Croke Park disappointment for Derry as they lose to Westmeath

National League Division 2A Final

Derry 0-16

Westmeath 4-8

It was more Croke Park frustration for Derry as they fell four points short against Westmeath today.

Last summer, Derry drew with Meath in their All-Ireland Championship game at Croke Park before winning the replay, so they were hoping to experience that winning feeling at last at Croke Park. However, it just wasn’t to be.

It was ultimately the first 14 minutes of this game which decided the Division 2A final, with Westmeath hammering in three goals against a stunned Derry side who just couldn’t get going until they were nine whole points behind.

Having conceded five to Westmeath in the league defeat just a few weeks ago, manager PJ O’Mullan would not have needed to warn his players about the dangers of the Westmeath forward line, particularly Megan Dowdall, who scored four that day. But being aware is one thing, doing something about it is entirely another as Derry couldn’t handle the Meath star, who scored another two to take her total to the season to 13 goals.

Derry chipped away as they tried to get back into this final, and they did get it down to just two points at one stage, but they were fighting against huge early damage, and with 13 wides overall, their inaccuracy in their own attacking play cost them dearly also.

Devastating start

Westmeath began the game on the attack and although Amekia Shaw struck wide, they took the lead through Dowdall, who got on the scoreboard just one minute and 45 seconds into the game.

Dervla O’Kane and Aine Barton replied to put Derry in front, but that would be the only time they led in the entire game as Westmeath hit three goals in just over six minutes.

The first came on six minutes when Sheila McGrath found the net for her fourth goal of the campaign after good approach play by Dowdall scattered the Derry defence. That was soon followed by a score from Hannah Corr and Westmeath were building momentum.

Barton managed an outstanding score from an angle, but it was all Westmeath and they found the net for a second time, Dowdall untouchable as she slammed the ball into the roof of the net.

A third goal almost followed with Hannah Corr denied by a good save from Niamh Gribbin, but it was one-way traffic as Westmeath looked slick and dangerous, as opposed to Derry, who were restricted to efforts from distance but they were all off target, with four wides in the first 13 minutes.

It was clear that Derry were in serious bother as McGrath scored her second, and Westmeath’s third on 14 minutes, sidestepping the Derry goalkeeper to shoot into an empty net to make it 0-3, 3-3.

Derry finally managed to get a grip on the game as Westmeath failed to score in the remainder of the half, but the Oak Leafs suffered another blow when they lost Lauren McKenna to injury after a lengthy stoppage just before half time.

They did at least finish the first half on top, Barton scoring three times from frees, Derry’s first of any kind in 18 minutes, while Breige Rogers also found the target.

From nine behind to five at the break, there was at least some hope for Derry heading into the break.

Half Time 0-7, 3-3

The first scores in the second half were crucial and they went with Westmeath as they final got on the board again after 20 minutes, Amelia Shaw getting both.

That helped Westmeath regain their momentum, and with Derry falling back into shooting wides, it was looking increasingly difficult for them to claw their opponents back.

It took 13 second half minutes before Derry scored again, and it was much-needed from Dervla O’Kane, who made it 0-8, 3-5.

That was the start of a Derry fightback, and scores from Aoife Shawm Rogers and another from Barton took it down to a three-point deficit.

Shaw then hit an important double for Westmeath entering the last 10 minutes, but Derry were fighting hard and they made it a two-point game when three successive scores followed from Shaw and two from Barton.

The brilliant Dowdall hit a score just when her team needed it, but the killer blow arrived just three minutes from time when Dowdall ran clear, and although her first effort was saved by Gribbin, the forward forced the rebound into the net for her second of the final.

Aine Barton then hit her ninth point of the day in added time, but Derry never looked like getting the goal they desperately needed, and it was Westmeath celebrating come the final whistle.

Teams

Derry: N Gribbin, A Ni ChaIside, L Lennon, C McEldowney, R Downey, N Quinn, L McKenna, R Donnelly, A McGill, D O’Kane (0-2), A Barton (0-9, 4f, 1 45’), A Shaw (0-2, 1f), B Rogers (0-4), J Donnelly, O Rafferty.  

Subs: M Kerr for R Downey 15’, C Ni Mhianain for L McKenna 25’, A Cassidy for J Donnelly 38’, O Hull for Rafferty 44’, 22 McGuigan for A McGill 52’.

Yellow: A Barton 60’.

Westmeath: F Keating, J McKeogh, J McLoughlin, E McCabe, M Kelly, M Scally, A Newman, A O’Malley, S McGrath (2-0), C McCrossan, H Corr (0-1), H Dowdall, A Shaw (0-4, 3f), M McLoughlin, M Dowdell (2-3)

Subs: M Scally for McCrossan 49’, N Horan for H Dowdall 60’, A Egerton for E McCabe 60’, E Broughan for S McGrath 60’.

Referee: Colm McAllister