Ladies Senior Football Championship: Killucan 3-11 Mullingar Shamrocks 0-8.

Mullingar Shamrocks travelled to Killucan on Thursday night for the opening round of the Westmeath Ladies’ Senior Football Championship and were beaten 3-11 to 0-8 by a strong Killucan side. Playing against wind and hill in the opening half, Shamrocks trailed by 1-8 to 0-4 at the interval. In the absence of Karen Hegarty, Shamrocks had no answer to the powerful play of Killucan’s Fiona Leavy at mid-field but some great defending and tackling kept the deficit to manageable proportions at the interval. Shamrocks also produced some excellent combined moves during this half, the best of which ended with Áine Melody scoring Shamrocks opening point. Honor McNamara added another and Emma Morris scored 0-2 to complete the first-half tally. Two quick Emma Morris post-interval points reduced the deficit but unfortunately a second Killucan goal ended Shamrocks hopes of a comeback.  Points by the excellent Emma Morris and Casey McDermott closed the scoring for Shamrocks who now face two tough challenges against Milltown and Tyrrellspass in the remaining group stages of the championship. Qualification for the knock-out stages will not be easy.

Mullingar Shamrocks: Liveta Lazeuskaite; Melek Fagan, Carol Finch, Ciara Morris; Michelle Morris, Niamh Spellman, Kirsti Dunne (Casey McDermott 0-1); Michelle Buckley (Lorraine McCormack) and Gemma Kerrigan; Sophie Hegarty (Chloe Swarbrigg) , Emma Morris (0-5), Niamh Kennedy; Áine Melody (0-1), Honor McNamara (0-1), Tara Fagan.