Champions run riot to reach back-to-back finals
The Westport team who booked their place in the final of the Rose Nixon Cup for a second successive year following a comprehensive win against Padraig Pearses of Roscommon last Saturday.
Westport have reached their second consecutive Rose Nixon Cup final after an outstanding display of camogie last Saturday afternoon. The 2023 champions never looked in danger, holding the Roscommon champions completely scoreless in the opening half.
It was a dominant performance of the highest standard by Westport, with Ava Lambert leading the way, hitting an incredible 2-12. Sinead Muldoon's side set the tone from the offset, with Meabh Tunney winning the throw-in and making a galloping run down the pitch before raising the white flag.
Sarah Dooley was lively for the Roscommon side in the opening minutes, but her influence was quickly nullified. Westport captain Ava Lambert scored her first point of the game in the second minute. Lambert, along with Kate Scahill, Fionnuala McLaughlin, Christina MacEvilly, and Eimear Geraghty, all dusted themselves off from the previous weekend's Connacht football final defeat and played integral roles.
With only five minutes played, Westport raised the green flag. A Padraig Pearses defensive clearance was intercepted by Christina MacEvilly who made a beeline towards goal and rattled the roof of the net. The Roscommon champions were unable to win their own puck outs as Westport tagged on three more scores through Ava Lambert, two, and Christina MacEvilly.
By the 15-minute mark Westport had created a 1-5 to 0-0 lead. The West Mayo side were playing superb camogie. Meabh Tunney was controlling the middle of the pitch while Fionnuala McLaughlin was causing trouble for the Padraig Pearses defence. The Roscommon side did try a long ball strategy in the first-half, but the Westport defence remained solid.
Just before the 20 minute mark, Meabh Tunney scored her second point of the afternoon which preceded Ava Lambert scoring her first goal. The dual star found the top right corner of the net after an excellent run.
Padraig Pearses struggled to maintain possession while Sinead Muldoon's side could hardly miss. They hit seven more points through Ava Lambert, four, Fionnuala McLaughlin, Emily Kelly and Molly Farrell to leave the scoreline reading 2-13 to 0-0 at the interval.
The second-half was not as intense. With less than a minute played, Padraig Pearses got their first point of the afternoon, through a Sarah Dooley free. Ava Lambert and Dooley then exchanged points before Lambert picked up where she left off, hitting four points on the trot. The Roscommon side had a better foothold in the game in the second period but there was never any sign of them making a comeback.
Sarah Dooley hit her third point of the game before a parade of goals came. A long-range Christina MacEvilly effort went over the head of Padraig Pearses goalkeeper Lorraine Kenny to extend Westport's lead once again. However, only one minute later the Roscommon side raised the green flag too. A long-range effort from Katie Mulry bounced off Westport goalkeeper Ruth Crowley’s stick, and into the net. To complete the hat-trick of goals in three minutes, it was Westport captain Ava Lambert who came to the fore. She showcased some tremendous stick work and subsequently found the back of the net.
Both teams ran their bench as the final whistle approached, with Padraig Pearses hitting two final points. But the match had ultimately been won in the first-half.
Westport will now go in search of their second consecutive Rose Nixon Cup title when they play Skehanna in the final next Saturday at New Inn pitch in Galway.
Scorers – Westport: Ava Lambert 2-12 (0-3f), Christina MacEvilly 2-1, Meabh Tunney 0-2, Emily Kelly, Fionnuala McLaughlin, and Molly Farrell 0-1 each.
Padraig Pearses: Sarah Dooley 0-5 (4f), Katie Mulry 1-0, Shauna Hibbitt 0-1.
Westport: Ruth Crowley; Ruby Lambert, Katlyn McGreal, Heidi O’Malley; Kate Scahill, Megan O’Malley, Lisa Hastings; Emily Kelly, Meabh Tunney; Molly Farrell, Fionnuala McLaughlin, Molly Tunney; Christina MacEvilly, Ava Lambert, Eimear Geraghty. Subs: Lara Furlong (for Hastings 45), Aine Gallagher (for Farrell 45), Laura Galvin (for O’Malley 45), Rebecca Hastings (for Crowley 50), Niamh Twohig (for Scahill 55), Orla Mulloy (for Tunney 55), Naomi Crowe (for MacEvilly 55), Anna Durkin (for A Lambert 60).
Padraig Pearses: Lorraine Kenny; Charlotte Blackweir, Grainne Lohan, Aiveen Curley; Kate Doyle, Ciara Hibbitt, Orlaith Mulryan; Sarah Dooley, Marianne Monaghan; Amanda Mannion, Rosa Monaghan, Shauna Hibbitt; Katie Mulry, Aoife Hibbitt, Macy McDermott. Subs: Jessica O’Brien (for Curley 37), Esmae Halpin (for M Monaghan 37), Katie Murray (for R Monaghan 43), Blathnaid Kelly (for A Hibbitt 50), Lorna Cruise (for Mannion 58).
REF: David Cunningham (Cappataggle)
