A campaign that brought nothing in the way of silverware left a myriad of memories for the Meath ladies' senior football team as they provided some of the most entertaining and dramatic action of the Gaelic games season as a whole writes Paul Clarke. The amazing year for Geraldine Sheridan's talented, committed and courageous panel came to an end at Breffni Park, Cavan, in late August when they lost to Connacht champions Galway in a replayed All-Ireland Senior Championship quarter-final, but by that stage they had contributed so much to the 2006 action that few can deny that they deserved considerably more for their efforts. Finals haven't brought much luck for the Royal County in recent years and the campaign gone by was much the same as they lost the National League Div. 1 decider to Cork in early May and later fell to Laois in the Leinster final. But such is the dedication and determination of this bunch of players that it looks certain that success will come their way if they continue to demonstrate those vital traits. Meath's league campaign brought a mixed bag of results, including group defeats to Cork and Galway and victories over Roscommon, Donegal and Monaghan. They beat Mayo by 1-13 to 2-9 at the semi-final stage in Ratoath when substitute Charlene McAuley scored the all-important goal. Cork have been something of a bogey team for Meath over the past couple of seasons, as they lost an All-Ireland quarter-final to the Rebels in 2005 and also went under to them in that group match during this year's league. So when the counties emerged to contest the final under lights at Dublin's Parnell Park, Meath certainly had every incentive to exact revenge. But it wasn't to be as 16 wides proved very damaging and left Meath exposed to a late Cork charge that earned a 0-14 to 0-12 victory and a second successive league title. Things didn't look at all promising for Meath as they missed early chances and Cork opened up a 0-5 to 0-0 lead inside the first quarter. Mary Sheridan then missed a goal opportunity, but the introduction of Caitriona O'Shaughnessy kick-started a Meath revival and they scored five successive points from All-Star Geraldine Doherty, Gillian Bennett, Elaine Duffy and Grainne Nulty (two) to draw level. That was the first of seven times that the sides were tied over the hour and they were also level (0-7 each) at the interval after Bennett had scored two more frees. Sheridan's fielding was a highlight of that first half, while 'player of the match' Nulty was also superb. The scores were tied at 0-10 each by the three-quarter stage as Doherty played her heart out following her switch to midfield and when Meath edged ahead entering the final few minutes they looked set for victory. However, Cork punished them for all those missed chances by finishing strongest to retain their title. It was significant that Cork fielded no fewer than five All-Stars in their team to Meath's one, so the Royal County could certainly take heart from the performance once the disappointment of losing had started to fade. In any case Meath had little time to think about what might have been against Cork as the round robin stages of the Leinster Championship were just around the corner and they certainly couldn't have asked for a softer opening that against Louth at St. Kevin's grounds, Philipstown, in mid-May when they outclassed the Wee County en route to a 4-25 to 0-0 victory. Sheridan set the tone with a point inside 20 seconds and the advantage stretched to a massive 26 points (3-17 to 0-0) by half-time after Charlene McAuley (two) and Shauna Bennett had scored the goals. Michelle Doyle notched the fourth goal in the second half and Meath were 37 points clear at the finish. It was never going to be as easy as that next time out against Kildare at Patrician College, Newbridge, and that's how it turned out as Meath won by 0-14 to 0-11. They led by 0-9 to 0-6 at the interval, but were under pressure for much of the second half, though the displays of goalkeeper Caroline Griffin, Sinead Dooley, Suzanne McCormack and Louise McKeever helped them through to a narrow win. The victory Meath really wanted to give them a major lift came in the third game of the round robin series at Westmanstown when they beat reigning provincial champions Dublin by 2-19 to 3-8 to move into pole position in the group from which the top four teams out of five would emerge for the semi-finals. Meath could afford the luxury of two missed penalties from Gillian Bennett and substitute Jackie Shiels in the second half and still won by eight points. The first period was one of slack goals - including one by Grainne Nulty for Meath - and that helped them to a 1-9 to 2-4 interval lead. The first missed penalty looked likely to prove costly as Dublin opened up a 3-7 to 1-11 advantage by the end of the third quarter, but when Meath missed a second the alarm bells were really ringing. But they were courageous in the extreme and a succession of points were followed by a Sheridan goal and they were firmly on the road to victory. A very encouraging aspect of the match for Meath was the contribution of two points from Shiels who was making her return after breaking a leg. However, Meath were brought firmly back down to ground level in the final round of group games when Laois, coached by former All-Star hurler Pat Critchley, inflicted a 4-19 to 2-10 defeat at Ratoath. The issue was beyond doubt at the break when the midlanders led by 2-13 to 0-4 and goals from Shauna Bennett and Caitriona O'Shaughnessy in the second half merely put a more respectable look on the scoreboard. It was back to Ratoath for a provincial semi-final against revenge-seeking Dublin on a scorching hot day and what a match this proved to be as Gillian Bennett's injury time goal gave Meath a dramatic one-point (4-8 to 2-13) victory. It was fitting that Bennett got the vital last score as she finished with a phenomenal personal tally of 3-5. Dublin opened up a 1-4 to 0-1 lead after 10 minutes, but Meath settled, upped the tempo of their play and the balance of power soon shifted. A brilliant goal from Geraldine Doherty on 12 minutes was a huge help and aided by a second goal from a Bennett penalty the Royal County led by 2-2 to 1-4 early in the second quarter. The Dubs were in front by 1-7 to 2-3 at the interval, but Meath bolted from the blocks on the restart and Bennett's second goal helped them to lead by 3-7 to 1-8 nearing the three-quarter stage. But the balance of power shifted again and Dublin got a goal from a penalty that shouldn't have been awarded and were only a point adrift with 12 minutes of normal time to play. They drew level and then pushed three points clear three minutes into injury time. But the greatest drama of this great match was only beginning. Substitute Shiels had a free parried over for a point and two minutes later Bennett netted from another free to edge Meath ahead. Referee James Flood from Wexford played on for several minutes, but Dublin couldn't get the score they needed to force extra-time and Meath held out to avenge the previous year's Leinster final defeat and repeat their win from the round robin stages. Another revenge mission lay ahead as the Royal County prepared to meet Laois again - this time in the final at Dr. Cullen Park, Carlow. But the game brought disappointment as the O'Moore County won by 0-16 to 0-9. Meath more than held their own in the early stages, but Laois got on top to lead by 0-9 to 0-5 at the break, before Shiels (twice) and Katie O'Brien were denied goals in the second period that might have revived the losers' hopes. Dunboyne-based Garda Kay O'Reilly was a key player for Laois at midfield. It was a case of focusing on the back door for Meath at that stage and what drama the two matches against Galway brought, the first of them at Portlaoise when Meath recovered from a disastrous start to earn a draw (1-17 to Galway's 3-11) after extra-time. Galway netted three times in the opening eight minutes to lead by 3-1 to 0-1, but Meath, without the influential Doherty who was injured , made switches (most notably the move of Jane Burke to her full-back berth from left half-back) and they improved, though Galway still held a 3-4 to 0-5 lead at half-time. Meath missed good point chances either side of the interval, but the introduction of Michelle Doyle gave them a lift and she scored two quick points from play. Shiels added two more, but Galway were still ahead by 3-7 to 0-10 at the three-quarter stage. However, Grainne Nulty scored three points in quick succession and Katie O'Brien raced through for a goal and Meath were level (1-13 to 3-7). All the hard work was in danger of being ruined when Galway were awarded a dubious penalty, but the brilliant Irene Munnelly saved Niamh Fahey's kick superbly. The westerners pointed the resultant '45', but Shiels levelled it with a minute to go (1-14 to 3-8) and it was on to extra-time. That was real nip and tuck stuff and Meath hit the front for the first time in the second period when Louise McKeever pointed, but Galway had the last say as Meath missed chances which would have seen them through. But what a match all those who were lucky enough to be in O'Moore Park had witnessed. It was off to Breffni Park, Cavan, for the replay and this was a match Meath will feel they should have won. The concession of two more goals proved disastrous in a game that Meath dominated for long spells, with Galway relying largely on counter-attacks as they packed their defence in a bid to smother Meath. Meath opened up a 0-7 to 0-3 lead in the first half, but undid much of their positive work when Edel Concannon fisted home Galway's first goal. Munnelly saved another penalty from a poor Fahey effort and the Royal County led by 0-10 to 1-4 at the break. It's an indication of how much Galway fouled in that half that seven of Meath's points came from close range frees. The impressive Fiona Mahon stretched the advantage to four points early in the second half, but the unmarked Gillian Joyce notched Galway's second goal and they were in front by 2-7 to 0-12 with 14 minutes of normal time to play. That was the first time they led and Shiels hit back with a brace of points to hand Meath the initiative again. However, Galway shaded the remainder on the scoreboard and edged two points clear. Shiels replied with a pointed free for Meath, before substitute Doherty was off target as she went for a late, late equaliser. After all that drama Meath were out, but what entertainment they had provided. Doherty's injury late in Meath's campaign was a big blow as she is a tremendous player who really deserved her 2005 All-Star award and the trip to Singapore with the rest of the team that went with it. The 2005 All-Stars played the 2004 team and they also enjoyed their participation in the local St. Patrick's Day parade. Tweet

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