Lake County rue missed chances in Leinster exit

Carlow 3-8, Westmeath 1-9

Westmeath’s camógs were left to rue a host of missed second-half chances when a hungrier Carlow side left Raharney’s well-appointed Joristown grounds with the spoils after this Leinster quarter-final on Sunday afternoon.

In a five-minute sequence late in Sunday’s game, Westmeath yielded only a point from four scorable chances, to which Carlow responded with their third goal on 57 minutes, killing off the game as a contest. In contrast, the winners posted only two wides over the course of the 60-odd minutes, and were far more economical with the opportunities presented to them.

Pádraic Connaughton’s Lake County charges trailed 1-4 to 0-4 after a generally poor first half in which Carlow imposed themselves on the game physically. With wing forward Caoimhe Jordan to the fore, they always looked like carving open a frail Westmeath defence, and will have been disappointed not to lead by more at the break.

Westmeath improved in the second half, and with skipper Julie McLoughlin finding the net, they came within a point of Carlow with ten minutes to go. But a number of mis-hits proved costly, and a penalty chance went astray for Caoimhe McCrossan – arguably the Maroons’ best player – early in the half.

At the other end, it was Carlow’s ruthlessness in raising green flags, most notably through Aimie Nolan’s spectacular 34th-minute strike, that sealed Westmeath’s undoing.

It was the understrength hosts – still without the services of the talismanic Megan Dowdall, among others – who started in bright fashion, with Áine Newman unlucky not to open her account before, in a rare slip by the Carlow full-back line, Méadbh McLoughlin soloed her way into a goalscoring position and shot just wide.

From there, Carlow settled into the game and were three up after seven minutes, with Caoimhe Jordan firing a brace from wide on the right before Westmeath had another sniff at goal through Olivia Kelleghan. At the other end, a nervy Lake County defence was exposed again when Aimie Nolan sauntered through for a Carlow point.

Westmeath got off the mark after eight minutes with a long-range score from Caoimhe McCrossan, the first of five points from the Lough Lene Gaels star. However, three minutes later, Carlow had the ball in the net after Jordan set Eve Sinnott through on goal. Sinnott’s shot didn’t cut the mustard, but with the goalkeeper beaten, Holly Wall was on hand to drive home the loose sliotar.

Carlow could have had a second moments later but for Aoife Corcoran stopping Sinnott’s shot, and on the quarter-hour mark, McCrossan reduced the arrears to four with a free (1-3 to 0-2).

Westmeath continued to fight back over the next five minutes but couldn’t breach the Carlow defence, with Niamh Canavan doing well to intercept a dangerous free from McCrossan. Indeed, Carlow were consistently superb at the back on Sunday, with Canavan and teammate Rachel Breen marshalling the full-back line well throughout.

At the other end, Caoimhe Jordan converted a 20-metre free for the Barrowsiders but it was disallowed after she was adjudged to have crossed the 20 metre-line before striking the ball. On 27 minutes, Carlow’s five-point advantage was restored when Eleanor Treacy converted a free.

For all their possession however, Westmeath were still within touching distance of their tricoloured guests, and the Maroons chipped away at their lead before the break. On 28 minutes, Aoife O’Malley pointed after some sterling work from Áine Newman before McCrossan tacked on a free, and although there was only a goal between the sides, Westmeath clearly had their work cut out in the second half.

The Maroons were presented with a terrific opportunity to level matters seconds after the restart when they were awarded a penalty after a foul on sub Reanna Kennedy. Caoimhe McCrossan stood up to strike, but the sliotar got away from her during the lift and she was forced to puck along the ground to a teammate. The move broke down, and Westmeath were left empty-handed.

To add insult to injury, Carlow broke downfield in a blistering move on 34 minutes and after being teed up by Eve Sinnott, Aimie Nolan crashed a powerful drive to the Westmeath net. Carlow now led by two goals (2-4 to 0-4), and a third almost followed when Caoimhe Coady had her shot blocked by Dearbhail McLoughlin.

From there, Westmeath started to make some inroads. Aoife O’Malley pucked a fine score from 50 metres and her midfield partner Caoimhe McCrossan followed this up with another point from play. Leah Ryan responded for Carlow but on 43 minutes, Méadbh McLoughlin soloed her way past a handful of Carlow defenders and shot over from a tight angle to narrow the gap to four (2-5 to 0-7).

Carlow continued to trouble Westmeath down the centre and Sarah Sheehan underlined the hosts’ defensive frailties by scything through and striking over the bar. But on the three-quarter-hour mark, the Lake County got a breakthrough when Aoife O’Malley’s shot was deflected out by Carlow netminder Aoibhinn Strong, and Julie McLoughlin netted the rebound. It wasn’t the cleanest of strikes, but it was a welcome one for the Maroons.

The visitors drew a blank from an attack moments later and Westmeath added another free from McCrossan to reduce the arrears to a single point (2-6 to 1-8). This was the closest they came to catching the Barrowsiders, and after Holly Wall and Eleanor Treacy (the latter from a free) found their range, Westmeath racked up three wides on the trot at a time when scores were badly needed.

On 54 minutes, sub Reanna Kennedy did well to bring to the sliotar under control and point over her shoulder to put two between the sides again, but with an equaliser desperately sought, another wide followed. Aoife O’Malley also hit the upright late on, and it was clear that luck just wasn’t on Westmeath’s side.

In between these two misses, with 57 minutes gone, Carlow applied the coup de grace when sub Eibhe Lawler got in behind the Lake County defence and squared to Sarah Sheehan, who had the simple task of pucking to the net from a few yards out.

For Westmeath, it’s back to the drawing board ahead of the All-Ireland series, but Carlow progress to the semi-finals.

Scorers - Carlow: H Wall, A Nolan and S Sheehan 1-1 each, E Treacy (free) and C Jordan 0-2 each, L Ryan 0-1. Westmeath: C McCrossan 0-5 (3f), J McLoughlin 1-0, A O’Malley 0-2, M McLoughlin and R Kennedy 0-1 each.

Carlow: Aoibhinn Dowling; Gillian Doyle, Rachel Breen, Niamh Canavan (capt.); Aibha Kiernan, Michelle Nolan, Mairéad O’Shea; Eleanor Treacy, Aimie Nolan; Caoimhe Coady, Sarah Sheehan, Caoimhe Jordan; Holly Wall, Eve Sinnott, Leah Ryan. Subs used: Eibhe Lawler for Ryan (41), Kate Doyle for O’Shea (59).

Westmeath: Aoife Corcoran; Katie Coleman, Dearbhail McLoughlin, Mary Geraghty; Kate Whyte, Emily McCabe, Laura Doherty; Aoife O’Malley, Caoimhe McCrossan; Claire Gaffney, Julie McLoughlin (capt.), Áine Newman; Hannah Core, Méadbh McLoughlin, Olivia Kelleghan. Subs used: Reanna Kennedy for Kelleghan (26), Karen Keegan for Core (h-t), Katie Penrose for Whyte (49).

Ref: Gavin Donegan (Dublin).