Donegal Too Strong for Meath

 

Half Time; Meath 1-04, Donegal 4-06

Full Time: Meath 2-06, Donegal 6-17

 

A long trip proved fruitless for the Royal Ladies when they travelled to Donegal on Sunday afternoon for Round 5 of the National League. A strong first half showing by the Royals gave Donegal plenty to ponder at half time, however a dominant performance by the home team in the second half paved their way to victory.

 

Meath opened their account for the afternoon on five minutes with Vikki Wall getting the opening score on four mins. Laura Murray added a converted free to the mix on 7 mins. Good work from Michelle Peel, Shauna Ennis and Samantha Monaghan in goals kept the Donegal attack at bay. Vikki Wall got her first goal of the afternoon on 13 mins and this was quickly followed by a Geraldine Doherty point a minute later. Positive play from Summerhill’s Niamh Crowe and Niamh Lister put pressure on Donegal’s defence while the partnership of Kate Byrne and Emma Troy in midfield allowed them to attack and helped to maintain possession. Doherty added her second point of the contest on fifteen mins from a free, a crucial score which put Meath ahead by a point. The Royals’ lead didn’t last long as Donegal upped the pace and Meath were most unlucky when Monaghan was deemed to have fouled an oncoming player and a penalty was the subsequent result. This was duly converted and Donegal quite simply never looked back, tagging on more scores before referee Gus Chapman brought the half to a close.

 

Half Time; Meath 1-04, Donegal 4-06.

Donegal’s ferocity and pace was unrelenting in the second half as they continued to plunder the Royal goals and kept Meath keeper, Sam Monaghan very busy. Wall added a point on 37 mins, a score which showed the Royals were not going to just roll over and concede the game.  As Donegal continued to pick off the points, Meath kept fighting. Shauna Ennis, Peel and Lister kept out the Donegal attacks while at the other end Vikki Wall looked threatening when she had possession. Emma Troy added her team’s sixth point on 56 mins and although Donegal added a further goal and a point, the final score of the contest was left to Vikki Wall, whose rasping shot found the top right hand corner of Laura Gallagher’s net. The unstoppable shot was a small consolation for the long journey.

Full Time; Meath 2-06, Donegal 6-17.

While Donegal will be happy to still be top of the table, Meath will take positives from the game. Every game they play they are improving and although the well turned phrase; the scoreboard doesn’t reflect the play, this was actually the case. Meath will battle on and with many in action in the O’Connor Cup Finals next weekend, Meath will regroup and prepare for the final two games against Cavan and Armagh.

Meath Team & Scorers: Samantha Monaghan, Rebecca Considine, Michelle Peel, Niamh Lister, Kate Lawless, Shauna Ennis, Síofra Cleary,  Kate Byrne (C), Emma Troy (0-01), Laura Murray (0-01, 1f), Laura Griffin, Jacinta Maher, Geraldine Doherty (0-02, 1f), Vikki Wall (2-02), Niamh Crowe.

Subs: Lesley Buchanan for Cleary (25 mins), Alex Goodman for Maher (HT), Katie Dowling for Murray (HT), Niamh Sheridan for Considine (HT), Rebecca Goodwin for Doherty (45 mins), Kate Flynn for Goodman (45 mins), Julie Donnellan for Griffin (52 mins), Hannah McKeon for Lawless (52 mins).

Donegal: Laura Gallagher, Treasa Doherty, Emer Gallagher, Nicole McLaughlin, Deirdre Foley, Ciara Heraghty, Aoife McDonnell, Katy Herron (C), Karen Guthrie, Shannon McGroddy, Niamh Heraghty, Eilish Ward, Roisin Curran, Amber Barrett, Niamh McLaughlin.

Referee: G. Chapman (Fermanagh)