Meath 5-08
Cavan 1-03

Meath got their under 21 championship campaign off to a winning start this afternoon as they comfortably saw off the challenge posed by neighbours Cavan in Simonstown. A blistering start gave Meath a comfortable margin and despite a fight back from Cavan, Meath kept their opposition scoreless in the second period to claim all three points in a game that saw no fewer than five sin binnings!

Meath began the contest at blistering pace, Emma Troy pointing from wing back in the opening minutes. Meabh Downey found the back of the Cavan net two minutes later and things went from bad to worse for the team in blue and white when Meath were awarded a penalty. Sinead Coyle dutifully fired it past to put Meath 2-01 to no score in front after ten minutes. Superb midfielding from Kate Byrne and Máire O'Shaughnessy ensured Meath retained possession while the half forward line of Shauna Ennis, Bridgetta Lynch and Sinead Coyle were causing Cavan all sorts of problems. A free from Bridgetta Lynch found Vivienne McCormack in space and the Clann na nGael player needed no second urging to drill the ball low and hard into the back of the Cavan net for goal number three. McCormack turned provider a minute later when Laura Dempsey split the posts. A fine long range effort split the posts from thirty five yards for Sinead Coyle on sixteen minutes and Dempsey pointed for her second score of the contest, the point rebounded off the crossbar before going over, a ball that could just as easily have gone under the bar as over it. Meath were leading comfortably with Cavan yet to score - Meath 3-04, Cavan 0-00. This seemed to ignite the Cavan team and they set about attacking with aplomb, Meath beginning to struggle with the onslaught. Cavan got a penalty themselves which Niamh Daly dutifully buried into the back of Lisa Mullen's net. A brace of points (one free) from Niamh Halton reduced the gap on 23 and 24 mins respectively. Meath lost Laura Bagnall to a sin bin just before the end of the half for fouling. The teams traded scores, Kate Byrne finished a lovely move to split the posts for the Royals, while Halton grabbed her third point from a free before referee Kieran McKeever brought the game to a half time conclusion.
Half Time; Meath 3-05, Cavan 1-03

The hectic pace of the first half was replaced by a steady determined outlook in the second half as Meath sought to stifle Cavan from any further scores. This they achieved remarkably keeping the away team scoreless for the second period. Meath lost Laura Dempsey to the sin bin right before Cavan's Aoibhin Kiernan was also shown a yellow card for a late tackle on Máire O'Shaughnessy. Emma Troy was a thorn in the Cavan team's side all afternoon, her surging runs down the wing and retaining of possession made the entry fee alone worthwhile. Cavan lost a second player to the sin bin, full back Grace Reilly. Meath found goal number four when Sinead Coyle's free rebounded off the crossbar and Downey first onto the loose ball, hit the back of the net for her second of the contest. As both teams began to ring in the changes, Meath lost Máire O'Shaughnessy, a third player, to the sin bin. Dempsey pointed a beautiful score with her left boot after a quick exchange with Emma Troy. Goal number five was finished off by Laura Dempsey while a minute later; Troy finished the game as she had started by kicking the ball straight over the black spot.

This was a confident performance from the girls in green and gold. As so many have played in this year's National League, the under 21 Championship is terrific preparation for the Senior Championship which is getting ever closer! Meath Management Lar Wall and Martin Connolly will be delighted with today's performance and will be looking forward to a trip to Galway to take on the Tribeswomen next Sunday in round 2. Best for Meath today were Emma Troy, Meabh Downey, Kate Byrne, Máire O'Shaughnessy and Michelle Peel.
Full Time; Meath 5-08, Cavan 1-03.

Meath Team & Scorers: Lisa Mullen, Niamh Lister, Sarah Powderly, Aideen Guy, Laura Bagnall, Michelle Peel, Emma Troy (0-02), Máire O'Shaughnessy, Kate Byrne (0-01), Shauna Ennis, Bridgetta Lynch, Sinead Coyle (1-02, pen,1f), Meabh Downey (2-00), Laura Dempsey (1-03), Vivienne McCormack (1-00).
Subs: Orlaith Duff for Powderly (24 mins), Stephanie Caffrey for Lynch (47 mins), Katie Queeney for Coyle (47 mins), Niamh Crowe for McCormack (52 mins), Cliona Murray for Lister (54 mins).

Cavan Team & Scorers: Aoife Miney, Una Galligan, Grace Reilly, Keira Ward, Fiona Skelly, Naomi Smith, Sheila Reilly, Tina Reilly, Aoibhin Kiernan, Katryn Maguire, Paula Clarke, Niamh Halton (0-03, 2f), Niamh Daly (1-00, pen), Geraldine Sheridan, Catriona Smith.
Referee: Kieran McKeever (Armagh) Tweet

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