St. Loman's retention of the senior championship and Kilbeggan Shamrocks' success in the intermediate grade were among the highlights of the ladies football year. First time winners in 2004, St. Loman's successfully retained their Westmeath senior ladies football crown when they recorded a convincing victory over Milltown in the county final at Cusack Park on September 11 last. And on the same day, Kilbeggan Shamrocks continued their meteoric rise through the ranks with a facile win over Clann Gaels in the intermediate decider. The junior title went to a resurgent Coralstown who had four points to spare over Tyrrellspass at St. Loman's on September 18. After two decades of Rochfortbridge dominance, the face of the senior football championship has changed utterly in recent times. Garrycastle and St. Loman's made major breakthroughs in 2003 and 2004 respectively, and last year the Mullingar side put titles back-to-back by getting the better of old rivals Milltown in what was a repeat of the 2004 decider. Joe Maleady's charges laid the foundations for their victory in the opening five minutes when they scored 2-2 without reply. This early scoring burst left Milltown with a mountain to climb and, while they reduced the deficit to a more manageable five points at the half-way stage, St. Loman's regained their grip on proceedings after the break to run out comfortable 2-12 to 1-5 winners. The champions were quickly into their stride with Stephanie Kelly helping herself to 1-1 inside the first two minutes. Kelly was denied a second goal moments later when Milltown goalkeeper Niamh Mulligan brought off a great save, but the ball rebounded kindly to Emma Martin who sent a first-time shot to the net. When Leona Archibald stretched Loman's lead to eight points, the game looked over a contest. But Milltown gave themselves a glimmer of hope when Triona McGuinness converted a penalty in the 14th minute after Loman's 'keeper Aisling Layde was deemed to have fouled full forward Ruth Kearney. Archibald replied with a free for Loman's before McGuinness registered Milltown's first point. Ruth Kearney and Emma Martin then exchanged points, and a further point from Laura Halligan left the half-time score reading 2-5 to 1-3 in St. Loman's favour. Milltown made every effort to reduce the gap further following the resumption, but couldn't get any closer than five points as Loman's defended resolutely. Aisling Layde did much to break Milltown's spirit, producing great saves from Triona McGuinness and Ruth Kearney within minutes of one another. Points from Leona Archibald and Rhona Murtagh made it 2-9 to 1-4 before McGuinness notched what proved to be Milltown's final score from a free. In the closing stages, the Mullingar side repelled Milltown's best efforts while also tagging on points from substitute Sarah McManus, Amy Matthews and Janine Cosgrove to seal a comfortable win. Kilbeggan Shamrocks will join St. Loman's and Milltown in the senior ranks this year after they easily accounted for Clann Gaels in the intermediate final. Like St. Loman's in 2002 and 2003, Kilbeggan have now put intermediate and junior titles back-to-back and will be hoping that their momentum will carry them all the way to a senior title win in 2006. The Brosnasiders were hugely impressive as they powered to a 0-20 to 0-4 victory over an outclassed Clann Gaels team. There was almost a dramatic start to the contest when Kilbeggan corner forward Susan Kiernan was desperately unlucky to see her shot hit the inside of the post and rebound to safety. But the same player didn't have long to wait before opening the match scoring. Kilbeggan continued to apply strong pressure and were rewarded with a series of points from the outstanding Kiernan, Mairead McCormack, Eimear Fox and Fiona Claffey. They had put 0-10 on the board before Sarah Tormey eventually got Clann Gaels off the mark. Tormey doubled the Bunbrosna/Streete/Multyfarnham amalgamation's tally, only for Kiernan to send Kilbeggan into the break with a commanding 0-11 to 0-2 lead. Any hopes of a Clann Gaels comeback were dispelled when Kiernan and Fiona Claffey hit quick points following the restart. A Miriam Kearney point offered some respite for the Gaels, but Kilbeggan continued to press forward and further scores from Kiernan, Mairead McCormack, Nicola McDaniel and Edel McCormack eased them to an emphatic victory. In the junior final, first half goals from Elaine Flynn and Sharon Raleigh proved decisive as Coralstown overcame Tyrrellspass by 2-5 to 0-7. Coralstown supporters will hope this success is only the start of things to come and that the club can become the force it once was. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, the senior championship was a two-horse between Rochfortbridge and Coralstown, but the Reds only managed one victory (1988) in that time. Tyrrellspass, who were appearing in the junior final for the second year in-a-row, opened the scoring through Bernie Alford and further efforts from Rachel Bagnall and Ulrika Maher had them 0-3 to 0-0 in front by the 19th minute. However, Coralstown then began to click into gear and Nuala Farrell opened their account after creating the space for herself. Substitute Josephine Raleigh made an instant impression with a great point from an acute angle before Sharon Raleigh fired to the net in the 22nd minute to give Coralstown the lead for the first time. Josephine Raleigh put three points between the sides before Coralstown scored a second vital goal courtesy of Elaine Flynn to take a 2-3 to 0-3 lead into the break. An Edel Glennon point just after the restart raised hopes of a Tyrrellspass recovery and after Nuala Farrell's free had restored Coralstown's two-goal cushion, Ulrika Maher and Glennon closed the gap with points for the Tidy Town. But Coralstown were not to be denied, despite failing the score in the final quarter. The St. Loman's team which retained the senior championship was: Aisling Layde; Therese Mimnagh, Aoife Davitt, Elaine Galvin; Aileen Martin, Andrea Martin, Claire Gorman; Amy Matthews, Rhona Murtagh; Laura Newman, Leona Archibald, Carol McKinley; Emma Martin, Stephanie Kelly, Jennifer Hennessy. Subs used: Susan Brady, Sarah McManus and Janine Cosgrove. The victorious Kilbeggan Shamrocks team was: Sarah Coffey; Colleen Davey, Deirdre Robbins, Christine Deegan; Sabrina Jackson, Joanne McCormack, Jennifer Heaney; Triona Durkan, Fiona Claffey; Niamh Durkan, Jannette Dalton, Edel McCormack; Susan Kiernan, Eimear Fox, Mairead McCormack. Subs used: Nicola McDaniel, Sharon Heaney, Sandra Linnane, Roisin Kiernan and Laura Hannon. The Coralstown team which captured the junior title was: Deirdre Yeates; Sheila Giles, Grainne Lynch, Christina Raleigh; Claire Farrell, Mary Walsh, Tally Flynn; Nicola O'Keeffe, Elaine Flynn; Regina Croash, Celeste Dermody, Yvonne Dixon; Louise Farrell, Nuala Farrell, Noelle Gorman. Subs used: Josephine Raleigh, Sharon Raleigh, Sarah Weir and Claire Kenny. Tweet

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