DONEGAL MANAGER MICHAEL NAUGHTON checked out of Letterkenny General Hospital to go to Parnell Park and see his side win the Lidl NFL Division Division 2.
Donegal 3-17 Westmeath 0-13
The 13-point win sees Donegal join the top flight next season after Amber Barrett grabbed a first half goal to set them on their way, before Yvonne McMonagle added two more in the closing stages.
Photo captain: The Donegal panel celebrate their Lidl Ladies Football National League Division 2 final win over Westmeath at Parnell Park in Dublin. Picture credit: Piaras Ó Mídheach / SPORTSFILE
In the second half, Donegal defended excellently in the third quarter in particular and up front had a steady stream of points from the likes of Karen Guthrie, Geraldine McLaughin and McMonagle kept the scoreboard ticking over.
McMonagle put the icing on the cake to finish sublime move five minutes from time, when she was played in by a reverse ball by McLaughlin before poking home her second goal after Roisin Friel’s assist.
The Ulster champions took a little time before coming to the boil. On 10 minutes, it was 0-2 apiece with two frees apiece – Leona Archibald for Westmeath and Geraldine McLaughlin on the mark twice for Donegal.
McLaughlin was denied by the Westmeath goalkeeper, Sarah Keegan, who saved following a give and go by the Termon forward and McMonagle before Karen Hegarty edged the Leinster team in front.
But then Donegal found their groove, helped by an inspirational long-range score from Katy Herron, which was the catalyst for another five Donegal scores in success to take them to 1-7 to 0-3 up.
As well as McLaughlin and McMonagle chipping in, the only goal of the first half came on 20 minutes when Barrett was alive to a ball that was flapped away by Keegan following a dropping free from Niam Hegarty.
Karen Guthrie and McLaughlin added further frees before Aoife McColgan, the Donegal goalkeeper, made a fantastically brave save at the feet of Laura Walsh three minutes before the break.
The Westmeath full-forward was about to pull the trigger for goal having slalomed her way through the Donegal defence.
Right at the end of the half, Walsh put over a fine score for Westmeath, but they still trailed 1-7 to 0-4 at half-time.
[adrotate group=”37″]Donegal kept the foot on the accelerator in the second half, with Guthrie scoring twice before McLaughlin slotted over her fourth free on 38 minutes. A minute later Barrett scored a fine individual score and when McMonagle blasted over just after, Donegal really had a pep in their step at 1-12 to 0-5 up.
Guthrie lamped over her fourth point with a fine effort on the run with McLaughlin pointing soon after.
Donegal were very good defensively, restricting Westmeath to live with the occasional free from Armstrong. Thirteen minutes from time, McColgan made another fine save – this time down low to her left – when Walsh wriggled into a few inches of space.
[adrotate group=”38″]Ciara Hegarty was sin-binned for a foul on Karen Hegarty late on and Armstrong slotted over two late frees before a fine Ciara Blundell effort.
But Donegal, who had Herron sin-binned late on, saw McMoangle finish it of when she latched onto a pass from Roisin Friel two minutes from time.
Donegal: Aoife McColgan; Teresa Doherty, Emer Gallagher, Kelly Wilson; Therese McCafferty, Ciara Hegarty, Deirdre Foley; Katy Herron (0-1), Karen Guthrie (0-4, 2f); Eilish Ward, Niamh Hegarty, Gráinne Houston; Geraldine McLaughlin (0-6, 4f), Yvonne McMonagle (2-5, Amber Barrett (1-1). Subs: Kate Keeney for Wilson (39), Shannon McGroddy for Foley (48), Roisin Friel for N Hegarty (57), Blaithnaid McLaughlin for G McLaughlin (57).
Westmeath: Sarah Keegan; Fiona Coyle, Laura Brennan, Triona Durkan, Fiona Claffey (0-1), Jennifer Rogers, Aileen Martin; Maud Annie Foley, Karen McDermott; Ciara Blundell (0-1), Leona Archibald (0-7, 7f), Johanna Maher; Ruth O’Connor, Laura Walsh (0-2), Karen Hegarty (0-2). Subs: Lucy McCarton for Maher (20), Chloe Kelly for O’Connor (half-time) Sandra McGrath for Coyle (48), Aoife Brady for Durkan (52).
Referee: Keith Delahunty (Tipperary).
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