Meath V Armagh Report

 

Meath V Armagh Report

 

MEATH LADIES

TG4 All Ireland Senior Championship Round 2

Meath v Armagh

Clones, Co. Monaghan.

Saturday 28th July 2007

Throw In 5pm

Half Time:            Meath 0-07     Armagh 0-07

Full Time:            Meath 0-10     Armagh 0-12

Meath’s hopes of qualifying with a game in hand in the TG4 All Ireland Senior Championship, were dashed on Saturday when they were beaten by last year’s All Ireland finalists, Armagh in a thrilling contest at Clones.

The pace of the game was breathtaking as Armagh raced into a two point lead within three minutes. It didn’t take Meath long to open their tally as on four minutes they pulled a point back courtesy of a well taken free by Elaine Duffy. A free conceded by Armagh’s Rhona O Mahoney was put narrowly wide by Jackie Shiels but the following kickout gave Meath’s Katie O Brien the ball who neatly split the posts, drawing the teams level. Louise McKeever put the Royals ahead on nine minutes with a point from play. A minute later the game was once again all square courtesy of Aileen Matthews. However, Louise McKeever, who is usually Meath’s rock in defense, refused to lie down and secured another point for the Royals with only eleven minutes gone on the clock.

Unfortunately, Armagh had an early retirement, Maighdlin McAlinden came off injured and was replaced by Sharon Reel. The Armagh kickout which followed was won superbly by Meath’s Katie O Brien who floated the ball into the box. The loose ball was gathered by Louise McKeever, whose shot went narrowly wide. Almost immediately, Meath’s goalkeeper, Irene Munnelly was in action with a superb save that kept Meath in front. However, the sides were level again after a point from play by Aileen Matthews in the sixteenth minute of the half.

A free taken by Jackie Shiels in the nineteenth minute, led to another point from Katie O Brien who worked the ball into space before coolly putting the ball between the uprights. A minute later and there was light between the teams when Jackie Shiels split the posts after Jane Dolan was fouled. This point put two between the teams, opposite to the opening of the game. However, Armagh came back strong to level the match once more, with Alma O Donnell for Armagh scoring in the 23rd minute. Armagh leveled matters a few minutes later once again. With six points each just before the break there was time for another score from both teams. It was Meath who went ahead first thanks to the dead ball skills of Jackie Shiels, while down the other end, Maebh Moriarty slotted it over the bar from play to level matters for the fifth time in the first half. Armagh had time for one more attack which ended in a square ball and a free that landed wide of the post. Level it finished seven points apiece at half time, ensuring that a more exciting second half was to come.

The Meath Ladies opened the second half the brighter at Clones. Their defense was noticeably tighter and more confident. A surging run by Meath’s right half back Jenny Rispin to the Armagh 21’ saw her shot rebounded off the upright. The tighter defense worked well in the opening minutes as Jane Burke and Vick McGinn tidied up loose ball in Meath’s backs and turned defense into attack. A smart ball into Grainne Nulty saw her put it neatly over the bar to edge the Royals ahead again with eight points to Armagh’s seven points.

Armagh received a dubious free just outside the 21’ in the 35th minute but Mairead Tennyson failed to convert. Defense became attack once more as a run from full back Jane Burke allowed Jane Dolan in for a clear shot and the Blackhall Gaels player who also plays camogie for the Royals made no mistake with the finish. Tight defending by Sinead Dooley allowed another Armagh free to come to nothing.

Jackie Shiels pulled the Royals to a three point lead on 40 minutes after a free from just inside the 21’ on the left hand side. However, to the Royals detriment and Armagh’s good fortune this is all the Ladies from the Royal County were to score for the remainder of the contest. Armagh showed in the last twenty minutes of the half why they were last years All Ireland finalists as they stepped up a gear and left the Meath girls in their wake. Armagh’s Aileen Matthews who was later announced ‘Player of the Match’ scored four points in the space of ten minutes to put the Armagh girls just in front.

The last ten minutes saw the ball go from end to end, with Jackie Shiels hitting wide on 54 minutes and Armagh putting another one on the board on 56 minutes to put them two points in front. However, it was the last three minutes of the game that were to prove the most exciting. The 58th saw the referee give Armagh what seemed a soft penalty, which was miraculously saved by last year’s All Star nominee goalkeeper Irene Munnelly. The resulting kickout gave Katie O Brien the ball in midfield who went on a run and took her shot just on the 14’. Had the ball gone into the back of the net, the Royals would have stolen the match from beneath the feet of Armagh. However, it wasn’t to be and the ball rebounded it off the crossbar where it was safely collected by the Armagh defense and the referee blew the whistle for full time. Armagh had scraped through with only two points over the Royals finishing the match 12 points to Meath’s ten points.

Meath were well served on the day by Irene Munnelly, Jane Burke, Vicky McGinn, Karen Bowe, Katie O Brien and Jackie Shiels. Overall, Meath appeared to be the better team which surely must give manager, Geraldine Sheridan, and her backroom team, huge optimism as they regroup and get themselves prepared for their last round match against Kildare which will take place in Sean Eiffe Park in Ratoath Sunday next at 3.30pm. This is a must win game for the Royals as defeat puts them out of senior championship action for another year. Victory over the Lilywhites will mean progression to the All Ireland Quarter Finals.

Meath Team and Scorers: Irene Munnelly, Sinead Dooley, Jane Burke, Suzanne McCormack, Jenny Rispin, Vick McGinn, Karen Bowe, Grainne Nulty (0-01), Caitriona O Shaughnessy, Katie O Brien(0-02), Jane Dolan (0-01), Louise McKeever (0-02), Elaine Duffy (0-01), Jackie Shiels (0-03), Charlene McAuley.

Subs: Eimear O Carroll for Charlene McAuley (46 mins).

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