Galway prove too strong for Westmeath in windy conditions

Galway 1-14, Westmeath 0-3

By Darren Kelly

Despite a promising start, a third National Football League defeat for Westmeath’s senior ladies in Tuam Stadium last Sunday leaves them bottom of Division 2 and fighting a relegation battle with three fixtures remaining.

With just one point from four outings, Frank Browne’s charges travel to Tipperary next Sunday (2pm) needing a result to give them a realistic chance of survival in the second tier.

Despite another double digit reversal on the scoreboard, there were positives for the Midlanders. In challenging conditions with wind and rain, they put it up to Galway in the early exchanges even if they didn’t convert possession into points.

Goalkeeper Amy Donlon produced three top drawer saves over the hour and denied the hosts a green flag until Róisín Leonard’s 50th-minute strike. But with an average of just six points per game, their shooting is a major concern ahead of upcoming contests.

“We’re disappointed with the result but if you’re not winning, you’re learning. And that’s very much how we’ve looked at the league,” said Browne afterwards.

“We’ve had a tough start, no doubt about it. We did well in the opening ten minutes there. We could have had maybe a goal, a couple of points which would have changed things. But we let Galway play an awful lot of football in the second half when we had the wind.”

Galway boss Daniel Moynihan may have made 11 changes from the team that beat Roscommon two weeks previously but still featured eight from last year’s All-Ireland senior final defeat to Kerry. Four more were among the 14 substitutes introduced.

Westmeath, who had lost their previous eight league fixtures against Galway, dominated the early exchanges but kicked two wides. And a move involving Ayesha Roche and Lucy Power saw Catriona Dunne denied by keeper Dearbhla Gower.

Galway weren’t without opportunities and Kate Slevin called Donlon into action. After their mini purple patch, the girls in green only held a 0-1 to 0-0 lead when Gráinne Byrne picked out Ashley Ruane to split the posts.

Galway's Ailbhe Davoren nearly weaved her way inside only for Power to close out the space. But on 11 minutes, they restored parity as Olivia Divilly found Kilkerrin-Clonberne club mate Louise Ward for the equaliser.

Sixty seconds later, Slevin added a free. Galway were in their groove now as returning player of the year Nicola Ward and Aoife O’Rourke combined before the latter’s dropping delivery forced Donlon to be alert.

A free on the quarter hour allowed O’Rourke make it 0-3 to 0-1. And the Tuam-Cortoon player provided the best score so far shortly afterwards taking Louise Ward’s pass for another white flag.

The growing gale force wind was making Westmeath’s kickouts increasingly difficult as Donlon struggled to find colleagues as the wind blew the ball back in her direction.

Hannah Noone found Slevin who floated over another Galway score on 18 minutes. And the latter registered again two minutes later, making it 0-6 to 0-1.

There was one more burst in the Tribeswomen before half-time with four unanswered points. Louise Ward played a part in the first two as both Divilly and Davoren got off the mark. Marta Banek set up O’Rourke who forced a 29th-minute stop from Donlon but Slevin sent the rebound over the bar. And just before the break, Kate Thompson finished off a move involving Nicola Ward and Hannah Noone.

Galway led 0-10 to 0-1 at half-time as the rain returned coupled with the strong wind and darker skies. And neither team appeared enthusiastic on returning as referee Gus Chapman was whistling for nearly five minutes before seeing players back on the field.

Galway made three interval changes while Westmeath kept faith in the starting 15, hoping another bright start would yield dividends with Mother Nature in their favour. But Hannah Noone stretched Galway’s advantage six minutes after the restart.

A deluge of rain dampened Westmeath’s ability to regain control as Galway were showcasing the difference between All-Ireland senior and intermediate championship contenders.

After Leonard made Donlon produce another block, Megan Ennis sacrificed her body for another interception to deny Lynsey Noone. With ten minutes remaining, however, Galway struck for the game's only goal. Ashley Ruane initially thwarted a Galway chance, but Leonard was on hand to calmly shoot low into the bottom corner, making it 1-11 to 0-1.

Shortly afterwards, Louise Ward and Shauna Hynes fed Lynsey Noone but Donlon came to Westmeath’s rescue again.

Westmeath did finish better giving hope for the big tests ahead. Méadbh Monaghan converted a placed ball on 57 minutes and Anna Jones completed their account in injury time. In between, Power tested Gower in goal.

There was still time for two more Galway points with Leonard contributing on 63 minutes, while Hynes profited from a turnover to wrap up a convincing home win.

Westmeath now turn towards Tipperary, who are two points ahead in seventh place. Defeat next Sunday will almost certainly condemn Westmeath to Division 3 in 2026.

SCORERS – Galway: R Leonard 1-2 (0-1 free); K Slevin 0-4 (1f); A O’Rourke 0-2 (1f); H Noone, L Ward, O Divilly, A Davoren, K Thompson and S Hynes 0-1 each. Westmeath: A Ruane, A Jones and M Monaghan (f) 0-1 each.

GALWAY: Dearbhla Gower; Aoife Ní Cheallaigh, Sarah Lynch, Emma Mitchell; Marta Banek, Nicola Ward, Hannah Noone; Louise Ward, Mairéad Glynn; Aoife O’Rourke, Olivia Divilly, Ailbhe Davoren; Andrea Trill, Kate Thompson, Kate Slevin. Subs: Charlotte Cooney for Banek (half-time), Siobhán Divilly for Glynn (H-T), Róisín Leonard for Trill (H-T), Lynsey Noone for O’Rourke (37 mins), Kate Geraghty for Mitchell (38), Chellene Trill for H Noone (42), Shauna Hynes for O Divilly (48), Maryanne Jordan for Lynch (48), Eva Noone for Thompson (49), Sophie Healy for Ni Cheallaigh (54), Aisling Madden for Davoren (54), Shíofra Ní Scanláin for N Ward (56), Katie Slattery for L Ward (56), Bronagh Quinn for Slevin (56).

WESTMEATH: Amy Donlon; Megan Ennis, Sarah Murphy, Lara McCartan; Fiona Coyle, Lucy Power, Chloe Kelly; Anna Jones, Vicky Carr; Ayesha Roche, Tracey Dillon, Ashley Ruane; Gráinne Byrne, Caoimhe Kilmurray, Catriona Dunne. Subs: Philippa Ruane for Ennis (45 mins), Méadbh Monaghan for Dunne (45), Francesca Walshe for A Ruane (52), Eva Fitzpatrick for McCartan (52), Caoimhe Clarke McMahon for Byrne (56), Susanna Buckley for Coyle (56).

REFEREE: Gus Chapman (Sligo).