Westmeath 3-7
Dublin 1-5
It took a late goal to confirm their superiority but Westmeath were deserving victors as they annexed the Irish Daily Star Camogie League Division 3 title in Edenderry.
Mairead McCormack was the driving force in midfield for the Lakesiders, despite the efforts of Ciara Burgess. The Westmeath attack, despite being shorn of the injured Dinah Loughlin, always had a more clinical in availing of the scoring opportunities and that was the difference in the end.
Ger Jackson will have been delighted with the way his team flew out of the traps with a seventh-minute goal from Caitriona Murtagh. The vital score though was Caoimhe McCrossan’s major from a brilliant ground shot just before half time, that left Westmeath leading by 2-2 to 0-2.
Dublin threw everything into the second half and when Elaine Gallery found the Westmeath net in the 43rd minute, they were right back in the game, trailing by just 2-3 to 1-4.
McCormack raised another gear though with two points and when substitute Laura Thompson goaled in the 57th minute, the Westmeath celebrations could begin.
SCORERS FOR WESTMEATH: D McGrath 0-3(fs); C Murtagh, C McCrossan, L Thompson 1-0 each; M McCormack 0-2; M Scally, P Greville (f) 0-1 each
SCORERS FOR DUBLIN: G Kelly 0-4(3fs); E Gallery 1-0; S Kehoe 0-1
WESTMEATH: F Keating, R Scally, E McCormack, T Lynch, F Leavy, P Greville, S King, E Tate, M McCormack, M Scally, J McCormack, C McCrossan, S McGrath, D McGrath, C Murtagh. Subs: J Egan-Maybury for J McCormack (29), L Thompson for S McGrath (45), N Kiernan for Tate (55), C Corcoran for M Scally (60+2)
DUBLIN: S Nic Coitir, C O’Leary, G Ryan, G Free, R Nocter, M Kelly, D Johnston, E Maher, C Burgess, A McGrath, G Kelly, E Flanagan, E Gallery, R Collins, S Kehoe. Subs: K Farrell for Flanagan (29), J Elebert for Nocter (ht), M O’Reilly for McGrath (50), L Quinn for Maher (55), G Smyth for O’Leary (58)
REFEREE: J McDonagh (Galway)
