Battling Westmeath girls no match for strong Clare outfit
Clare 3-14 Westmeath 0-4
Quite often in sport the scoreline can be somewhat misleading and this was most definitely the case on Saturday afternoon when Westmeath's camogie team took on the Banner in Tubber, north Clare.
One must also factor in that Clare, who were relegated from the top table last year, will be eyeing up an immediate return to Division 1A and the Banner girls certainly won't lack for firepower in their quest as their 3-14 total, with 3-12 of that from play, will testify to.
Steel sharpens steel as they say so although a 19-point defeat is certainly not what Westmeath would have been looking for, they will learn from the experience. Games against the top senior sides in the country can only benefit the Lake County in their quest for All-Ireland intermediate glory.
Although Clare seemed to be a far more physically powerful side, Padraic Connaughton's charges went about their task with determination. Brave as you like the Westmeath girls threw their bodies into every ruck and, despite the obvious difference in physicality, it was the determination of the Westmeath players in the tackle that led to them winning several rucks in the opening 30 minutes especially around the battleground of the middle third.
Conceding a goal inside the opening three minutes with diminutive corner-forward Ziyan Spillane blasting home after terrific work by full-forward Ellen Casey couldn't have helped the Lake County confidence.
But if their belief was dented, it didn't show as Hannah Core fired over a peach of a point in the sixth minute. The narrative may have been somewhat different had Meadbh McLoughlin's attempt at goal from a 20-metre free in the seventh minute found the net rather than going agonisingly inches wide of the left hand post. By the end of the opening quarter, however, Westmeath trailed by five points on a 1-3 to 0-1 scoreline.
Disaster then struck with the concession of a second major just after the quarter mark putting the Westmeath girls on the back foot. One began to worry at this stage that the score might get completely out of hand but two well converted Caoimhe McCrossan placed balls revived hope and saw the Lake County head for the sanctuary of the dressing rooms trailing by 2-7 to 0-3.
The third quarter was probably the best from a Westmeath perspective and although they didn't land the scores their efforts merited, one simply could not find fault with their application. Tigerish in the tackle and attacking every ball as if it was the last, Connaughton's charges restricted the Banner to a solitary score from play over a 15- minute period.
With both teams then going to their bench to understandably give game time to squad members, the intensity unsurprisingly dipped for the final quarter. Once more though the Westmeath rearguard, who were at times under considerable pressure, can be proud of their efforts with full-back Dearbhaill McLoughlin outstanding at the edge of the square.
Special mention must be given to wing-back Laura Doherty who, demonstrating fierce heart and determination throughout the sixty plus minutes, managed to keep Banner star forward Aine O'Loughlin relatively quiet and scoreless until additional time when the Truagh-Clonlara powerhouse raided for a late 1-1 to leave 19 points between the sides at the full-time whistle.
The margin of the defeat is harsh on Westmeath who will take pride in the fact that they competed for every ball and never once dropped their heads despite at times an obvious gulf in ability.
Best for the Lake County on a day where they can take plenty of positives moving forward were the aforementioned Dearbhaill McLoughlin and Laura Doherty, along with midfielder Claire Gaffney and full-forward Hannah Core.
Scorers - Clare: Z. Spillane 1-4 (0-2f), C. Cahill 1-2, A. O'Loughlin 1-1, H.M. Neylon, J. Daly 0-2 each, E. Casey, M. Hanrahan, C. Carmody 0-1 each. Westmeath: H. Core, C. McCrossan (2 f) 0-2 each.
Westmeath: Anna Weir, Emily McCabe, Dearbhaill McLoughlin, Mary Geraghty, Katie Coleman, Julie McLoughlin, Laura Doherty, Aoife O'Malley, Claire Gaffney, Muireann Scally, Caoimhe McCrossan, Karen Keegan, Meadbh McLoughlin, Hannah Core, Olivia Kelleghan. Subs: Shannon Dalton for K Keegan (35), Katie Penrose for K Coleman (49), Ciara Corcoran for O Kelleghan (49), Roisin Scally for M Geraghty (55).
Clare: Rachael Daly, Cliodhna Queally, Clare Hehir, Muireann Scanlon, Niamh Mulqueen, Abby Walsh, Lynda Daly, Caoimhe Carmody, Grace Carmody, Jennifer Daly, Aoife Anderson, Aine O'Loughlin, Caoimhe Cahill, Ellen Casey, Ziyan Spillane. Subs: Mary Hanrahan for J Daly (H-T), Susan Daly for A Anderson (41), Hannah Mai Neylon for G Carmody (41), Maeve Millea for C Cahill (49), Aisling Cooney for Z Spillane (55), Michelle Powell for A Walsh (55), Sinead O'Keeffe for C Queally (56), Chloe Neylon for E Casey (56).
Referee: Donnacha O'Callaghan.