Tipp don’t lose focus in seeing off Westmeath
LADIES FOOTBALL: Lidl National League Division 2 Round 5
Westmeath 0-8
Tipperary 3-8
Report: Michael Heverin at St Loman’s, Mullingar
MATCH DIGEST
Player of the Match: Clara English (Tipperary)
SCORERS – Westmeath: Anne Jones 0-3 frees, Sarah Dillon 0-2, Ashley Ruane, Lucy McCartan, Sinead Seery 0-1 each.
Tipperary: Heather Spillane, Lauren Cunningham 1-1 each, Anna Rose Kennedy 1-0; Clara English 0-3, Niamh Martin, Emma Morrissey, Anna Carey 0-1 each.
Tipperary eased any relegation concerns with an impressive nine point win over Westmeath on Sunday that puts them mid-table in the league on seven points with two rounds still to play.
Once again it was a strong first half that set the tone, but unlike a week earlier when they were pegged back by Monaghan, this time they remained on the front foot to see out the victory.
The intensity levels did drop a little in the second half, but only after two goals in the space of three minutes secured the win. Twelve substitutions also proved disruptive as manger David Power took off key players, many of whom were scheduled for O’Connor Cup third level matches this week.
The side’s second win of the campaign, both away from home, was achieved with a combination of some sparkling forward play – their 3-8 total was all from open play – and resolute defence.
Emma Morrissey worked tirelessly for nearly fifty minutes, the fulcrum of the attack, switching play from side to side to create the openings. The main beneficiary was Clara English, who cut through the Westmeath defence for three outstanding points, as well as providing three assists. Heather Spillane and Lauren Cunningham scored 1-1 each as the Tipp attack looked dangerous whenever it moved the ball at speed.
Minding the house at the back was equally as vital and no one epitomised the character of the defence more than Emma Cronin, with a performance reminiscent of her father, legendary Moyle Rovers and Tipperary defender, Liam Cronin. Newcomer to the team this year, Templemore’s Tara Hoare, was also strong in her tackling, with the Sliabh na mBan sisters Niamh and Nora Martin both in fine form.
Goalkeeper Lauren Fitzpatrick was also a brilliant last line of defence, making a string of great saves to deny the home side goals.
“The confidence from that win is massive for the girls”, said manager David Power in the aftermath.
“We played against the wind in the first half and the girls were very hungry to show what they can do. Everyone was disappointed with the second half performance against Monaghan but we’re still learning, and we are very new to this group, so we will always learn from our defeats and draws.
“We are building and seeing examples of what this group can do. We are not the finished article, far from it, but we are definitely building something. I’m very pleased, that was a good job against Westmeath. The second half was a little scrappy but we weren’t chasing the game. Overall, very happy.”
Tipperary started on the front foot, with a Niamh Martin point in the second minute following a quick tap and go free from Clara English. Two minutes later, English was the provider again for a Heather Spillane goal.
Westmeath hit back with two points in a row from Sarah Dillon and an Anna Jones free, but the Lake County side were not to score again in the first half. Tipperary continued to dominate possession and Emma Morrissey pointed midway through the half from a Cunningham pass, with Down native Cunningham, now playing for Holycross/Ballycahill, then getting on the scoresheet herself.
The unstoppable English then skinned her marker on the right side to hit a lovely point, before Spillane and English completed the first half scoring for a 1-6 to 0-2 interval lead.
Any scares of a second half collapse similar to a week earlier were quickly dispelled by the visitors. Clara English opened the scoring two minutes in before two goals in the space of three minutes sealed the deal.
A lofted free from Emma Morrissey caused panic in the Westmeath defence, with team captain Anna Rose Kennedy capitalising to shoot to the net. Then following a great save from Lauren Fitzpatrick, play switched the other end with substitute Emma Buckley setting Lauren Cunningham up for the side’s third goal and a 3-7 to 0-2 lead in the 38th minute.
A combination of the big lead and the sweeping changes off the bench appeared to disrupt Tipperary’s flow, and Westmeath kicked five points without reply, from Lucy McCartan, Ashley Ruane, Sarah Dillon and two frees from Anna Jones. At least two of the points might have been goals that could have re-ignited the Westmeath challenge.
Substitute Anna Carey had Tipperary’s first point in seventeen minutes from another Clara English assist, before another sub, Sinead Seery, wrapped up the scoring for Westmeath.
TEAMS – Westmeath: Aoife Temple (6); Holly Keenan (6), Tracey Dillon (7), Lara McCartan (7); Chloe Kelly Gonoud (6), Fiona Coyle (7), Sandra McWade (7); Anna Jones (7), Ashley Ruane (7); Vicky Carr (6), Caoimhe Kilmurray (7), Niamh Mullarkey (7); Rebecca Higgins (7), Sarah Dillon (8), Lucy McCartan (7).
Subs: Pip Ruane (7) for McWade (20), Sinead Seery (7) for Mullarkey (HT), Aoife Keegan (7) for Higgins (50), Maisie Curran (6) for Gonoud (58), Lisa Seery (6) for S Dillon (58).
Tipperary: Lauren Fitzpatrick (Ballymacarbry 8); Tara Hoare (Templemore 8), Maria Curley (Templemore 7), Emma Cronin (Moyle Rovers 8); Niamh Martin (Sliabh na mBan 7), Nora Martin (Sliabh na mBan 7), Sarah English (Ardfinnan 7); Laura Morrissey (Brian Borus 7), Anna Rose Kennedy (Aherlow 7); Angela McGuigan (St Sylvester’s, Dublin 7), Clara English (Ardfinnan 9), Heather Spillane (Fethard 8); Lauren Cunningham (Holycross/Ballycahill 8), Lily Maher (Arravale Rovers 7), Emma Morrissey (Aherlow 8).
Subs: Katelyn Downey (Boherlahan-Dualla 7) for S English (HT), Aoibhe O’Shea (CJ Kickhams Mullinahone 7) for McGuigan (40), Shona Lang (Brian Borus 7) for Niamh Martin (43), Emma Buckley (Cahir 7) for Kennedy (46), Anna Carey (Clonmel Commercials 7) for E Morrissey (55), Eabha Hogan (St. Patrick’s 7) for Cunningham (53), Lucy Spillane (Fethard 7) for Cronin (55), Nicola Shelly (CJ Kickhams Mullinahone 7) for C English (58), Aine O’Dwyer (Boherlahan-Dualla NR) for L Morrissey (59), Izzy Carr (Holycross/Ballycahill NR) for Maher (60+1), Ava Ryan (Moyne-Templetuohy NR) for Hoare (60+3); Kate Cashman (Templemore NR) for Spillane (60+3).
Referee: Ray McBride (Dublin).