Meath 3-15  Clare 4-11

For the second week running the ladies footballers of Meath and Clare served up a fantastic feast of end to end football. Last week the Banner girls had the edge and left Meath Minors devastated by a one point loss. On Saturday in Kinnitty it was the Meath Ladies turn to edge out Clare by yet another single point game. Credit has to go to both teams for fabulous attacking football, a never say die attitude and a willingness to put everything on the line for a victory for their respective counties.

The game got underway amid an overcast day in Kinnitty but it wasn't long before the sun made an appearance. Both teams hit the ground running before Clare was the first to cross the black spot for the first score of the game. Meath had their chances but a dogged Clare defence blocked out all attempts for the Royals to get their scoring underway. Two more points from Clare saw them with a three point advantage before Meath courtesy of Stacey Grimes hit their first score. It wasn't long before Meath had levelled the match.

With Meath going well they headed into a 5 point to four lead before Meath Captain Niamh O'Sullivan was pushed in the square. Penalty to Meath! Up stepped Stacey Grimes to put the ball into the bottom right hand corner. A point then for Clare and it was Meath by 1 - 05 to five points.  

A four minute blitz by Clare saw Meath lose that lead and go 2 - 7 to 1 - 05 behind with just minutes before the half time break. At this stage Meath would need a score to settle them back down. That duty fell to Captain Niamh O'Sullivan who duly stepped up to the plate left the ball in the back of the Clare net. Two points behind now 2 - 05 to 2 - 07. When the whistle blew for half time it would have been Meath who were happiest.

The second half would be as heart stopping as the first. Meath were first out of the blocks with four unanswered points putting them into a two point lead. But once again Clare left the Royals feeling deflated with two more goals. Half way through the second half Meath now trailed once again by two goals. 2 - 10 to 4 -10. Once again though it was Niamh O'Sullivan who nearly brought the stand down with a fabulous goal! Meath followers couldn't contain themselves and although Meath were still behind there was a belief there that a win could be had. Three points behind! Meath would pop over another couple points to bring them level once again. Four minutes remained on the clock and both sides missed a couple of chances. The Meath defence was working overtime at this stage. They cleared their lines on more than one occasion. Again the belief was there that if they could just get the ball into the forward line the point they so badly needed would come. Thanks to a tight angle point from Vikki Wall Meath hit the front. Still a couple of minutes on the clock! This was going down to the wire.

The relief in the stand, on the pitch and I'm sure all over social media was immense as the final whistle sounded. Tears of joy from almost every Meath person in the park!

Meath had waited seventeen long years to reach an All Ireland semi-final. It's been twenty three years since the heady days of 1994 when Meath won their first and only adult All Ireland title.

Meath now play the winners of Wexford and Tipperary

Meath team and scorers: Orlagh McLaughlin; Aideen Guy, Emma White, Emma Troy, Aoibhin Cleary (0-2), Vikki Wall (0-1), Niamh Gallogly, Maire O'Shaughnessy, Kate Byrne, Megan Thynne, Orla Byrne, Katie Newe, Stacey Grimes (1-4, 1-0 penalty, one free), Niamh O'Sullivan (2-5 one free), Marion Farrelly (0-1). Subs: Judy Bobbett for McLaughlin 28 mins, Bláithnaid Keogh (0-2) for Guy half-time, Niamh Lister for O Byrne 44m.
 
Clare team and scorers: C Harvey; N O'Doherty, A Keane, G Harvey, R Considine, E O'Gorman, A Mulcair, T Kelly, R Looney (0-1); K McCormack, L Roche, S Bohannon; A Considine (2-1), C Callinan (1-2), G Nolan (1-7 two frees). Subs: S Harvey for O'Doherty, E Keane for Bohannon, A Courtney for McCormack, L Ryan for R Considine.

 

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