tangible at stake in this encounter as Westmeath had already secured their place in Division 2 for next year but were out of contention for promotion.

For their part, the Lilywhites had already secured promotion and booked their place in the league final with Tyrone on Sunday, April 7. And, despite making changes to their regular line-up, they continued their unbeaten run.

Westmeath got the scoring underway with a brilliant point from Milltown's Leanne Slevin after just 60 seconds of action. However, that lead would be short-lived as Kildare hit the front with a goal from Ruth Sargent. Sargent, who has missed a number of games through injury this year, was on the end of a Neasa Dooley pass across the face of goal to tap home.

Just a couple of minutes later, the Lilies were in again when Ellen Dowling slipped a super ball through to Róisín Byrne, who drew plenty of defensive attention towards her. Byrne offloaded to Dooley who was arriving late and the Athy forward side-stepped advancing Westmeath goalkeeper Lauren McCormack before finishing to the net off her weaker side.

Dooley followed her raising of a green flag with the point of afternoon with a driven shot from just inside the 45’, making the score from distance look effortless.

Frank Browne's charges responded with four of the next five points as they hammered away at Kildare’s lead.

The winners registered their first score in 14 minutes through Claire Sullivan, who put the finishing touch on a fine team move. Next on the scoresheet was Róisín Byrne as she took a ball fired into her by Trina Duggan and turned sharply before drilling her shot between the posts.

At times it seemed Kildare were not over-exerting themselves in this game, but they showed indications of their capabilities at certain moments.

Despite Slevin scoring a Westmeath goal from a penalty, Kildare led 2-5 to 1-5 at the break and, as things transpired, the bulk of scoring in this game was in the rear view mirror. Slevin finished with 1-2, while Sarah Dillon (three points from play), Rebecca Higgins (Goldsmiths) and substitute Karen Hegarty accounted for Westmeath's other scores.

The Lilywhites closed out the victory with little fanfare as both sides rang the changes with a total of 21 substitutions being made, which undoubtedly disrupted the flow of the game. Ten of those changes were made by Westmeath as a number of young players were given a chance to impress against last year's All-Ireland intermediate champions.

A lacklustre second half will do little to worry Kildare manager Diane O’Hora who has secured back-to-back promotions since taking over this team.

For Westmeath, the focus now turns to the Leinster and All-Ireland intermediate championships. Westmeath's first game in the Leinster championship is at home to Offaly on Sunday, April 21.

Scorers – Kildare: N Dooley 1-2; R Sargent 1-0; R Byrne 0-3; C Sullivan, Gilbert, H McLoughlin and E Dowling (free) 0-1 each. Westmeath: L Slevin 1-2 (1-0 pen, 0-2 frees); S Dillon 0-3; R Higgins and K Hegarty (free) 0-1 each.

Kildare: Niamh Barnes; Fiona Troute, Mia Doherty, Alex Reynolds; Lara Gilbert, Ruth Sargent, Lauren Murtagh; Grace Clifford, Claire Sullivan; Aoife Rattigan, Ellen Dowling, Trina Duggan; Neasa Dooley, Róisín Byrne, Hazel McLoughlin. Subs: Mary Hulgraine for N Barnes (half-time), Niamh Farrelly for R Byrne (35 mins), Leah Doran for L Murtagh (47), Aine Mernagh for F Troute (47), Holly Tyrell for A Rattigan (48), Lara Curran for E Dowling (52), Aoife Kilkenny for H McLoughlin (54), Elaine Keogh for T Duggan (58), Lisa Shaw for C Sullivan (58), Erin Brereton Foley for N Dooley (58).

Westmeath: Lauren McCormack; Laura Kiernan, Lucy Power, Melek Fagan; Chloe Kelly, Fiona Coyle, Rachel Dillon; Kelly Boyce Jordan, Vicky Carr; Ashley Ruane, Rebecca Higgins, Meadbh Monaghan; Sarah Dillon, Leanne Slevin, Tracey Dillon. Subs: Caoimhe Kilmurray for R Higgins (28 mins), Caoimhe Clarke McMahon for M Monaghan (half-time), Karen Hegarty for L Power (half-time), Aoife Temple for L McCormack (35), Chloe Moran for C Kelly (35), Susanna Buckley for T Dillon (38), Mairead Newman for R Dillon (38), Sinead Seery for V Carr (47), Jemma Seery for F Coyle (48), Joyce Conway for S Dillon (48).

Referee: Kevin Phelan (Laois).