Sarah Dillon registered an outstanding tally of 1-4 on Sunday afternoon as Westmeath claimed the TG4 Leinster Intermediate Football Championship.
It was a first Westmeath triumph at this grade their first Leinster Intermediate title since 2011 with victory over Laois.
Vicky Carr broke the deadlock with an opening minute point, Dillon and Caoimhe Kilmurray also found the target in style.
Milltown’s Dillon subsequently pounced on a loose opposition kick-out to fire home a seventh minute goal. Kilmurray added her second point of the contest before Laois finally opened their account through the boot of full-forward Ciara Burke.
Westmeath responded with white flag’s from Dillon and Anna Jones (free). Whereas, Jane Moore kicked a fine point for their O’Moore County rivals, a third from Kilmurray had Frank Browne’s outfit firmly in the driving seat.
Dillon superbly split the posts to bring her personal haul to 1-3 on 24 minutes. Westmeath were full value for their 1-8 to 0-2 interval buffer.
Laois played with a wind advantage on the resumption. However, it took just over three minutes for them to match their opening period tally as substitute Emily Lacey kicked over a brace of points.
Westmeath on fire
Jones had a goal ruled out for a square ball in between these scores. Indeed, the Westmeath full-forward eventually got her side up and running in the second-half with a 35th minute pointed free.
Lucy McCartan proceeded to join her cousin and club-mate Carr on the Lake County scoresheet. As the third-quarter progressed and Dillon reinforced her attacking prowess with another excellent point under pressure.
Lacey continued her impressive outing off the bench for Laois with a third point inside the final-quarter. Moore added her second of the game as the O’Moore side gamely attempted to force their way back into the reckoning.
Substitutes Lauren Kearney and Emma Lawlor were also on target as the final whistle approached.
Even though Mo Nerney knocked over a free on the stroke of full-time, an earlier score from Philippa Ruane ensured Westmeath secured provincial honours in accomplished fashion.
Westmeath: A Temple; L McCartan, S Murphy, F Coyle (F Walsh 57); C Gonoud (A Ruane 37), L Power, S Buckley; V Carr, A Roche; L McCartan, S Dillon (C Dunne 60), T Dillon (P Ruane 51); G Byrne, A Jones, C Kilmurray.
Scorers: S Dillon 1-4, C Kilmurray 0-3, A Jones 0-2 (2f), V Carr, L McCartan, P Ruane 0-1 each.
Laois: E Barry; S Farrelly, F McEvoy, G Lalor (A Byron 50); A Gorman, A Moore, A Moran; F Dooley, J Moore; S Havill (G Moran 46), L Walsh (E Lacey 23), C Crowley (L Kearney 41); A Galvin, C Burke (E Lawlor 38), M Nerney.
Scorers: E Lacey 0-3, J Moore 0-2, M Nerney 0-1 (f), C Burke, L Kearney, E Lawlor 0-1 each.
Referee: Henri Clifford (Meath).
