Tyrone Ladies open with a win over Westmeath

Tyrone 2-9  Westmeath 1-7

AN opening day win in what will be a very tight league was the perfect start for Tyrone Ladies at a rain-and-wind lashed Newtownstewart on Sunday.

Leading from the start, the Red Hands played a controlled game throughout. A late penalty from Leanne Slevin was merely a consolation for Westmeath, who struggled to contain an excellent home team.

A well-drilled home side led by five points at the break and finished five to the good by the end. At the back Joanne Barrett and Zoe Loughran were ably assisted by a roving Meabh Mallon, the midfield of Aoibhinn McHugh and Caitlin Campbell were always on top, while Emma Conroy and Maria Canavan proved hard to mark.

And the icing on the cake was the performance of the three debutants, Clara Daly, Aine Grimes and Aine Strain, as well as the three more who came on – Caitlin McCallion, Katie Rose Muldoon and Emer McCanny. They didn’t put a foot wrong, having a satisfactory outing.

Granted, Tyrone will have tougher days but they will take a lot from this opener, playing some great football against the gale in the first half. While they were a little disjointed in the second, the home team always had too much for the visitors.

Despite atrocious conditions Tyrone started well, finding themselves six points up by 20 minutes with Jayne Lyons, Daly and Barrett dominating the back line. Young Emma Conroy opened the scoring two minutes in, McHugh landed a mammoth point two minutes later with Canavan landing a free seven minutes in as Tyrone pressed, moving the ball well with some fine passages of play.

Canavan teed up Mallon for a fourth point and by ten minutes they were five up through Canavan as Westmeath had one half-hearted long ball drop short. The home defence combined well to move the ball out any time it came their way as Conroy and Canavan steered efforts wide before Canavan dropped over a fine team point, McCaffrey and Conroy involved in the move.

A brace of Anna Jones frees in driving rain closed the gap on 25 minutes although any hopes of a fightback were scuppered a minute later when Conroy fired in a well-taken goal. McCaffrey’s free kick on the halfway line was collected by the Moy player, she spun away and picked her spot.

Late first half points from Jones and Hegarty, including their first from play closed it to within five points at the break, 1-6 to 0-4.
The rain had eased for the start of the second half but it was only a temporary reprieve. McCaffrey picked up an early yellow card and Westmeath were handed a lifeline.

Jones drove over a fifth point to cut the gap to four but they could not take further advantage. Canavan rattled the visitors’ crossbar, Conroy pointed to settle the nerves and McCaffrey came back in.

Jones worked hard and tagged on a point from another free as the game swung into the final quarter although once again Tyrone responded with a stunning score, a great goal from Canavan. Campbell did well to win the ball inside her own half and sent a great ball to Canavan, who collected and finished well to the net.

Jones and Canavan exchanged two late points in the latter stages before a surprise late penalty for Westmeath. Referee Coyle consulted with her umpires before the late call, with Leanne Slevin drilling in the goal.

The Scorers
Tyrone
Maria Canavan 1-4, Emma Conroy 1-2, Aoibhinn McHugh 0-2 Meabh Mallon 0-1.

Westmeath
Anna Jones 0-6, Leanne Slevin 1-0, Karen Hegarty 0-1.

The Teams
Tyrone
Caitlin Donnelly, Jayne Lyons, Joanne Barrett, Clara Daly, Aine Strain, Zoe Loughran, Meabh Corrigan, Caitlin Campbell, Aoibhinn McHugh, Aine Grimes, Chloe McCaffrey, Maria Canavan, Aoife Horisk, Meabh Mallon, Emma Conroy. Subs: Emma Jane Gervan for Loughran, Aoibhinn Daly for Grimes, Katie Rose Muldoon for Horisk, Emer McCanny for Corrigan, Sasha Byrne for Canavan, Caitlin McCallion for Conroy.

Westmeath
Lauren McCormack, Laura Kiernan, Lucy Power, Lara McCartan, Chloe Kelly, Fiona Coyle, Rachel Dillon, Kelly Boyce Jordan, Anna Jones, Caoimhe Clarke M Mahon, Vicky Carr, Ashley Ruane, Tracey Dillon, Leanne Slevin, Karen Hegarty. Subs: Sabhbh Gorman for McMahon.

Referee: Siobhan Coyle.