Match report Dublin v Westmeath

  • Jun 19,2016

TG4 Leinster Senior Championship Rd 2

FT Dublin 4-12 Westmeath 1-04

 

Reigning champions Dublin have secured their place in the 2016 TG4 Leinster Senior final following their 17 point victory over Westmeath today. With two wins from two games Dublin cannot be denied a place in the provincial decider. Next Saturday the Dubs travel to Meath for their final round robin fixture which is provisionally down for a 2pm throw in time in Summerhill (venue TBC).

 

Westmeath got off to a promising start with a well taken point from corner forward Karen Hegerty with less than a minute gone on the clock. Dublin responded with scores from Sinead Aherne (free), Lyndsey Davey (2) and Carla Rowe. Match official Colm McManus awarded Westmeath a penalty in the 12th minute for a challenge by Leah Caffrey on Westmeath corner forward Ciara Blundell. Caffrey was also shown a yellow card for her penalty tackle. The free kick was duly despatched to the corner of Ciara Trant’s net by centre forward Leona Archibold, the match was now all square, Dublin 0-04 Westmeath 1-01.

 

Dublin responded quickly with a goal of their own as Nicole Owens found the back of the Westmeath net having got on the end of a Dublin free kick to palm the ball inside Sarah Keegan’s near post.

 

The visitors received a hammer blow in the 28th minute when four times All Star Sinead Goldrick was forced out of the game having been on the receiving end of a clumsy challenge from Westmeath’s Johann Maher, referee McManus duly issuing the Tyrellspass player with a yellow card.

 

Noelle Healy, Siobhan Woods and Rowe tagged on a point each to push Dublin’s lead out to six at the break, HT Dublin 1-07 Westmeath 1-01. Incidentally all six of Dublin’s forwards were now on the score sheet.

 

Carla Rowe insured that the Dubs got off to a good restart scoring her side’s first point of the second half with just 35 mins gone on the clock. Dublin’s second goal of the game came from the industrious corner forward Siobhan Woods, this score pushed Dublin out to a 10 point lead.

 

To their credit Westmeath kept plugging away refusing to throw in the towel. They were rewarded for their efforts when corner forward Ciara Blundell popped over a point in the 42nd minute.

 

But the writing was on the wall for the mid-lands County as Dublin were dominating in all sectors of the field. Healy and Woods tagged on two more points for the visitors with Archibold adding two score back both from free kicks in the 49th and 56th minutes.

 

As the Westmeath challenged ebbed away, Sinead Aherne stepped up to bag an impressive 1-02 (2f) in four minutes before Siobhan Woods topped off an notable afternoon’s performance with her sides 4th goal in the 3rd minute of injury time.

 

Dublin boss, Greg McGonigle will be happy enough with his chargers performance as Dublin’s defence was once again in fine form only conceding two points from play while up front all six forwards were on the score sheet.

 

Elsewhere in the Leinster SFC, Meath (2-09) and Laois (3-06) drew today in Stradbally with Meath hitting the crossbar in the dying moments of the game to be denied a famous victory.

Dublin:

Ciara Trant (St Brigid’s), Olwen Carey (Thomas Davis), Deirdre Murphy (St Brigid’s), Leah Caffey (Na Fianna), Sinead Goldrick (Foxrock Cabinteely), Sinead Finnegan (Fingallians), Niamh Collins (Foxrock Cabinteely), Lauren Magee (Kilmacud Crokes), Sorcha Furlong (St Brigid’s), Noelle Healy (St Brigid’s), Nicole Owens (St Sylvester’s), Carla Rowe (Clann Mhuire), Siobhan Woods (Raheny), Sinead Aherne (St Sylvester’s), Lyndsey Davey (Skerries Harps).

 

Dublin scorers:

Siobhan Woods 2-02, Sinead Aherne 1-03(3f), Nicole Owens 1-00, Carla Rowe 0-03, Lyndsey Davey 0-02, Noelle Healy 0-02

 

Dublin subs:

Colleen Barrett (St Brigid’s) for Goldrick (injury), Fiona Hudson (Fingallians) for Collins, Ciara Ruddy (Ballyboden St Endas) for Caffrey, Molly Lamb (Kilmacud Crokes) for Magee, Niamh McEvoy (St Sylvester’s) for Rowe.

 

Westmeath:

Sarah Keegan, Triona Durkin, Laura Brennan, Aileen Martin, Lucy McCarton, Jennie Rogers, Tara Fagan, Maude Ann Foley, Fiona Claffey, Johanna Maher, Leona Archibold, Chloe Kelly, Ciara Blundell, Laura Walsh, Karen Hegerty.

 

Westmeath scorers:

Leona Archibold 1-02 (2f), Karen Hegerty 0-01, Ciara Blundell 0-01

 

Westmeath subs:

Karen McDermott for Maher, number 28 (not listed in programme) for Fagan, Sandra McGrath for Kelly.

 

Referee: Colm McManus (Meath)