Carr wins it for Loman’s after pulsating decider

St Loman's, Mullingar 3-7 Milltown 1-10

After a second half packed with thrills and spills at TEG Cusack Park last Saturday afternoon, St Loman’s, Mullingar emerged as Westmeath senior ladies’ football champions for 2024, dethroning holders Milltown thanks to a brace of goals from Vicky Carr and a battling team display.

A tough first-half battle dictated by a stiff breeze ended with St Loman’s leading by 1-4 to 0-4 after a perfectly timed goal from the hard-working Shannon Breslin. However, on the change of ends, Milltown made up the deficit and looked set to push on after St Loman’s full back Megan Ennis was sin-binned for ten minutes.

Adversity only seemed to spur St Loman’s on, and they met this, as well as a goal from Milltown star Sarah Dillon, with tremendous resilience. All it took then was Carr’s brace, as well as some late defensive heroics, to secure their first title since the double of 2016-17.

With a large panel of mostly teenagers, five of whom played - the average age of the entire squad is just over 20 - the future is bright for St Loman’s, who have got some serious raw talent in their ranks complemented by solid experience in key areas. A dynasty could well be in the offing, but their minds will now be firmly fixed on their Leinster championship opener against Longford Slashers on the weekend after next.

Ciaran Kilmurray’s charges had the best of the opening three minutes, during which time Milltown never got out of their own half. Ciara Blundell hit the upright before Vicky Carr punted the opening score inside the second minute.

Defences were on top in the opening ten minutes but once they settled, it was Milltown who had the more chances. However, Sarah Dillon and Leanne Slevin shared four wides before the former eventually equalised for the holders after a good move.

By the 24th minute, following some attritional play characterised by tight marking and few opportunities for scores from play, the sides were locked at 0-3 apiece, with Leanne Slevin (two, one from play) and Katie Kilmurray (two frees) obliging for Milltown and St Loman’s respectively.

However, Rachel, Clodagh and Sarah Dillon then combined for the latter to kick the ladies in green into a slender lead with five minutes to go to the interval.

With the breeze in their favour, St Loman’s really needed to leave the field at half-time with more than just a point from play, and on 28 minutes they got the lift they needed.

Defensive errors were few and far between in the first half, but unfortunately for Milltown a lofty backward pass to Emma Ballesty slipped from the defender’s grasp, and Lucy McCartan seized on the loose ball. Soloing towards goal, McCartan shipped to the better-placed Shannon Breslin, who calmly netted from close range.

In stoppage time, Milltown had a chance to equalise but a brilliant interception from Lara McCartan – one of several from the young St Loman’s defender on Saturday – led to a break and a point for her sister Lucy, and the Saints led by a goal at the short whistle.

With the breeze now in their favour, Milltown were expected to attack from the off, and within two minutes Tom Dillon’s troops shaved as many points off the St Loman’s lead, with Leanne Slevin converting a free and Rachel Dillon pointing superbly off her right.

Moments later, St Loman’s full back Megan Ennis was sin-binned for a high tackle on Dillon, and when Slevin levelled matters with the resultant free, things briefly looked ominous for the Blues.

But the numerical disadvantage only seemed to drive St Loman’s on, and by the three-quarter mark they had recovered their three-point lead with a hat-trick of points from Katie Kilmurray, who now began to exercise more of an influence on the game. The hugely talented 16-year-old fired two frees and, on 45 minutes, cut inside to confound her marker and kick a brilliant first point from play.

However, all of that good work was undone a minute later when, just before Ennis had a chance to return to the fray, St Loman’s were caught out on the left-hand side, with Sarah Dillon picked out by a long ball from Nicky Feery before galloping goalwards. With Katie Dunne in hot pursuit, Dillon kept going and side-footed to the net.

Milltown were in a real purple patch now and by the 50-minute mark, led 1-9 to 1-7 after excellent scores from play by Clodagh Dillon and Gráinne Byrne, with the latter showing great skill to evade a challenge from Dunne. In between, St Loman’s had a sniff at goal when Ciara Blundell got in behind the Milltown defence and squared, only to find nobody on the receiving end.

The Saints didn’t bow their heads and were rewarded for their resilience on 52 minutes with a second goal – the outcome of a remarkable chain of events. Blundell kicked for a point but her effort bounced back off the crossbar, and when Lucy McCartan collected the rebound, her subsequent effort also ricocheted off the frame of the goal. Third time lucky, Vicky Carr was on hand to net with a low drive.

St Loman’s now had a slender lead with eight minutes to go (2-7 to 1-9), and although Ciara Blundell went wide seconds later, the Blues increasingly looked like they had all the right stuff in terms of fitness and tenacity to see this out.

On 55 minutes, shortly after another Milltown attack yielded nothing, St Loman’s broke down field and Katie Kilmurray handpassed over the top to the inrushing Vicky Carr, who headed straight for goal and rifled the ball to the top left hand corner of Karen Walsh’s net.

Back came Milltown, and a high ball from Kelly Boyce Jordan found Clodagh Dillon free of the St Loman’s defence. She was brought down and for a second it looked like a Milltown penalty might be on the cards. However, they were awarded a free and Leanne Slevin obliged to keep the pressure on the Blues.

As the pendulum swung to the other end, St Loman’s looked for the insurance score, and at the tail end of a brilliant move involving Blundell and Kilmurray, sub Méabh O’Hara was unlucky to miss the target.

In stoppage time, Milltown went all out looking for an equalising goal. After a patient build-up, Rachel Dillon, in acres of space, was presented with a great chance and handpassed for home, but an extraordinary combined juggling act from Lara McCartan and goalkeeper Jane McKenna kept it at bay for St Loman’s.

Milltown had a couple of more dangerous frees in the dying embers, but the Blues stood their ground for a memorable win.

At full time, St Loman’s captain Katie Dunne was presented with the Jack Lyster Cup by Geraldine Giles, chairperson, Westmeath LGFA.

Scorers - St Loman’s: V Carr 2-1, K Kilmurray 0-5 (4f), S Breslin 1-0, L McCartan 0-1. Milltown: S Dillon 1-2, L Slevin 0-5 (4f), R Dillon, C Dillon and G Byrne 0-1 each.

St Loman’s, Mullingar: Jane McKenna; Aileen Martin, Megan Ennis, Lara McCartan; Katie Dunne (capt.), Muireann Scally, Ellen Kilmurray; Vicky Carr, Caoimhe Kilmurray; Laura Murphy, Lucy McCartan, Ciara Blundell; Sandra McGrath, Shannon Breslin, Katie Kilmurray. Subs used: Julie McLaughlin for Martin (43), Méabh O’Hara for Murphy (50), Keelie Mulderry for McGrath (56).

Milltown: Karen Walsh; Emma Murtagh, Aoife Kenny, Emma Ballesty; Nicky Feery, Kelly Boyce Jordan, Rachel Dillon (joint capt.); Leanne Slevin (joint capt.), Tracey Dillon; Orlaith Sheerin, Gráinne Byrne, Louise Kiernan; Sarah Dillon, Kate Whyte, Clodagh Dillon. Sub used: Bronagh Beglan for Whyte (46).

Ref: John Gallagher (Galway).