All-Ireland glory for U16 ladies
November 30, 2009The success was part of a memorable weekend for the Royal County as approximately 24 hours later Eamonn O'Brien's senior men scored a tremendous win over Mayo in an All-Ireland quarter-final at Croke Park.
And it was another Eamonn, this time Murray from Boardsmill, who masterminded the triumph of the under-16 girls who were bringing this particular All-Ireland title to the county for the first time since 2001. It was a victory which could work wonders for the future development of the game in the county and provide a vital conveyor belt of talent for future senior teams.
The panel, which was also assisted by a back room team which included Mary O'Shaughnessy (Donaghmore/Ashbourne), Mary Coyle (Oldcastle), Ollie Callaghan (Ratoath), Marie Kealy (Dunshaughlin), Jenny Rispin (Summerhill), Maeve Murray and Emer Murray (Boardsmill), worked extremely hard for their ultimate triumph and had the added satisfaction of claiming the Leinster title along the way.
The day of the All-Ireland final was an extraordinary one for Rispin. She was introduced as a substitute as the Meath camogie team lost to Offaly in an All-Ireland Junior Championship semi-final at Nowlan Park, Kilkenny, and scored a goal. She then dashed to Nenagh where she played for the county footballers as they went under to Kerry in an All-Ireland SFC qualifier. Unfortunately, she missed the victory of the under-16 girls. It represented some day of dedication.
An early confidence booster for the girls came in the form of a Leinster Championship win over Dublin who were comfortably overcome by 3-16 to 0-8 at Ashbourne where Oldcastle's Sinead Coyle demonstrated her importance to the cause by top scoring with 2-6.
Provincial victories were also achieved against Laois, Wexford and Kildare, before Meath were on the verge of exiting the title race against Wicklow at Ratoath. They trailed by nine points with less than 10 minutes remaining, but stormed back to win by 3-9 to 2-10 as Oldcastle trio Coyle, Bridgetta Lynch and Kellie Allen played starring roles.
Wicklow's first half supremacy wasn't reflected in their 0-8 to 0-5 interval lead, but they added 2-1 early in the second half to assume control. However, the introduction of Karen Blaney, Laura Murray and Laura Dempsey was to prove vital, as were the performances of Cliona Murray, Lauren McCann and Megan O'Brien.
Meath's recovery started in earnest with less than 10 minutes remaining when Coyle found the net and when Joanna Byrne added a brilliant second goal the deficit was down to just three points. Coyle's point and Lynch's goal had them in front and Vivienne McCormack wisely opted to take a point from a late penalty to seal a sensational victory.
Having already beaten Dublin so comfortably earlier in the competition hopes were high that Meath could repeat the feat in the final at Athy. And that's how it worked out as a tremendous first half performance laid the foundations for a 5-15 to 3-5 victory and a first provincial title in this grade in eight years.
The conditions at the Kildare venue were atrocious, but that didn't deter Meath from taking a firm grip on proceedings in the opening period. Dublin scored first with a point, but they were totally overpowered by the Royal County girls after that as they cruised into a massive 5-9 to 1-1 half-time advantage.
Adrienne McCann helped herself to a brace of first half goals and Byrne, Coyle and Vivienne McCormack also found the net in a hugely productive spell which practically put the issue beyond doubt. Meath added just six points in the second half, but it didn't matter and they were 16 points clear at the end.
Allen was chosen as 'player of the match', Adrienne McCann headed the scoring charts with 2-2 and the honour of captaining the team went to Bridgetta Lynch.
Cork were always going to provide stern opposition in the All-Ireland semi-final at Toomevara where the teams shared eight goals equally and Meath edged through by 4-8 to 4-5 after enduring a tense closing spell to the game. It was a close run thing, but it was also the ideal test ahead of the final.
The Munster champions looked the more likely winners when they opened up a 2-4 to 1-4 interval lead, by which stage Katie Callaghan had goaled for Meath, and when they extended their advantage by adding 1-1 on the restart Murray's team looked to be in real trouble.
However, a never say die attitude was a vital trait of Meath's lengthy campaign and Laura Dempsey once again made a telling contribution after being introduced. The Boardsmill player marked her arrival by scoring a superb point and then set up a goal for Adrienne McCann which really ignited the Royal County challenge.
When Lynch scored Meath's third goal they looked to have every chance of reaching the final, but they suffered a late blow with the sin-binning of Marie O'Shaughnessy. Typical of their determination and resolve, they charged forward and another goal from Lynch sealed a three-point victory and a priceless final ticket.
Meath completed a fabulous campaign when they again scored four goals in the final against Donegal at Tarmonbarry where they won by 4-8 to 3-9.
Navan O'Mahonys' player Jacinta Maher had missed the semi-final because she was representing Ireland in an Olympic Handball event in Germany, but she returned for the most important game of the year and contributed a vital goal to the cause.
It was a 50th minute goal from Bridgetta Lynch which really turned the tide in Meath's favour as at that stage the Ulster side looked to be gaining the upper hand in the stamina-sapping heat. That score left them ahead by 4-7 to 3-9, but they still had to do a huge amount of work to hold out, particularly with Cliona Murray in the sin bin and Galway referee PJ Rabbitte playing 11 minutes of injury time.
Kellie Allen was sin-binned in the early stages of a well-contested game and Donegal took advantage of numerical superiority to move into a 2-5 to 1-1 advantage during the opening quarter. Maher had scored the Meath goal against the run of play on six minutes, while the dangerous Ciara Grant goaled twice for Donegal and notched 3-1 overall.
Once Allen returned to the action Meath found their feet and McCormack and Lynch were both deprived of goals by the upright. But the scores came as Coyle (free), Callaghan and Lynch pointed and the Leinster champions then stunned their opponents with two goals in first half injury time.
Lynch scored her team's second goal after being set up by Adrienne McCann and Allen notched the third following good approach play by Coyle, Callaghan and Lynch. From appearing to be in real trouble, Meath had recovered sufficiently to lead by 3-5 to 2-7 at the interval and it was all to play for going into the second period.
Donegal were probably shell-shocked by Meath's devastating finish to the first half, but they soon regained their composure and were back in front soon after the restart when Grant registered 1-1 and Geraldine McLoughlin pointed. Taking into account the massive amount of injury time which was added on at the end there was still nearly half an hour of play remaining, but Donegal failed to add to their tally.
Lynch finished very well for Meath's fourth goal and by the time Coyle converted her fifth pointed free they were two ahead. The game seemed to go on and on, but the Meath girls held out to claim a famous victory which was deserved because they were the better balanced combination. It was a superb team performance, marked by some great individual displays from players like goalkeeper Samantha Monaghan, who made some vital saves, Megan O'Brien in defence, Coyle at midfield and McCormack and Lynch in attack.
The management team also deserve rich praise for certain moves they made during the course of the match, including the switching of corner-forward Adrienne McCann to centre-back where she did much to curb the considerable threat posed by Grant.
Once again the introduction of Dempsey, one of the youngest members of the Royal County panel, was of major significance and she is certainly a very bright prospect with the future of Meath football in mind. After this triumph that future looks considerably brighter and everybody involved, including the players and team management, deserves the richest praise.
The success was a confidence vote for the huge amount of dedicated work which is going into the promotion of the game in the county.
The Meath team in the All-Ireland final was: S Monaghan (Navan O'Mahonys); K Blaney (Wolfe Tones), C Murray (Boardsmill), L McCann (Ratoath); M O'Brien (St Michael's), K Allen (Oldcastle, 1-0), S Caffrey (Oldcastle); M O'Shaughnessy (Donaghmore/Ashbourne), S Coyle (Oldcastle, 0-5, all frees); K Callaghan (Ratoath, 0-1), V McCormack (Clann na nGael), J Byrne (Gaeil Colmcille, 0-1); B Lynch (Oldcastle, 2-1), J Maher (Navan O'Mahonys, 1-0), A McCann (Ratoath). Subs - K Byrne (Duleek/Bellewstown) for Blaney (41 mins), L Dempsey (Boardsmill) for McCormack (48 mins), R Andrews (Duleek/Bellewstown) for Callaghan (58 mins), A Bennett (Oldcastle) for Maher (60 mins). Tweet
