Leinster title for Meath camogie
November 30, 2009The game of camogie in the county has come a long way in a short space of time and the County Board, adult team management and those who carry out the vital work of looking after under-age teams should be applauded for their efforts which have contributed to raising the profile of the sport in the county.
There were real signs of progress in 2007 when Meath contested three finals, but lost them all, and last year they were rewarded for their commitment when they first won the National League Division 4 title and later added the Nancy Murray Cup which elevated the county up to play in the Junior Championship for the first time this year.
The major dream for 2009 was undoubtedly to earn a big day out in Croke Park on All-Ireland finals day in mid-September, but while that goal wasn't achieved it was still a campaign that will have generated further improvement in the panel and which ultimately ended with the winning of some silverware.
Former Meath hurling manager John Davis was again the Royal County coach and the selectors were Valerie Curtis, Christy Mangan, Darina Smyth, Sharon Raleigh and Paul Reilly. Training commenced a few weeks before Christmas and the competitive action got under way when they lost to Laois by 0-4 to 1-6 in Division 3 of the National League.
It was vitally important that Meath consolidated their position in this division and they managed to do so after a mixed bag of results. They also lost to Offaly (1-7 to 3-2) and Down (0-6 to 1-9), but victories were achieved over Dublin (2-7 to 1-3) and Armagh (2-9 to 2-3) and they helped them maintain their footing in Division 3.
The league campaign was all about consolidation and putting a panel of players together who could have a realistic go at adding the All-Ireland Junior Championship (New Ireland Cup) to the trophies won last year. It was also a boost to the panel when four players were chosen to represent the Leinster junior team in the Gael Linn Cup - Laura Flynn (Navan O'Mahonys), Louise Donoghue (Kiltale), Kristina Troy (Blackhall Gaels) and Aoife Thompson (Dunboyne).
Meath were in a three-team section of the championship along with Antrim and Laois and with two of them getting through to the penultimate hurdle they knew what a big boost it would be if they could overcome the Ulster side in the first game at Kiltale.
This match took place on the same day as the Slane Concert and Meath were outsiders against opposition which had played in a division higher in the National League. Indeed, Antrim fared well enough in Division 2 to get to the final where they were beaten by Wexford. It was always going to represent a big test, but the Royal County responded to the challenge and earned a 2-11 to 3-6 victory.
Meath dominated for long spells and led by 1-4 to 0-2 at the end of the first quarter, by 1-7 to 0-4 at the interval and by 2-10 to 0-5 at the three-quarter stage. But they were under pressure in the last 10 minutes when Antrim really got moving and started to dig into what had looked like an almost unassailable lead.
Team captain Jane Dolan, who is a magnificent talent, missed the league campaign due to injury and only played for the last three minutes against Antrim. But even in her absence Meath looked good in the first half as they defended very well, Emily Mangan was assured in goal and Frances Lynch starred at centre-forward.
An early goal from Elizabeth Lynch was a huge boost and helped Meath to that six-point cushion at the interval, but they relied on some superb saved from Mangan to keep their advantage intact in the second period. Elizabeth Lynch added 1-2 at the other end after Meath had weathered a brief storm and when they led by 11 points at the three-quarter stage they were looking very good.
Elizabeth Oakes' point in the 20th minute of the second half was Meath's last score and the trend of the match started to change as Antrim rallied. The concession of three goals left the Royal County clinging on, but they held out and were two points ahead when the final whistle sounded.
It was a close thing in the end, but this was a tremendous result for Meath ahead of a tricky assignment against Laois who had already beaten them in the National League. This match took place at O'Moore Park, Portlaoise, and a draw (1-7 each) was sufficient to secure a place in the semi-finals.
Dearbhla O'Carroll's decision to return to the county panel after a lengthy absence reaped rich dividends as the substitute scored a vitally important late goal which edged Meath to the front, before Louise Mahony replied with an even later point for the home county to earn them a share of the spoils.
Meath played with the aid of the wind in the first half and held a slender 0-7 to 1-3 advantage at the break. They had played well in the opening half hour, with Aileen Donnelly hugely influential at centre-back and Elizabeth Oakes contributing three of the points. But, with only a minimum margin advantage, the second period was going to be hard work.
Laois applied the pressure, but Meath battled well and had a star of the show in goalkeeper Mangan who produced a string of important saves. However, the O'Moore County pushed a couple of points ahead, aided by Trish Cuddy's goal, before the real drama unfolded. O'Carroll found the net, but there was still time for Mahony to rescue a draw at the other end.
Coming away from Portlaoise, Meath knew they were just one step away from a big day out in Croke Park, but the semi-final meeting with Offaly at Nowlan Park, Kilkenny, proved a step too far as they lost by five points (1-8 to 0-16) against a team coached by former hurling star Joachim Kelly.
Meath were weakened by the absence of three holidaying players who were in contention for starting places. They were outplayed in the first half, but Offaly's sometimes wayward finishing meant their interval lead was only six points (0-10 to 0-4) after Jane Dolan, Sinead Hackett, Elizabeth Lynch and Frances Lynch had been on target for Meath.
A goal from substitute Jenny Rispin revived Meath's hopes in the second half and Offaly's advantage stood at four points (0-14 to 1-7) at the three-quarter stage. The Royal County had a lot of work to do if they were to rescue the situation, but with Offaly scoring two of the three points registered subsequently they advanced to the final where they impressed in beating Waterford.
The Leinster Junior Championship was run separately to the All-Ireland competition and Meath opened their bid for provincial honours with a game against Kildare at St Laurence's. Debra Wigglesworth gave the visitors an early boost with a goal, but they were only on level terms (1-4 each) at the change of ends.
Rispin was on the mark with another goal in the second period and that helped Meath to push clear and win by 2-16 to 1-9. Another meeting with keen rivals Laois followed in the semi-final at Clonard and this time it was Meath who came out on top thanks to a dramatic late intervention from Kristina Troy.
Things weren't looking too good in the first half when Laois opened up a 1-5 to 0-2 lead, but this Meath team possesses great spirit and a goal from Elizabeth Lynch helped them to reduce the deficit to 1-3 to 1-5 at the break. It was all to play for in the second period, but it was Laois who looked more likely to triumph when they extended their advantage.
Meath needed a goal to really ignite their challenge and they got it when Elizabeth Lynch netted again. She also found her range with a point and with the excitement intensifying and the sides locked together it was likely that another score would win it. Thankfully for Meath, Troy provided it to secure a hard earned 2-7 to 1-9 victory and a place in the final.
This match took place a week after the All-Ireland semi-final loss to Offaly and with Wicklow providing the opposition at Ashbourne, Meath had the ideal opportunity to bounce back in style. And that they did as they inflicted a severe beating on the totally outclassed visitors, winning by 9-17 to 0-4.
There were no signs of such a runaway success in the very early stages when Wicklow took the lead, but once Meath got moving in earnest they set about claiming the title with ruthless efficiency. They played against the wind in the first half, but still built up a commanding 3-9 to 0-3 lead at the break.
The final was all over bar the shouting and its one-sided nature continued in the second period when Meath limited Wicklow to a solitary point and added 6-8 themselves. Team captain Dolan contributed 1-9, Troy scored four goals, Elizabeth Lynch registered 3-3 and Stephanie Horan raised the other green flag.
It was a great way to end a long campaign, particularly after the disappointment of the previous weekend.
The Meath team in the Leinster final was: E Mangan; H Geraghty, A Thompson, E Guy; S Horan (1-0), A Donnelly (0-1), L Donoghue; F Lynch (0-1), A Keogh; AM Fagan, J Dolan (1-9), S Hackett (0-2); E Lynch (3-3), K Troy (4-0), J Rispin (0-1). Subs - E McNally for Fagan, L Donegan for Guy, L Flynn for F Lynch, F Madden for Keogh, D O'Carroll for E Lynch. Tweet
