Intermediates crash out of semi-final race

WEXFORD CRASHED out of the Littlewoods National Camogie League Division 2 semi-final race with a crushing defeat against Westmeath in Athlone I.T. on Sunday.

The Slaneysiders failed to score from play in their defeat to Cork two weeks earlier and repeated the feat again versus Westmeath.

On top of that, the grand total of their 1-4 between the two games has all been scored by one player - Glynn-Barntown’s Chloe Cashe.

While the Seniors have been able to muddle along somewhat unaffected by the early season turmoil, the Wexford second string, so competitive last season, has fallen back to previous low levels of neglect.

Courtesy of a quick 1-1 from Pamela Greville, Westmeath had enough scores on the board to win the game by the end of the fourth minute.

It was 1-5 to nil at the close of the opening quarter, and Cashe finally got her side on the scoreboard soon after.

However, it proved only a moment’s respite. Meghan Dowdall netted twice in the remainder of the half which meant, despite a second Cashe free, the visitors trailed by a whopping 3-8 to 0-2 at the interval.

Greville netted shortly after the resumption but Cashe responded with Wexford’s last point.

Raharney clubwoman Greville completed her hat-trick at the end of the third quarter, giving the hosts an opportunity to make wholesale changes.

Wexford, meanwhile, had just the one available substitution. With only the same 17 or 18 committed girls travelling each week, it’s going to be difficult to go into the championship with any real hope.

They do have one last league game, a dead-rubber against Carlow on Sunday.

Wexford: Liza Bates; Nancy Dunphy, Michelle Harding, Aoife McCrea; Katie O’Connor, Chloe Cashe (0-3 frees), Leanne Foley; Laura Dempsey, Sorcha Foley; Victoria Burke, Orla Molloy, Shauna Kelly; Michelle Kehoe, Emma Doyle, Laura Kelly. Sub. - Emma O’Connor for Kelly.

Westmeath: Fiona Keating; Sarah King, Méabh Scally, Laura Doherty; Aoife Higgins, Fiona Leavy, Amy Cully; Sandra McGrath, Muireann Scally; Mairéad McCormack, Sheila McGrath (0-4), Denise McGrath; Ciara O’Looney (0-1 free), Pamela Greville (3-3, 0-1 free), Meghan Dowdall (2-4). Subs. - Hannah Core for Sheila McGrath, Ellie Conway (0-1) for Scally, Aoife Boyle for McCormack, Róisín Scally for Doherty, Caoimhe McCrossan for D. McGrath, Rebecca Croash for Greville, Aisling Egerton for Higgins, Shannon Lyons for Scally.

Referee: Mike Ryan (Tipperary). Wexford didn’t experience any joy in the Leinster Under-16 championship last weekend, with the ‘A’ team losing to Dublin by 1-14 to 1-8 while the ‘B’ side went down to Carlow on a 1-6 to 2-2 scoreline.

There will be reports on both games in next week’s edition.