Saoirse strikes twice as Westport crush Carnacon
Westport's Fionnula McLaughlin in a race for the ball with Carnacon's Michelle McGing. Picture: Conor McKeown
If any further proof was needed of a changing of the guard in ladies football in Mayo, you could not have got a more definitive answer.
Like a phoenix rising, Westport have taken the big step of reaching a first senior final after routing the dominant force over the past two decades Carnacon last Sunday afternoon, with the 22-point victory not flattering the host side in any shape or form.
A force from start to finish, Westport inflicted the type of performance and margin of victory that Carnacon made commonplace for close to two decades. Young guns like Aoife Staunton, Laura Moran, Aoife Geraghty, Sherin El Massry and Fionnuala McLaughlin ran at Carnacon time and time again, and the Green and Red had no answer.
The talismanic Cora Staunton, so often their outlet, was deployed in a deeper role early on but struggled to have much influence and took some heavy hits early doors. One trademark drive on four minutes drew four Westport players in before Staunton fed Amy Dowling for the opening score.
It was the only time they led as Westport would give a sample of things to come. Laura Moran levelled with a free before Fionnuala McLaughlin, similar to her brother Eoghan, used her pace to race past Shauna Heneghan and hit a piledriver past Lisa Nally for the opening goal.
Aoife Staunton skipped past Fiona McHale for her first point of the day followed by one from McLaughlin. The sides respective number fourteens, Cora Staunton and Laura Moran, traded frees followed by a fisted effort by Aoife Geraghty.
Westport were then given a penalty following a turnover just outside the square. As Noirin Moran was through on goal, Michelle McGing brought her to ground, which saw the Carnacon centre-half sin binned. Aoife Staunton buried her effort into the top corner which was followed by two excellent Laura Moran points from play. Louise Dowling got Carnacon’s final point of the half but the game appeared over at the break as Westport led 2-7 to 0-3.
Saoirse Ludden saw her goal attempt go inches over the bar seconds after the restart but the Westport ace made no mistake second time round, as Aoife Staunton found her free on the right and she flicked the ball home for Westport’s third green flag.
Carnacon were well and truly beaten but just like their ruthless streak of the past, Westport too showed no mercy. Noirin Moran added a single before Soairse Ludden netted a second goal – and Westport’s fourth – after she was played in by Katie Chambers.
Aoife Geraghty, who had an outstanding performance in the middle of the pitch, tagged on two more points as the Westport machine kept motoring, even as Laura Moran was sinbinned for an off the ball incident on 44 minutes.
The game petered out from there as Westport rang the changes to keep players fresh with only a six-day tunaround for the final against Knockmore this Saturday. Katie Chambers got on the scoresheet before Carnacon landed their only point of the second-half through captain Hannah Prendergast.
Substitute Aoife Kennedy rounded off the display with a fine effort for Westport as the girls in blue had a day to remember. For Carnacon, there’s a long winter ahead, but Westport’s season may only be just warming.
