Meath 0-05, Dublin 7-10.

There was no joy for the Royal Ladies on Sunday afternoon as Dublin comfortably defeated Meath in the opening round of the Aisling McGing U-21 Championship. The game was a re-run of the 2014 Final and unfortunately from a Royal perspective, the same end result.

Meath were behind from the get go with Dublin's Niamh Rickard finding the back of the net in the second minute. A deflection by Meath's Michelle Peel gifted Dublin a second goal a minute later and Dublin were three goals to the good when Dublin Captain Carla Rowe converted a penalty which also gave Aisling Sheridan a yellow card and ten mins in the sin bin. Meath have never been a team to throw in the towel and although Dublin continued to increase their lead, Meath worked some lovely moves with Kate Byrne and Emma Troy forming a strong partnership in midfield. Meath's first score of the half came from the boot of Simonstown's Kelly Harris, a free in the 20th minute. Dublin continued to pile on the pressure with Molly Lamb and Clontarf's Sarah McCaffrey on top form. Indeed, McCaffrey sent her team in by far the happier at half time when she netted for Dublin's fourth goal of the contest.  Meath rescued a point just before the half time whistle with Na Fianna's Maebh Downey splitting the posts.

Half Time; Meath 0-02, Dublin 4-03

Dublin began the second half as they left off the first. Rickard and McCaffrey split the posts with fine points and while Dublin continued to put pressure on the Meath rearguard, the Royals overturned possession on a number of occasions with Michelle Peel, Niamh Lister, Laura Bagnall and substitute Kate Flynn doing well. Indeed Meath could have been further behind had it not been for several excellent saves from Vice-Captain Sarah Powderly. Meath's woes were compounded on 41 mins when Dublin were awarded a second penalty, easily dispatched by Captain Carla Rowe. Kate Byrne added Meath's third point on 42 mins. A super strike gave Siobhán Woods Dublin's sixth goal on 44 mins and substitute Ciara McGuigan made it seven on 58 mins as the scoreboard was kept ticking over by some well taken points. Kate Byrne got her second point on 53 mins and Meath Captain Shauna Ennis showed her prowess when she pointed deep into injury time, however the result was little in doubt at that stage and the full time whistle was gratefully received by both teams.

Full Time; Meath 0-05, Dublin 7-10.

A tough day at the office for all wearing green and gold, however patience, grit and determination is not in short supply in the Royal dressing room and they will set about taking on Cork next Sunday. Meath Ladies would like to thank Dunboyne for hosting today's fixture and say a special thank you to the u10s teams from Dunboyne and Donaghmore-Ashbourne who welcomed both teams onto the field this afternoon and demonstrated their skills in a mini game at half time. It won't be long before we see these girls lining out in the green and gold!
Meath U21s will take on Cork next Sunday 31st May at 2pm - venue TBC.

Meath Ladies were also fortunate to have four players representing Meath on the Leinster team at the MMI Interprovincial Tournament on Saturday. Meath Senior Captain Kate Byrne, Boardsmill's Aideen Guy and Emma Troy and Donaghmore-Ashbourne's Michelle Peel were all in action for Leinster. Meath were also represented by last year's Senior manager Lar Wall. Well done to all!

Meath Team & Scorers; Sarah Powderly, Aisling Sheridan, Michelle Peel (1-00 - OG), Ellen Hennelly, Síofra Cleary, Niamh Lister, Laura Bagnall, Kate Byrne (0-02), Emma Troy, Laura Griffin, Shauna Ennis (0-01, C), Meabh Downey (0-01), Kelly Harris (0-01, f), Clíona Murray, Aoibheann Leahy.
Subs: Niamh Sheridan for Hennelly, Kate Flynn for A.Sheridan, Jacinta Maher for Murray, Niamh Crowe for Griffin, Naoise de Graaff for Leahy, Anna Rothwell, Leah Kelly, Eleanor Lane, Riain O'Keeffe, Laura Murray.

Dublin: Ciara Trant, Aoife Curran, Muireann Ní Scanaill, Leah Caffrey, Martha Byrne, Deirdre Murphy, Katie Murray, Molly Lamb, Sarah McCaffrey (1-02), Leah Mullins, Carla Rowe (2-02, C),  Niamh Ryan, Niamh Rickard (1-04), Siobhan Woods (1-00), Eabha Rutledge.
Dublin Subs: Kate Fitzgibbon for Caffrey, Oonagh White for Mullins, Ciara McGuigan (1-02) for Murray, Danielle Pugh for Byrne, Ciara Purdy for Rickard.

 

 

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