TG4 All-Ireland Ladies’ IFC round two
Group 1
Down 1-9 Westmeath 0-10
ULSTER champions Down booked their place in the knock-out stages with a win over Westmeath in Páirc Esler yesterday.
Having beaten Cavan last week, the Mourne side are now guaranteed a quarter-final berth as group winners, with Westmeath and Cavan to battle it out for the runner-up spot.
Down trailed at only two stages of the game and it was Laoise Duffy’s 49th-minute goal that proved decisive. It put the home side four points clear, 1-9 to 0-8, with the game entering the final 10 minutes and although Westmeath got the last two scores it was not enough.
Down led 0-3 to no score after six minutes, Duffy with two points either side of one from Niamh McClory.
Sarah Dillon, who scored five of Westmeath’s first-half points, got them off the mark, as they traded scores before four in a row from the visitors moved them into the lead, 0-6 to 0-5, Dillon with three of them.
However, it was all-square at half-time, 0-7 apiece, with Niamh King and Natasha Ferris raising white flags for Down.
Karen Hegarty edged Westmeath into the lead four minutes after the restart but a quickfire 1-2 from Down – Ferris and King with the points before Duffy’s major – settled the tie.
Group 4
Tyrone 3-11 Wicklow 0-5
TYRONE got back to winning ways with a comfortable win over Wicklow in Dungannon yesterday.
Chloe McCaffrey made her return from injury, featuring for the first time since their league game against Donegal and scored 1-3 in the second half.
The home side were 1-6 to 0-3 ahead at half-time, and had 1-3 on the board, Sorcha Gormley with the goal, before Wicklow got their first score of the half.
Zoe Loughran’s goal early in the second half all but ensured the win for Sean O’Kane’s side as they opened up a 2-7 to 0-3 lead, with McCaffrey finding the back of the net late on.
Tyrone must now wait the outcome of the final group game between Leitrim and Wicklow at the weekend.
Leitrim should be too strong for their opponents and take top spot, leaving Tyrone in second, which will see them through to the knock-out stages.
A win for Wicklow will see the final standings decided on scoring difference.
Group 3
Roscommon 5-11 Antrim 0-4
IT was a tough day for Antrim who fell to a heavy defeat away to Roscommon yesterday.
They trailed 1-7 to 0-1 at half-time, Aoife Taggart with the sole Saffron score of the half, that coming on 24 mintues.
The one-way traffic continued after the break, Roscommon hitting 2-3 without reply before Caitlin Taggart got Antrim’s second point in the 53rd minute, which was followed up quickly by Emma Ferran with another point.
Roscommon though added two more goals in the closing stages including one fro Aisling Hanley from the penalty spot.
Antrim now take on Wexford next weekend hoping to win to preserve their intermediate status.
