Disappointment was the order of the day as Garrycastle ladies came up short against a talented Laois outfit in this year’s Leinster intermediate semi-final in Portarlington last Sunday. Having reached last year’s provincial decider, hopes were high that Ken Dolan’s women could go a step further this year.
Ladies football is on a high in Laois at present so the Garrycastle camp knew that they were in for a stiff test. Their opponents were a combination of four clubs and having to travel into the lion’s den increased the degree of difficulty the Westmeath women faced.
A good start they say is half the battle, but unfortunately it was the home side that dominated much of the opening and enjoyed a commanding 2-7 to 0-2 half-time lead. To their credit however the Garrycastle ladies raised their performance after the break and with wind advantage now in their favour they took control of the game.
They managed to reduce an 11-point half-time deficit to just three points with minutes remaining. During that time they held their opponents scoreless for 24 minutes. Two late points from the home side however sealed matters for the Laois ladies and ended the Garrycastle ladies’ hopes of reaching their second provincial final in a row.
Defeat is always a bitter pill to swallow but all concerned can be proud of their efforts, particularly during that second half. Had they not given themselves such a mountain to climb at the break, the outcome would surely have been different. It’s what on the scoreboard at the end that counts however and this will no doubt be a steep learning curve for the Garrycastle ladies, as they now focus on the upcoming league semi-final clash with Rochfortbridge.
