After a few difficult years, ladies football in Westmeath is on the up again with Leinster 'B' titles being annexed at under 16 and minor level in 2006. Kenny McKinley's junior team also acquitted themselves quite well by reaching the provincial semi-final. While Westmeath ladies football still has a long way to go before it reaches the same heights as it did in the 1980s, the signs are encouraging nevertheless. 2006 was arguably the county's most successful year in over a decade with the under 16 and minor sides both winning Leinster 'B' championships. The junior team, meanwhile, also made progress by reaching the provincial semi-final where they were beaten by Wexford. Both the under 16 and minor teams will have 'A' championship football to look forward to this year after their respective successes last year. And last year's junior team will compete in the new four-team Leinster intermediate championship where they will fancy their chances of doing well. Under the management of Paul McGann (St. Loman's) and Ollie Rogers (Milltown), the Westmeath minor team captured the Leinster 'B' title last April following an emphatic 5-17 to 1-3 victory over Offaly at the Mullingar Shamrocks grounds in Springfield, and by doing so, atoned for their defeat to Longford in the 2005 final. En route to the decider, the Lake County girls accounted for Carlow and Kilkenny in the quarter-final and semi-final respectively. The result was never in doubt with a well drilled Westmeath team dominating from the off. The home side made all the early running and three early goals put Offaly firmly on the back foot. By half-time, Westmeath were a massive 17 points to the good, 4-8 to 0-3, and it continued to be one-way traffic for much of the second half with Offaly's goal coming three minutes from the end. Westmeath made a lightening start and Ruth Kearney had the ball in the net inside the first minute. The same player quickly added a second goal before Leona Archbold registered the first point. There was no respite for Offaly who conceded a third goal when Siobhan Loran pounced in the fourth minute. A Sinead Walker point made it 3-2 to 0-0 after just nine minutes. Archbold and Katie Somers then combined to set up Kearney for her second goal. Loran, Kearney and Fiona Leavy all added points for a rampant Westmeath side, and despite missed opportunities in between, they led 4-5 to 0-0 with 18 minutes played. Orla Heavey eventually opened Offaly's account in the 21st minute, only for the home side to reply with two more points from Archbold and another from Claire Killian. The Faithful County grabbed the last two points of the half, but it was impossible to see any way back for them. Immediately after the restart, Katie Somers scored a fifth Westmeath goal and despite having Claire Killian sin-binned in the 40th minute, the maroon and whites never let up with Leavy, Archbold, Loran and Susan Kiernan tagging on further scores. Aimee Kerrigan pulled back a goal for Offaly before late points from Archbold and Somers completed the rout. Afterwards, Westmeath captain Leona Archbold received the cup from Leinster Council president Bill Daly, while the Player of the Match award went to midfielder Fiona Leavy. The victory over Offaly qualified Westmeath for a Leinster 'A' semi-final showdown with Dublin who brought their great run to an end. Dublin went on to capture the Leinster and All-Ireland titles. The Lake County added the Leinster under 16 'B' title in August when they overcame Kilkenny by 2-8 to 2-4 at Rathnesika. Co. Laois. Jointly managed by PJ McManus and Liam Eivers, Westmeath took full advantage of the breeze in the first half to lead by 1-6 to 0-1 at the break. But Kilkenny staged a determined second half rally and had reduced the deficit to the minimum before a late goal from Kilbeggan's Mairead McCormack sealed a hard-earned victory. Westmeath stormed into the game and led by 1-4 to 0-0 at the end of the first quarter thanks to a goal from McCormack and points from Shauna Butterly, Maud-Anne Foley (two) and Sinead Walker. McCormack and Walker added to the Lake County total before Sarah Walsh scored Kilkenny's only point of the first half. A Mary-Rose Lyng goal had the Cats back in contention within five minutes of the restart and this led to sustained pressure on the Westmeath rearguard. They held firm, however, and lifted the siege for a while with Foley making it 1-7 to 1-1 in the 10th minute of the half. But Kilkenny kept plugging away and after Edwina Keane scored their second goal, Lyng and Lorraine Drennan added points to leave the game in the melting pot. However, Westmeath were not to be denied with their insurance goal coming after a great passing movement in injury-time. Westmeath went on to meet Fermanagh in the All-Ireland quarter-final at Mullahoran, Co. Cavan and ran out impressive 1-15 to 0-7 winners. As in the Leinster final, the Lake County girls laid the foundations for their victory in the early stages, racing into a 1-9 to 0-0 lead after just 20 minutes. Emma Morris opened the scoring and the same player scored the only goal after being set up by centre back Christine Deegan in the 15th minute. Mairead McCormack and Sinead Walker also got their names on the scoresheet before Fermanagh finally got off the mark in the 23rd minute. Westmeath remained on top after the restart and would have won by more had they not eased off the accelerator to a certain extent in the closing stages. Westmeath's hopes of progressing to the All-Ireland final, however, were dashed the following week when they were beaten by Louth at Ardee. In the Leinster junior championship, Westmeath looked to be facing an early exit after losing their first two games to Longford and Meath. But a 2-11 to 1-8 win over Dublin at St. Loman's forced a play-off with the Metropolitans. The outcome was the same when the sides met a second time in Ringsend with Westmeath claiming a 0-13 to 1-8 victory. The visitors were well in control in the first half and scores from Eimear Connellan, Leona Archbold, Fiona Claffey and Sarah Tormey helped them to a 0-9 to 0-2 interval lead. Goalkeeper Niamh Mulligan also played her part by saving a penalty midway through. Dublin started the second half with renewed vigour and fired over three points in quick succession. Elaine Finn and Fiona Leavy replied for Westmeath before Dublin scored a goal to set up a grandstand finish. After Dublin missed a chance to draw level, Archbold pointed a free deep into injury-time to make victory safe. Westmeath's confidence was now high, but they proved no match for Wexford when the sides met in the Leinster semi-final at Dr Cullen Park in Carlow. The Slaneysiders had chalked up 1-4 before Archbold got Westmeath's first score in the 13th minute. Westmeath scored the next three points to bring themselves back into it, but the concession of a second goal just before half-time proved to be a real killer blow for Kenny McKinley's charges. Trailing by 0-4 to 2-8 at the break, Westmeath had it all too in the second half, but they were given a glimmer of hope when Archbold beat Wexford goalkeeper Mary Rose Kelly in the 48th minute. However, Wexford finished the game with four unanswered points to run out 2-13 to 1-7 winners. Afterwards, 1995 All-Ireland minor winning centre back McKinley committed himself to the cause for another year and will once again be assisted by fellow St. Loman's man Pat Layde for the 2007 campaign when Westmeath will play Louth in the Leinster intermediate championship semi-final. The winners will face either Longford or Wexford in the final. Also in 2006, Leona Archbold (St. Loman's) and Laura Walsh (Garrycastle) brought great honour to the county when they were members of the Leinster team that won the Inter-provincial championship. Walsh was also selected on the TG4 Underdogs team that played All-Ireland champions Cork in a one-off game before Christmas. Another highlight from the year was Westmeath's hosting of the Ladies Gaelic Football Association's National Congress on the weekend of March 4-6. A special committee, headed up by Sheila Giles, was set up to organise the annual event which took place at the Mullingar Park Hotel. It was a coming home of sorts for Kinnegad woman Geraldine Giles, who entered her second three-year term as Ladies Football president in 2005. The Westmeath Leinster minor 'B' champ-ionship winning team was: Claire Judge; Sinead Whelehan, Darina Keenan, Edel Marshall; Susan Brady, Jenny Rodgers, Joanne McCormack; Fiona Leavy, Ruth Kearney; Claire Killian, Leona Archbold, Susan Kiernan; Siobhan Loran, Katie Somers, Sinead Walker. Subs used: Grace Kearney, Andrina Doyle, Sarah McManus, Siobhan Dolan and Triona Geoghegan. The under 16 team that defeated Kilkenny in the Leinster 'B' final was: Claire Judge; Grace Kearney, Emma Morris, Aine Melody; Johanna Maher, Christine Deegan, Susan Brady; Orla Connaughton, Shauna Butterly; Rebecca Dunne, Phillippa Maher, Aoife Hyland; Sinead Walker, Maud-Anne Foley, Mairead McCormack. Subs used: Christina Gahan, Alice Halligan and Gillian Corbett. Tweet

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