Galway overpower Westmeath and return to top flight

Galway 3-10 Westmeath 0-9

It was a case of third time lucky for the Galway girls, who lost Division 2 finals in 2012 and 2013. Although they laboured in Parnell Park to break Westmeath’s resistance in the first-half, they were the superior force after the break and confidently kicked for home once they built up a decent lead. Westmeath failed to score in the second-half until the 51st minute through a Fiona Leavy free. Johanna Maher landed their only other point of the second-half a few seconds later as Galway coasted to victory.

Scorers for Galway: A Clarke (2-1, 2-0pens), B Hannon (1-1), R Leonard (0-4, 1fs), L Joyce (0-3), C Cormican (0-1).

Scorers for Westmeath: F Leavy (0-5, 4fs), R Kearney, C Blundell, M Foley, J Maher (0-1 each).

GALWAY: J Connolly; N Ward, M Coyne, O Dixon; R McPhilbin, E Flaherty, S Burke (capt); A Clarke, G Conneally; A Daly, C Cormican, L Ward; B Hannon, L Joyce, R Leonard

Subs: O Divilly for Joyce (37), E Gannon for Leonard (47), M Moloney for Burke (54), G O’Connor for Hannon (57), S Conneally for Dixon (57).

WESTMEATH: S Keegan; A Martin (capt), R Dunne, T Durkan; J Rogers, A Giles, L Brennan; R Kearney, J Maher; C Blundell, M Foley, K McDermott; F Leavy, F Claffey, K Hegarty.

Subs: C Kelly for McDermott (39), N Judge for Blundell (48), A Brady for Rogers (55), S Dolan for Leavy (57)

Referee: G Corrigan (Down).