Galway Ladies are on the hunt for another scalp in this year's All Ireland championship when they face Westmeath in Duggan Park on Saturday (2pm ).
Stephen Glennon's side will be keen to continue their momentum after an impressive 3-12 to 0-5 win over Waterford in Birr last weekend, which wrapped up their place in the last eight. The prize on offer is top spot in group three for the winners.
"It was important we started well,” said Glennon after their round two win. “If we’d let it get into a dogfight, as we’ve seen with Waterford in the past against the likes of Kerry and Cork, they’re able to win dogfights.”
The Connacht champions were too strong for Waterford. Led by Tracey Leonard with five points, and goals from Anne Coen, Roisin Leonard and Ailbhe Davoren, Galway had a 3-6 to 0-4 lead at half-time.
Leonard got Galway off the mark after only 20 seconds and the Galway captain added two more frees by the eighth minute before Waterford opened their scoring when Katie Murray and then Michelle Ryan struck points.
However, when Ailbhe Davoren picked out Leanne Coen, whose low strike registered a first goal, Galway led 1-5 to 0-3. The second came soon after when Roisin Leonard capitalised on a poor kick-out, and on the next attack Louise Ward supplied Davoren who hit the far corner of the Waterford net.
Olivia Divilly's score put Galway into an unassailable 3-6 to 0-4 interval lead, and as a result the second half lost its bite.
Mairead Seoighe (2 ), Emer Flaherty and substitute Sarah Conneally (2 ) kept the scoreboard ticking before Leonard scored the last point seven minutes from time.
Scorers: Galway: T Leonard 0-5 (0-3f ), L Coen 1-1, R Leonard 1-0, A Davoren 1-0, M Seoighe 0-2, S Conneally 0-2, O Divilly 0-1, E Flaherty 0-1.
Galway: L Murphy; F Cooney, S Lynch, S Burke; C Cooney, N Ward, E Flaherty; L Ward, A Davoren; O Divilly, T Leonard, A McDonagh; M Seoighe, R Leonard, L Coen. Subs: S Conneally for R Leonard (39 ), N Connolly for F Cooney (40 ), D Brennan for McDonagh (47 ), S Divilly for Davoren (47 ), E Reaney for O Divilly (51 ).
