Westport book showdown with All-Ireland champions
Westport's Sarah Mulroy tries to break past wing-back Sarah Feeney and through the Eoghan Rua defence during last Sunday's Connacht LGFA senior club semi-final at St Patrick's Park. Picture: Conor McKeown
Two late points from Christina MacEvilly and Aoife Geraghty saw Westport dramatically book their Connacht LGFA Senior Club Final ticket, at a packed St Patrick’s Park, on Sunday afternoon.
This game was a real humdinger of a provincial clash and captivated both sets of supporters from first whistle till last.
Eoghan Rua, who were recently crowned Sligo champions for the first time ever, entered this game with zeal and zest, and their fearless attitude and endeavour caused the Westport ladies plenty of problems during the 60 minutes.
The Sky Blue and Navy, who were also crowned senior champions of Mayo for the first time this year, notched the opening score of the tie inside the first minute, when Aoife Staunton bisected the posts. Eoghan Rua’s Keeva Flynn had a fine outing and displayed her deadly accuracy from the placed ball at an early juncture, when she drew the sides level after just two minutes.
The opening eight minutes proved a cagey period as both teams tested the waters and were wary of not making any errors.
On 11 minutes, Westport’s Laura Moran illuminated proceedings when she guided over a well-taken free and this was buttressed by Ava Lambert’s gem from distance on 13 minutes.
Eoghan Rua’s Flynn then added her second free of the afternoon but the pendulum swung decisively in Westport’s favour on 15 minutes. A spellbinding attacking foray left the visitors defence bamboozled, and when possession was snaffled up by Fionnuala McLoughlin, the deadly centre-forward unleashed a supersonic finish into the top corner of Lauren Fitzgerald’s net.
Eoghan Rua tried to regain their composure and a couple of singles by Flynn, a free, and Leah Duffy helped steady the Sligo ship somewhat.
Westport’s Sherin El Massry produced a swashbuckling display and her work-rate and link-up play were impressive. El Massry was also heavily involved in Westport’s fourth point of the afternoon, by teeing-up Moran and the latter guided over a peach of a score.
Eoghan Rua’s Duffy then reduced the arrears to just two points, however, the White, Blue and Red’s game-plan suffered a set-back on 21 minutes when Sinead Naughton picked up a yellow card and was sin-binned.
Matters could have taken a further turn for the worst for Shane Feeney’s charges on 25 minutes, when Westport’s Sarah Mulroy meandered her way past three Eoghan Rua defenders and a goal chanced beckoned, but the latter’s drive zipped inches over the crossbar, much to the relief of Fitzgerald.
On the stroke of half-time, Flynn guided over a much needed free but it was the hosts who were the happier during the interval musings as they led 1-5 to 0-6.
The Eoghan Rua half-time pep-talk appeared to have worked wonders, as one minute into the new half the Yeats County girls pilfered a three-pointer. A lucky break fell kindly for the loitering Fiona Feeney and the dashing full-forward ghosted past the home defence and unleashed a sumptuous finish to the back of the net.
On 35 minutes, Pop Geraghty’s Westport outfit were left ruing their luck. In what was an intricate move, Sarah Mulroy and Nicola O’Malley combined to tee-up Lambert, with the latter’s fisted effort hitting the upright, before Moran missed the subsequent rebound.
Two minutes later, and when Westport substitute Christina MacEvilly saw her thunderous drive hit the crossbar, one wondered if it was going to be a bad day at the office for the hosts, but from the subsequent loose ball the Mayo side were awarded a free which was duly struck over by the reliable Moran, to level the joust.
Staunton then shunted her team into a slender lead on 44 minutes, but three quickfire points on the bounce from Flynn, a free, Duffy, and another free by Flynn, upset the Westport applecart, as the locals now trailed by two points, 1-9 to 1-7.
The West Mayo ladies needed a tonic and it duly arrived on 52 minutes. Staunton threaded a delivery through the eye of a needle to find Moran and the latter’s clinical finish to the back of the net drew the acclaim of the raucous home supporters.
But this gripping encounter was far from over and a long-range free from the deadly Keeva Flynn restored parity.
At the other end, Westport nearly manufactured a third goal, but the outstretched boot of Fitzgerald denied Aoife Geraghty.
A tense and frantic finale was in the offing, and when Westport’s Noirin Moran (a gem of a point from an acute angle) and Eoghan Rua’s Flynn (an outrageous long-range free) swapped points on 56 and 59 minutes respectively, extra-time seemed a real possibility. However, a gutsy Westport upped the tempo once more and went for broke, with a wonderful point by MacEvilly on 60 minutes shunting the Coveys into a slender lead.
A doughty Eoghan Rua once again tried to summon another levelling score but it wasn’t to be, and two minutes into stoppage-time the raiding Geraghty guided over the vital insurance point for Westport, which also proved to be the last act of what was a titanic clash.
The Mayo outfit must now tackle reigning Connacht and All-Ireland champions Kilkerrin/Clonbern who on Saturday held Glencar/Manorhamilton scoreless when piling on 3-19 in their Connacht semi-final.
Scorers – Westport: Laura Moran 1-3 (0-2f), Fionnuala McLoughlin 1-0, Aoife Staunton 0-2, Aoife Geraghty Sarah Mulroy, Ava Lambert, Christina MacEvilly and Noirin Moran 0-1 each.
Eoghan Rua- Keeva Flynn 0-8f, Fiona Feeney 1-0, Leah Duffy 0-3.
Westport: Roisin Scott; Saoirse Lally, Janette O’Malley, Sherin El Massry; Kate Scahill, Nicola O’Malley, Sorcha McCarney; Aoife Geraghty, Sarah Mulroy; Lisa Tully, Fionnuala McLoughlin, Aoife Kennedy; Aoife Staunton, Ava Lambert, Laura Moran. Subs: Christina MacEvilly (for Tully ht), Noirin Moran (for El Massry 51).
Eoghan Rua: Lauren Fitzgerald; Sinead McGinty, Orna O’Dowd, Kathryn Feeney; Sarah Feeney, Sarah Curley, Tara Hastings; Ellen McGuire, Louise Lindsay; Keeva Flynn, Sinead Naughton, Orla Naughton; Leah Duffy, Fiona Feeney, Alisha Cuffe. Sub: Saoirse Corcoran (for Hastings 59).
REF: Aaron Clogher (Roscommon)
