Late Kelly and Slevin scores grind out a draw for Westmeath

Westmeath 1-11 Offaly 2-8

Westmeath ladies were forced to dig deep to rescue a draw against neighbours Offaly on Sunday afternoon, when the midland rivals met in this Leinster IFC opener on the sun-drenched 3G pitch at St Loman’s Lakepoint Park.

After a slow start, the Faithful girls showed that they were more than up for this in the searing heat, notching an unanswered 1-4 from play as the Maroons struggled to cope with their physicality and intense running game.

Emma Hand and skipper Ellee McEvoy proved difficult for Westmeath to get to grips with, dominating play through the centre and putting together some nice scores before a goal from Karen Hegarty kept the hosts in it at the break (2-6 to 1-5).

Offaly emerged a more tired looking side in the second half as Westmeath gradually picked away at the deficit through Milltown duo Leanne Slevin – who finished with 0-7 – and Sarah Dillon.

The visitors almost won it at the death when a score from Hand put Offaly two ahead. However, injury-time points from Chloe Kelly and Slevin (a free) earned the Lake County a share of the spoils.

Westmeath made it difficult for themselves in the end after running up a tally of 13 wides, and for that reason, they will be disappointed not to have chalked up the win. However, that suggests they are capable of creating plenty of chances, and that will be something to work with going into the forthcoming trips to Wicklow and Wexford.

The home side burst out of the traps with a hat-trick of points in the opening five minutes, including two frees from Leanne Slevin and a point from play by Vicky Carr.

However, despite seeing plenty of ball, they struggled with their end product from there and Offaly countered with speed and power. Ellee McEvoy opened their account on six minutes before Emma Hand got a second moments after the danger of an Offaly goal loomed.

At the other end, Westmeath had the ball in the net on 10 minutes after Anna Jones beat goalkeeper Lauren Dunne to a high ball from Slevin, but the goal was ruled out for an earlier infringement.

Moments later, Offaly embarked on a swift move downfield, at the end of which Hand gracefully rounded her marker and found the net after her left-footed shot pinged off the upright.

Hand’s ability to get in behind the Westmeath defence was a real worry at this stage, and on 13 minutes she left another would-be marker for dust before handpassing over the bar. Further points from McEvoy (a free) and Chloë Sheridan followed, as Offaly led 1-5 to 0-3 with just over a quarter of an hour gone.

Meanwhile, Westmeath continued to clock up the wides, but their ample possession finally yielded dividends on 19 minutes when, after a superb team move, Karen Hegarty latched onto a pass across the face of goal and tucked it home from close range, reducing the arrears to two points.

This couldn’t mask Westmeath’s woes at the back though, and shortly after Hegarty’s goal Offaly had the ball in the net again, but it was disallowed after a steps infringement in the build-up.

On 26 minutes, however, the Lake County were caught short once again by the marauding Faithful attack, and after a neat passing move, Ellee McEvoy sauntered through and shot to the net.

After going 24 minutes without a score, the Maroons found their shooting boots again when Slevin (a free) and Rachel Dillon (from long range) found the target, but Sheridan notched her second for Offaly before the whistle, and the visitors led by four.

The hosts had it all to do in the second half but played much better football on the resumption, closing down Offaly more efficiently and generating plenty of chances, with their opponents often opting to foul to break up Westmeath attacks that otherwise may have generated a goal or two.

Westmeath hit a purple patch from around the 37th minute, but their end product still wasn’t sufficient. Ashley Ruane magnificently dispossessed an Offaly defender before handpassing just wide, before a brace of quickfire frees from Leanne Slevin halved the Maroons’ deficit.

They subsequently posted a ninth wide before Offaly missed some chances of their own, with two bad wides at the clubhouse end, including what should have been a fairly routine free for McEvoy.

At the other end, Westmeath got within a point of parity after Sarah Dillon linked up with her sister Rachel before curling the ball neatly over the bar.

Leanne Slevin had a chance to equalise on 55 minutes but missed the target, and a subsequent free from McEvoy restored Offaly’s two-point lead with three left on the clock.

As the pendulum swung the other way, some attractive approach play from Westmeath led to a sixth point from Slevin – her first from play – but Emma Hand then pointed what looked certain to be the winning score for a revived Offaly side (2-8 to 1-9).

However, seven minutes of injury time followed, giving Westmeath enough time to knuckle down and find the two crucial scores they needed. Two minutes in, wing back Chloe Kelly emerged as the hero when, at the tail end of a fine Westmeath move, she cut in from the right wing to point superbly off her left boot.

Then, six minutes into time added on, Slevin found her range with another well-struck dead ball effort to ensure the Maroons didn’t leave Lakepoint Park empty-handed.

Scorers - Westmeath: L Slevin 0-7 (6f), K Hegarty 1-0, V Carr, R Dillon, S Dillon and C Kelly 0-1 each. Offaly: E McEvoy (0-2f) and E Hand 1-3 each, C Sheridan 0-2.

Westmeath: Lauren McCormack; Melek Fagan, Kelly Boyce Jordan, Laura Kiernan; Chloe Kelly, Lucy Power, Rachel Dillon; Vicky Carr, Tracey Dillon; Ashley Ruane, Leanne Slevin, Anna Jones; Karen Hegarty, Sarah Dillon, Fiona Coyle. Subs used: Caoimhe Kilmurray for Hegarty (50), Rebecca Higgins for T Dillon (inj., 60+5).

Offaly: Lauren Dunne; Anna Grehan, Michelle Mann, Nicole Farrelly; Róisín Ennis, Emma Maher, Nicole Buckley; Amy Gavin Mangan, Marie Byrne; Kiah Farrelly, Emma Hand, Maebh Rouse; Ciara Walsh, Ellee McEvoy, Chloë Sheridan. Subs used: Fiona Dempsey for O’Brien (h-t), Caoimhe Lynam for Sheridan (50).

Referee: Finbarr Shanahan (Dublin).