Westport U14 girls travelled to Ballinasloe on Sunday 18th January to resume their league campaign, playing their first competitive fixture since early December. Eager to make a strong start, Westport looked to hit the ground running from the opening whistle.

The home side applied pressure early, and Westport found themselves under pressure from the outset, with several decisions going against them both on and off the field. Ballinasloe crossed for the opening scores, but Westport showed great character and were rewarded just before half-time when Eva McMenamon crossed the line, keeping the visitors firmly in the contest. At the break, Westport trailed by two tries to one.

Westport came out with real intent after the restart and were quickly back on level terms following a superb break by Ciara Clarke, finished off with confidence. However, the remainder of the half proved challenging, with Westport continuing to battle against strong opposition and further tough decisions.

Despite this, Westport never gave up and were rewarded with another well-worked try, this time finished by Aimee McNamara after some excellent team play. The girls fought right to the final whistle, showing great resilience and spirit throughout.

In the end, Ballinasloe edged the contest, with the match finishing 26–17. While the result didn’t go Westport’s way, there were many positives to take from a committed performance in their first outing back.