All too easy for Westport in one-sided rout
Carnacon full-back Anna Heaney breaks out of defence in their Mayo LGFA Championship clash with Westport played in Ballintubber. Picture: Tom Quinn
It was easy, far too easy for the footballers of Westport as they accounted for the challenge of Carnacon in Round 2 of the Mayo Ladies Senior Football Championship played in Ballintubber on Sunday morning.
The game was played in continuous heavy showers, but that didn’t stop the powerful force of Westport, with an array of impressive performers throughout.
Quite simply, Westport dictated the terms of engagement in every way after the opening five minutes. Disciplined in the tackle, protecting possession, sealing the central corridor effectively and relying on the excellent Aoife Staunton and Aoife Geraghty to do the scoring upfront.
One of the loudest cheers of the day came when they even had the pleasure of giving substitute goalkeeper Lauren Cusack a run for the final eight minutes, replacing Roisin Scott between the posts, and even Cusack impressed with a terrific late save, denying a certain goal for Carnacon.
While there is no doubt that Westport were deserving winners, the final scoreline was a bit flattering for them. Indeed, if Carnacon could only get a little more power into their shooting, they would have registered much more on the scoreboard with a lot of balls dropping just short. But when you are playing the side who are many people's tip to win this year’s championship, you have to take your chances when presented, and on this occasion, Carnacon just didn’t do that.
It was Danny O’Toole’s side who made the dream start with two early points by Amy and Louise Dowling, but from the fifth minute onwards, it was the umpires at the other end that was busy.
By half-time, Westport had roared into a 2-6 to 0-3 lead. The goals came in the 6th and 15th minutes respectively from Laura Moran and Christina MacEvilly.
Aoife Staunton was orchestrating everything upfront and kicked three of these points from play. Noirin Moran, Aoife Geraghty and Laura Moran added their other points. Niamh Flannery kicked Carnacon’s only other point of the half, and a huge challenge lay ahead after the resumption.
They were given a glimmer of hope when Aoife Staunton was given a yellow card late in the first half, and Westport were reduced to 14 for ten minutes. Her absence was felt, but Carnacon never really threatened a comeback despite competing much better in the opening stages of the second half. However, once Westport’s Aoife Staunton returned to the field of play, she banged in her first and Westport’s third goal of the day to completely put this result to bed.
A string of scorers followed from the boot of Laura Moran (free), two by Aoife Staunton again, who finished top scorer with 1-5 in total, Christina MacEvilly, substitute Lisa Scahill added one, and a contender for Player of the Match, Aoife Geraghty, who kicked her third of the day. A late ’45 was won by Carnacon following Lauren Cusack’s great save, and from this move came the final score of the game by veteran Fiona McHale to bring the curtain down on proceedings.
It’s now back-to-back wins for Westport and they head into their final group game against Charlestown next Sunday with great confidence. Carnacon will have to regroup quickly, put this game out of their minds, and get ready for the challenge of Castlebar Mitchels ladies with still a lot to play for.
