Westmeath Triumph Over Kildare

Westmeath V Kildare

Venue: St Lomans Mullingar

Full Time Score: Wesmeath 3-13 Kildare 0-10

Kildare met Westmeath in the last round of Lidl NFL in St Lomans Mullingar. Westmeath came into the game needing a win to be in with any chance of coming out on top of the table as they were level with Cavan and Laois with 4 wins each. Despite superb goal keeping from Kildare’s Mary Hulgraine, Westmeath managed to find the back of the net 3 times which helped them on their way to victory against the Lilly Whites.

Westmeath had two missed opportunities to get onto the scoreboard first, but Kildare took their chance and Molly Price struck the ball over the bar for a beautiful point.  Westmeath quickly responded with a goal to take the lead. This did not deter the Kildare side as they battled on and Niamh Sinnott closed the gap to a point behind Westmeath. Westmeath were unlucky not to gain a bigger lead, with almost 7 minutes gone on the clock as they sent the ball inches wide of the goal. Westmeath found themselves on numerous occasions in a one on one situation with Kildare’s goal keeper Mary Hulgraine, and in what seemed to be certain goals for Westmeath, they were denied by the fantastic Hulgraine. However, after putting so much pressure on Kildare, Laura Walsh managed to find the net just before half time as she fists the ball in after great work by the players. Westmeath went in at half time leading 2-5 to 0-6.

Kildare came out in the second half fighting and were first on the scoreboard again after Róisín Byrne converted a free in the 34^th minute. But just like the first half, Westmeath found the back of Kildare’s net when Ciara Blundell managed to slip the ball past Hulgraine. It wasn’t going to get any better for the Kildare side as they were now fighting against the wind as well. In the 41^st minute of the game Kildare were trailing by 7 points until Róisín Byrne managed to bag herself two more points for Kildare. Orlaith Kirwan was very unlucky not to close the gap to four points after winning a Westmeath kick out and unfortunately hit the post to which Westmeath cleared the ball from danger. From here Westmeath just continued to extend their lead with points coming from Laura Lee Walsh, Leona Archibald, Aoife Connolly, Ciara Blundell. Kildare had a chance on goal but were denied by Westmeath goal keeper Karen Walsh. Full time score Westmeath 3-13 Kildare 0-10.

Notable players for Kildare: Mary Hulgraine, Aisling Curley, Róisín Byrne and Molly Price.

Notable players for Westmeath: Rachel Dillon, Laura Brennan, Laura Lee Walsh and Leona Archibald.

Kildare Team: Mary Hulgraine, Rachel Corrigan, Rose Mernagh, Louise Scully, Shauna Kendrick, Aisling Curley, Michelle Curley, Erica Burke (c), Rachel Reidy, Grace Clifford (0-1), Róisín Byrne(0-4, 1f), Niamh Sinnott (0-1), Trina Duggan, Orlaith Kirwan (0-1), Molly Price (0-3, 2f)

Subs: Aoife Wosser, Eadaoin Connolly, Ellen Dowling, Aine Mulligan, Aoife Mulligan, Joanne Mulligan, Shannon Doheny, Mikaela McKenna, Aoife Molyneaux, Sabrina Kennedy.

 

Westmeath Team: Karen Walsh, Rachel Dillon, Amiee Giles, Aileen Martin, Katie Dunne, Rebecca Dune, Laura Brennan, Fiona Claffey, Maude Annie Foley (0-1), Kelly Boyce Jordan, Tracey Dillon, Chloe Kelly (1-0), Ciara Blundell (1-2), Laura Lee Walsh (c) (1-4), Leona Archibald (0-5)

Subs: Triona Durkan, Sarah Keegan, Margeurite O’Connor, Aileen Murtagh, Aoife Connolly (0-1), Karen McDermott, Fiona Coyle, Leanne Duncan, Ashley Ruane, Lucy McCarton, Nicola Judge, Nicole Feery, Therese Walsh, Leanne Slevin, Johanna Maher
Referee: A. Gallagher