Laois overpowered by Westmeath in Rathdowney

Westmeath proved far too strong in Rathdowney on Saturday evening as Laois saw their championship come to a premature halt. The visitors were the better team from the moment Síle McGrath slotted the first point after just 20 seconds. 

Westmeath led by five points at half time and scored two goals inside five minutes in the second half to put the game beyond doubt. There were some good performances on the Laois side, including Katie Dunican who tidied up a lot in defence, and goalkeeper, Aedín Lowry, who made numerous goal-denying saves to keep the score from getting out of hand. 

For the second game in a row, Laois were without several regular starters who found themselves sidelined either through injury or sitting the Leaving Cert. Noel Brennan's side suffered a painful defeat away to Meath in Round 1 and the defeat to Westmeath means they cannot qualify for the knockouts.

Brennan made three changes to the side that fell in Trim, with Karla Whelan, Mary Hyland and Grainne O’Reilly making way for Katie Dunican, Hanna O'Connor, and the returning captain, Clodagh Tynan.

The sides were tied at 0-3 apiece after 10 minutes with scores from Alice Walsh and a pair of frees from Aimee Collier. The visitors were dominating the aerial battle, winning practically all the puck outs. They scored five of the next six scores, with Megan Dowdall doing most of the damage from placed balls.

It finished 0-12 to 0-7 at half time and the visitors wasted little time tightening their grip on the game in the second half. Hannah O'Connor got the game's first goal two minutes after the break with Amelia Shaw adding a second four minutes later.

Roisín Dowling raised a green flag for Laois just three minutes after coming on, but the hosts never looked like getting themselves back into the tie. Westmeath were held to a draw at home to Kerry in their opening game and will finish out the group in a winner-take-all tie at home to neighbours, Meath.

Laois are back in Rathdowney in two weeks' time to face Kerry. The Kingdom lost to Meath earlier the same day, making this one a dead rubber.

Laois 1-10 Westmeath 2-17

SCORERS - Laois: Aimee Collier 0-7 (all frees), Roisín Dowling 1-0, Alice Walsh 0-2, Fiona Scully 0-1. Westmeath: Megan Dowdall 0-7 (all frees), Amelia Shaw 1-3, Hannah Core 1-0, Síle McGrath and Denise McGrath (one free) 0-2 each, Caoimhe McCrossan, Aoife O'Mally, Aoife Doherty 0-1 each.

LAOIS: Aedin Lowry (Camross); Aisling McAuley (Portlaoise), Fiona Scully (Camross), Katie Dunican (St Lazarian’s); Luisne Delaney (Camross), Clodagh Tynan (St Brigid’s), Emily Carroll (St Brigids’s); Alice Walsh (The Harps), Aimee Collier (Camross); Gemma Hoare (St Brigid’s), Andrea Scully (Camross), Hannah O'Connor (O’Moore’s); Aileen O’Neill (Portlaoise), Eimear Hassett (St Brigid’s), Evelyn Aylward (St Brigid’s). Subs: Roisín Dowling (O’Moore’s) for Aylward (35).

WESTMEATH: Fiona Keating; Dearbhail McLoughlin, Julie Mcloughlin, Emily McCabe; Aoife Doherty, Muireann Scally, Laura Doherty; Aoife O'Mally, Caoimhe McCrossan; Síle McGrath, Megan Dowdall, Hannah Core; Maria Kelly, Denise McGrath, Amelia Shaw.

REFEREE: Philip McDonald (Cavan).