Fionnuala McLaughlin inspires Westport to Camogie Connacht triumph

CONNACHT CAMOGIE CHAMPIONSHIP ROSE NIXON CUP FINAL

Westport 1-7

Athenry 1-3

In Westport

In hugely challenging conditions, the Clew Bay women made history on Sunday afternoon.

In only their fifth year of existence, the Westport Camogie team have climbed the Connacht throne.

After the final whistle, the players were hugging friends, family and each other. Scenes of joy after a fantastic performance.

It was an outstanding team effort, to hold Athenry scoreless in the second half.

It was the brilliance and panache of player of the match Fionnuala McLaughlin or Ava Lambert, and the fighting spirit by warriors like Meabh Tunney, or Emily Kelly that won the day for Westport.

The Mayo women missed a few good scoring chances in the first half, partly sabotaged by the breeze, and were down by two points at the interval. But they went after their opponents like a pack of hungry wolves, knowing they would habe the wind in their back in the second period.

Westport showed early on, that they meant business. A goal from Christina McEvilly and a point from McLaughlin meant the hosts were up 1-1 to no score. 

It took Athenry a while to settle. But by half-time, they were leading 1-3 to 1-1. Katie O'Dwyer scored two points, Rosie Diviney contributed one point and Éabha Rohan's goal nudged the Tribeswomen ahead.

In the second half, Westport showed extraordinary resilience, grit and quality in clutch 50:50 battles. It seemed, almost every time the sliotar hit the ground, there was a player in navy and blue coming away with it.

Further Westport scores from Meabh Tunney (0-2), Ava Lambert (0-2), Lisa Scahill and Fionnuala McLaughlin tipped the scales into Westport's favour.

A full match report will be carried in Tuesday's Mayo News.

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