Dublin 3-18
Westmeath 0-8
Jackie Cahill reports from Netwatch Cullen Park
DUBLIN ARE THE TG4 Leinster ladies senior football champions for the sixth successive season.
The Sky Blues demolished Westmeath by 3-18 to 0-8 in Sunday’s provincial decider at Netwatch Cullen Park in Carlow.
Mick Bohan’s charges had the damage done in the first half, as they established a 3-8 to 0-3 interval lead.
Dublin notched early scores from Noelle Healy and Carla Rowe, before Fiona Claffey opened Westmeath’s account in the ninth minute.
But the Lake County wouldn’t score again for 12 minutes and by then, they were 0-1 to 1-5 adrift.
Dublin’s opening goal arrived in the 17th minute, Healy on target, and the Jackies pushed on to establish a 14-point interval lead.
Lauren Magee scored their second goal six minutes before the break and it was effectively game over when Healy struck again in stoppage time.
Dublin were content to keep the scoreboard ticking over in the second half, as Bohan took the opportunity to run his bench.
Hannah O’Neill was one of the players introduced for Dublin, to make her championship debut, on what was a wholly satisfying afternoon for Bohan and his backroom team.
Dublin had blasted out an ominous statement of intent with a massive semi-final win against Laois – and further cemented their status as one of the favourites for Brendan Martin Cup glory in September.
They’re now straight through to a quarter-final, but Westmeath must head for the qualifiers and a date with Ulster outfit Armagh.
Healy top-scored for Dublin with a 2-3 haul, as Magee added 1-1, but the winners had nine different scorers on the day.
Scorers for Dublin - Noelle Healy 2-03, Lauren Magee 1-01, Sinead Aherne 0-4(1f), Carla Rowe 0-03, Nicole Owens 0-02, Denise McKenna 0-2(1f), Rachel Ruddy 0-01, Niamh McEvoy 0-01, Niamh Collins 0-01
Westmeath scorers - Fiona Claffey 0-02, Laura Lee Walsh 0-02(1f), Leona Archibald 0-02(1f), Lucy McCartan 0-01. Maud Annie Foley 0-01
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I’d like to see Brian Kerr given another chance.A very positive forward thinking manager who still has the best win record for Ireland,is younger than O’Neill,and what he achieved with the Faroe Islands was phenomenal.Spend five minutes on Twitter and the Ipswich fans can’t wait to get rid of Mick.The word dinosaur seems to crop up a lot.For me Kerr who be a no brainer.
@Padraig: I think Kerr could have more of an impact given a remit at under age level, alongside Ruud Dokter. Or maybe even in charge of the under 21 team. It’s a real pity he’s gone completely unused.
I would miss Roy. I think he and Brian Kerr would be a good team.
@GARFARKLE: Roy over the senior and Kerr over the under 21s with a consulting role in the seniors, aiding with player transition to the senior side (even with an eye on the under 19s which looks like a hotbed at the moment). That would be great.
@EnKy: Good one. Thank you for expanding my point.
Bring back Mick
I wonder if Johnny Walters is only saying that because he’s gone from Stoke now, and he knows how detrimental MON is to the Irish team with his insistence, like Trappatoni’s, that the Irish players aren’t any good, and thus shouldn’t be allowed play football.
And finally:
Former Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni calls time on managerial career – after his wife said she’d ‘change the locks’ if he left again
https://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/soccer/soccer-news/giovanni-trapattoni-retire-ireland-team-11841576
I think the fai will go for McCarthy.
Yea,let’s clamber for O’Neill,he’s won so much for Ireland!
Need an extension on the trophy room.
Actually can’t believe w
@Gary O’Hanlon: can’t believe people want Roy Keane as a manager. He is clueless. Passion, desire, commitment that’s all he ever says.