Westport achieve their goals
FINAL
Westport 3-7
Lahardane 0-7
Daniel Carey
Knockmore IN her speech after Saturday’s Junior final, Westport captain Triona O’Malley recalled training last February – ‘in the muck and the dark’ – being ‘roared’ at by their management team. “We weren’t very happy then, but we’re very happy now,” she said, to peals of laughter from the victorious camp. With a young team and the promise of a Connacht campaign to come, we haven’t heard the last of Westport.
The opening quarter was tit-for-tat on the (sadly non-existent) scoreboard. Lahardane, who made better use of limited possession early on, got off the mark in the third minute, Mary Margaret Leonard setting up Rebecca Walsh for a decent point. Leonard also played a part in Lahardane’s second, winning a free which Carrie O’Malley converted. Centre forward Mary Gill got Westport’s first two points, gathering Ashleigh Rose’s delivery from the right and then kicking a fine score from the left after a pass from Aoife Keane.
Lahardane goalkeeper Christina Lynn pulled off two excellent saves, keeping out efforts from Ashleigh Rose and Michelle Gannon, but Rose nudged Westport in front for the first time with a ninth minute point. Rebecca Walsh restored parity with a free won by Lahardane captain Aoife Lynn, but the sides would never again be level after the game’s opening goal.
That came in the 17th minute, courtesy of Michelle Gannon, who unleashed a thumping shot from close range after collecting Ally Keane’s pass and beating her marker. Given that Westport’s wide count reached 10 by half time, the three-point margin it established was a fair reflection of the balance of play.
That gap remained at half time, after two further points apiece. A Carrie O’Malley free was Lahardane’s first point for ten minutes, but Westport responded instantly with midfielder Maria Harrington scoring a point that matched her great solo run. Amanda Kelly came off the bench to win a free, converted by Ashleigh Rose, but Lahardane closed the first half with an outstanding move, which went the length of the field before Mary Margaret Leonard fired over.
Westport doubled that 1-5 to 0-5 interval advantage within three minutes of the restart. Ashleigh Rose played the ball into space for Lisa Tully to run onto at full tilt. The wing forward rounded the goalkeeper before netting the second goal.
With Tara Keane and player of the match Nóirín Moran steady at the back, Ashleigh Rose made it a four-point game after Lisa Murray and Karen Lacey combined to good effect. Lahardane then won the first of two penalties after Carrie O’Malley was brought down, but Rebecca Walsh’s powerful effort went over the crossbar.
The third Westport goal arrived on the 44-minute mark and seemed to seal the deal.
Lahardane coughed up possession after good work by two Westport attackers, and Lisa Tully tried a chip. It might have been an attempted point, but it ended up going over the goalkeeper and into the net. Ally Keane tacked on a point in the next attack – it might have been a goal – and Westport were ten clear.
Not that the action was over. Lisa Tully seemed to be in for a hat-trick after Maria Harrington’s long ball was flicked on by Ashleigh Rose, but Christina Lynn made a great save. At the other end, Triona O’Malley got a foot to Aoife Lynn’s shot before a second Lahardane penalty was awarded, but Rebecca Walsh’s kick was touched onto the crossbar by the Westport captain. The trailing side tried to engineer a goal from the rebound, but the outstanding Nóirín Moran took the ball off the line.
In the seventh minute of injury time, Rebecca Walsh ended a 22-minute scoring drought with a Lahardane free, but the outcome had long been clear. Afterwards, Triona O’Malley called it ‘the hardest year for the best result’. And for Westport, it’s not over yet.
WESTPORT T O’Malley; N Moran, L Kelly, Y Scott; L Murray, T Keane, A Keane; M Harrington (0-1), K Lacey; G McManamon, M Gill (0-2), L Tully (2-0); A Keane (0-1), A Rose (0-3, 1f), M Gannon (1-0). Subs used: A Kelly for G McManamon (22 mins); D Ryder for A Keane (59 mins); M Ryder for M Gannon (59 mins); E Cawley for K Lacey (60 mins).
LAHARDANE C Lynn; C Kelly, J Kelly, S Gilger; N Leonard, S Maughan, L Irwin; L Maughan, M Gallagher; C Maughan, C O’Malley (0-2, 2f), R Maughan; R Walsh (0-4, 0-2f, 0-1 pen), MM Leonard (0-1), A Lynn. Subs used: U Mayock for L Irwin (37 mins); E Naughton for C O’Malley (44 mins, inj); C Mulhern for R Maughan (45 mins).
Referee: K Corcoran (Islandeady)
