Semi-final barrier frustrates rising Camogie tide
November 27, 2010
A campaign which started with a heavy defeat to Laois in the National League Division 3 ended with a loss to Waterford in the All-Ireland Premier Junior Championship semi-final and while those reversals brought great disappointment, 2010 can still be regarded as a year of progress for the Meath camogie team. By Paul Clarke.
Former county senior hurling manager John Davis was again at the helm this year and he had to contend with many absentees for a variety of reasons early in the year when Meath entertained the O'Moore County at Ashbourne, but as the season progressed it was clear to see that the Royal County are steadily building a panel with the necessary depth.
It was bleakest February when Laois inflicted a 4-14 to 3-3 defeat in that league opener on a day when Meath were seriously weakened due to a combination of factors, including holidays, work commitments, injuries and emigration. In the circumstances, with seven members of the 2009 team missing, it was hardly surprising that the midlanders won by 14 points.
Meath had drawn with Laois in the qualification phase of the All-Ireland Junior Championship last year, but it was so different on this occasion as a team managed by former county hurler Joe Dollard dominated for long stages. Meath didn't manage a point from play, with Jane Dolan converting two frees and a '45'.
She also scored a fine first half goal after 24 minutes, but Laois led by 2-5 to 1-2 at the interval. Elizabeth Oakes kicked a second goal three minutes into the second period to cut the deficit to three points and after the visitors had replied with a brace of white flags Meath revived their fortunes with another goal from Aine Keogh.
However, that proved to be their last score and Laois steadily pulled away to win with plenty to spare. It could have been an even more comprehensive loss but for some superb saves from goalkeeper Emily Mangan.
Davis' team needed to bounce back after that disappointing start and they did so a week later when beating Armagh by 1-9 to 0-5, again at Ashbourne. They were again severely understrength, but a personal tally of 1-7 from Jane Dolan was decisive in a good team performance.
It was all to play for at the break when the teams were level on 0-2 each, but Meath pulled away in the second period, with Fiona O'Neill, Aoife Thompson, Dolan, Jenny Rispin and substitute Niamh Kirby proving particularly impressive. It was the second weekend in succession that Rispin had played camogie and football for the county on the same day.
A narrow victory (1-15 to 2-10) followed when Meath travelled to play Roscommon at Ballyforan. They made a bright start when scoring 1-3 in the opening five minutes, with the goal coming from Elizabeth Lynch, and they pushed on to hold a commanding 1-11 to 0-1 advantage at the change of ends.
The issue looked to be beyond doubt at that stage, but the home county battled back well in the second period to reduce the deficit to two points. But strong defending proved of vital importance to the visitors who held out to win narrowly. Dolan was highly impressive again, notching 11 points.
Meath had to settle for a draw when they played Kildare in the fourth round, with the Lilywhites grabbing an equaliser with the last puck of the match. Kildare made a great start and notched two early goals, but the Royal County got moving and Elizabeth Lynch's goal helped them to stay in touch.
Kildare still led by six points (2-5 to 1-2) at the break, but Meath upped the tempo in the second half to catch them, move ahead and be a point to the good late in the match. However, the team in white had the last word with the levelling point to make it 2-8 to 1-11 on a day when Dolan contributed six points.
Trinity Gaels was the venue for a meeting with Dublin and Meath secured a place in the league final thanks to a comfortable 4-7 to 1-4 victory. They went into the match knowing that a win against the Dubs and a Laois victory over Roscommon would enable them to advance and that's how it worked out.
This time, Lynch top-scored with 2-1, Dolan registered 1-3 and Elizabeth Oakes notched the other goal. It was an indication of the growing strength of Davis' panel that he could introduce substitutes of the quality of Aileen Donnelly, Niamh Guy, Laura Maguire and dual performer Rispin.
Meath and Laois have built up a very keen rivalry and they came face to face in the final, again at Ashbourne, in a repeat of the first round meeting back in February. This time the weather was beautiful as the Royal County attempted to gain revenge for that earlier heavy defeat inflicted by the midlanders and gain the league title and promotion in the process.
Unfortunately, it wasn't to be, but on this occasion Laois won by just five points on a 2-10 to 2-5 score line. It was a deserved victory for a team that possessed one of the true stars of the decider in the brilliant Louise O'Mahony.
Meath put in a tremendous effort, but managed only three first half points from Aoife Maguire, Elizabeth Lynch and Dolan as Laois moved into a 0-7 to 0-3 interval lead. Laois held the upper hand in the early stages of the second period, but Meath received a major boost on 39 minutes when Dolan netted from a penalty after Maguire was fouled.
That left the minimum between the teams, but Laois responded to the setback very positively as Niamh Dollard and Eimear Delaney scored goals in a highly productive five minute period.
Those scores put significant daylight between the teams, but gutsy Meath never gave up hope and were rewarded for their tenacity when Sinead Hackett scored their second goal in the closing stages. Unfortunately, it came too late to prompt a successful recovery and Laois were deserving winners.
Meath - E Mangan; M Keogh, A Thompson, E Guy; H Geraghty, K Troy, L Donoghue (0-1); A Keogh, A Donnelly; F O'Neill, A Maguire (0-1), S Hackett (1-0); E Lynch (0-2), J Dolan (1-1), E Oakes. Sub - J Rispin for O'Neill.
A week after that defeat Meath exited the Leinster Junior Championship when they lost to hosts Kildare by 0-11 to 2-9, but the All-Ireland Premier Junior Championship gave them another chance to garner some silverware. The first match of the round robin series also afforded them another opportunity to look for revenge against Laois. Having already lost to them a couple of times on home soil, they reversed previous results when they travelled to play them at Portlaoise.
Meath missed scoring opportunities in the first half and Laois held a 1-8 to 1-4 advantage at the change of ends, with the visitors' goal coming from Elizabeth Lynch. The Royal County turned in a brilliant second half display when Lynch provided a huge amount of inspiration and battled back magnificently to push ahead.
A goal from Donnelly gave them real hope and they held Laois scoreless for the first 26 minutes of the half. The home side were boosted by a tally of 1-2 from Louise O'Mahonys in injury time, but Meath had done enough and were ahead by 2-13 to 2-10 when the final whistle sounded.
Meath travelled to Athleague to play Roscommon in their second round robin game and came away with a 2-12 to 1-6 win and a place in the semi-finals. They led by 1-8 to 1-4 at the interval and rarely looked in danger. Dolan contributed seven points and Fiona O'Neill and Lynch scored the goals.
They still had one match to play in the round robin series, against Antrim at Trim, and it was the Ulster side which came out on top by 3-13 to 3-5. The victory meant Antrim topped the four-team group on five points, with Meath also qualifying on four and Laois and Roscommon missing out.
Dr Cullen Park, Carlow, provided the setting for Meath's semi-final against Waterford and that's where their bid for championship success ended. Having lost to Offaly at the same stage in 2009, it was the same disappointing story as the Deise won comprehensively by 2-14 to 1-9.
Dolan scored an early point for Meath, but Waterford led by 0-4 to 0-1 after 10 minutes. The Royal County were guilty of missing chances, but Sinead Hackett notched another point before Waterford raided upfield and Patricia Jackman registered their first goal.
Jackman and Dolan traded points and after Mangan had saved well from Aine Lyng's free, Meath received a great boost when Lynch goaled to leave just two points between the teams. However, Waterford finished the half best with points from Jackman and Lyng to lead by 1-7 to 1-3 at the interval.
Meath brought the deficit back to a couple of points when Dolan and Hackett bisected the uprights early in the second half. They applied a lot of pressure subsequently without any reward and Lyng pointed twice to leave Waterford ahead by 1-9 to 1-5 at the three-quarter stage.
A hand-passed goal from Karen Kelly put Waterford firmly in the driving seat and while Meath never gave up hope and Edel Guy and Dolan both pointed twice, the winners eased clear in the closing stages.
Meath - E Mangan; N Guy, A Thompson, M Keogh; A Keogh, A Donnelly, L Donoghue; K Troy, H Geraghty; F O'Neill, E Oakes, E Guy (0-2); E Lynch (1-0), J Dolan (0-5), S Hackett (0-2). Subs - A Maguire for Oakes, J Rispin for Hackett.
A clear indication of just how far Meath camogie has come in a short space of time can be gauged from the fact that the county fielded a second team this year in the All-Ireland Junior B Championship.
They were eliminated when Monaghan defeated them by 1-9 to 1-5 at Ashbourne, but it was very encouraging to see a second string team in action.
Meath - A Feery; L Dervan, R Williams, N Carroll; F McGill, E Keegan, J Martyn; N O'Sullivan, C Coffey; S Baxter, E Carbury, A McCann; S Dowd, L McCann (0-5), B Gaughan. Subs - S Broderick for Carbury, K King (1-0) for Baxter.
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