Backs to the wall as champions defend their crown
The players of Westport celebrate successfully defending the Mayo LGFA Senior Championship title after their come-from-behind win against Knockmore at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park last Sunday, which completed a league and championship double for the Covies this season. Picture: Conor McKeown
In a tale of two halves on Sunday, Westport came away from their county final encounter against Knockmore with the Jimmy Corbett Perpetual Cup in tow for the second year in-a-row.
Aoife Staunton was inspirational for the defending champions as they clawed their way back into the game from a seven-point deficit, scoring four points from play and taking the lead role in the go-ahead goal. The bench played a role in the comeback too with Christina MacEvilly getting that goal to put Westport in the lead.
Knockmore were exceptional in the first-half, hard to break down, accurate with their shooting at the other end and held that strong, well-deserved lead at the break. The girls of Backs Parish landed the first uppercut in this game through Amy O’Connor’s goal after 13 minutes and Lara Sweeney enjoyed an almost perfect record from the multitudes of frees the opposition, who were well below par, were giving away.
The only concern for Knockmore was that Westport had the potential to give every bit as good as they had gotten thus far in the second-half and the Coveys truly lived up to that potential. By the 47th minute, they had matched Knockmore’s half-time tally of 1-7 and had gone out in front.
Westport’s performance had interesting parallels with Knockmore; their own sharpshooter Laura Moran was making the most of her free kicks and MacEvilly’s goal came shortly following her point, just as O’Connor’s had for Knockmore in the first-half, which must have seemed an age ago for Stephen Sweeney and company with Westport totally on top.
As well as this, Knockmore only managed to match Westport’s first-half tally of 0-3 in the second-half with the Albany end of MacHale Park proving to be an ill omen for both teams in the county final. It was a bitter, cold winter’s day in Castlebar but there was no real breeze to speak of. The Bacon Factory end just seemed to be a happier hunting ground for both teams.
Knockmore had started the game brightly shooting in this direction and very nearly had an opening goal after 30 seconds. Shauna Howley was visibly disappointed to hit the crossbar but this effort set the tone for a Saffron and Blue-dominated half.
Sarah Mulvihill had the range to put Knockmore ahead from distance and though Westport soon equalised through Laura Moran’s opening free of the day, the next scores went the way of the Parish of the Backs.
Lara Sweeney lined up two frees back-to-back and was on target. Amy O’Connor had a point from distance and Knockmore were motoring well. Aoife Staunton drove in an advanced area for Westport and was taken down amid the heavy traffic and Laura Moran dispatched a free. At the other end, O’Connor would hit the back of the net having been well set up by Clodagh Keane.
Aoife Geraghty scored Westport’s last of the half after 16 minutes, again driving into the compact Knockmore rearguard and somehow emerging with a point.
Sweeney struck again before Shauna Howley scored from play to extend the lead out further. An injury to Noirin Moran saw the introduction of intercounty footballer Sherin El Massry, who has been recovering from injury for much of the season, and her running would play a big part in the uplift of Westport’s performance in the second-half.
For the time being however, there was little they could do but watch Lara Sweeney stretch the lead out to seven before half-time.
Just as Howley had set the tone for Knockmore, Aoife Geraghty did similarly when she hit the post with 45 seconds played in the second-half. Westport won a free and Laura Moran struck to begin the comeback. Aoife Staunton was central for her side and scored her first of the half to cut the gap to five points.
The Westport improvement was clear and they looked a totally different team from the downcast individuals who were short on solutions that had jogged into the dressing room at half-time.
Moran scored back-to-back frees and the half-time mountain was looking more like a molehill with Westport now within a goal. Christina MacEvilly, one of two half-time subs with Rebecca O’Malley, scored a point to take her team to within two. Staunton lined up an effort from distance and drilled it low. MacEvilly got the slightest of touches to help the ball on its way into the onion bag and after a barnstorming start to the second-half, Westport were in front.
Knockmore broke quickly and Shauna Howley added her second of the day but the Westport momentum was not deterred and they scored five without reply. Staunton scored again to put them back in front and Moran scored twice more, a free and her sole point from play to put her side three in front. Staunton scored two more brilliant points from play as time began to run out for Knockmore.
Lara Sweeney scored a point from a free and a point from play but it was a goal Knockmore needed. After all their hard work, Westport were not keen to give them half a chance and they dug in deep to hold off Knockmore.
Following three county finals in-a-row between these two, Westport’s record is now 2-1. It had been a tale of two halves in MacHale Park, Westport’s half was simply that bit better.
Scorers – Westport: Laura Moran 0-7 (6f), Aoife Staunton 0-4, Christina MacEvilly 1-1, Aoife Geraghty 0-1.
Knockmore: Lara Sweeney 0-6 (5f), Amy O’Connor 1-1, Shauna Howley 0-2, Sarah Mulvihill 0-1.
Westport: Roisin Scott; Janette O’Malley, Nicola O’Malley, Saoirse Lally; Sarah Mulroy, Sorcha McCarney, Kate Scahill; Noirin Moran, Aoife Geraghty; Fionnuala McLoughlin, Aoife Staunton, Aoife Kennedy; Katie Chambers, Saoirse Ludden, Laura Moran. Subs: Sherin El Masry (for N Moran 24), Rebecca O’Malley and Christina MacEvilly (for Scahill and Chambers ht), Ellie Hyland (for L Moran 60+2) Knockmore: Grace Naughton; Siofragh Kelly, Roisin Flynn, Emily Hughes; Nina McVann, Ciara Durkan, Emily Reape; Hannah Reape, Sarah Mulvihill; Katie Langan, Shauna Howley, Sarah Dempsey; Amy O’Connor, Lara Sweeney, Clodagh Keane. Subs: Roisin Langan (for K Langan 45), Rachel Fox (for Dempsey 54).
REF: John Brennan
