07 August 2007 Kildare Crush Meath Dreams FIXME Share this Article 0 0 0 Shares! 0 Shares! Kildare Crush Meaths Dreams MEATH LADIES Round 3 TG4 All Ireland Senior Championship Meath v Kildare Sean Eiffe Park, Ratoath Sunday 5th August 2007 Throw in 3.30pm Half Time: Meath 0-07 Kildare 0-03 Full Time: Meath 0-10 Kildare 1-10 Meath’s hopes of progressing to the knockout stages of the All Ireland Senior Championship were crushed by a determined Kildare side. Doubt over the condition of the pitch at the start of the match was eased as the rain stopped and the match began in near perfect conditions in Ratoath. As the ball was thrown in hopes for a Meath victory were high as they were the brighter team in the opening minutes. 2006 All Star Grainne Nulty kicked the opening shot of the game straight at the Kildare keeper and the ball was brought away safe by the Kildare defence. It was Meath that got on the scoreboard first as Jackie Shiels put the ball between the posts in the second minute. At the other end the referee awarded a penalty in the fourth minute. The Meath mentors and supporters were given flashbacks from last week’s game against Armagh when the referee awarded a penalty in the closing minutes of the game. However, the Royals didn’t need to worry as Irene Munnelly showed why she is Meath’s number One with a superb save that kept Meath in it. The ball came out to Nulty who put it safely over the end line, to concede the first 45’ of the match. A free taken by Nulty in the middle of the field was put wide. However, the resulting goal kick was put over the sideline. Nulty took the sideline and it was well caught overhead by St Ultan’s Katie O’Brien who passed it to club mate Elaine Duffy and Elaine made no mistake with the finish to double Meath’s advantage with six minutes gone on the clock. Good defending by Meath after the Kildare kick out gave Elaine Duffy the ball who doubled her tally for the day and gave Meath a three point to no score lead with seven minutes gone. Clumsy defending by Meath allowed Kildare’s Elaine Dillon in for the Lilywhites’ opening point on eight minutes, however, it was the Meath girls who had greater possession and Meath’s Louise McKeever was unlucky not to extend the Royals lead as shaky hands by the Kildare keeper, Caitriona Dolan gave Meath a 45’. The ball went out again for a 45’ and this time Nulty made no mistake and put it over the bar to make it four points to Kildare’s one point with just ten minutes gone. Tight defending by Meath forced Kildare wide in the thirteenth minute. A Kildare attack was well broken down by Simonstown’s Sinead Dooley who kicked the ball long into full forward Jackie Shiels, and the popular Simonstown player was unlucky to see the ball go wide. Meath extended their lead to four points when Fiona Mahon put the ball over inside the thirteen metre line on seventeen minutes. Kildare doubled their score as Aishling Jennings ran through the Meath defence to put the ball over on eighteen minutes. On the restart, Meath’s full back Jane Burke brought the ball up to midfield, passed it to Katie O Brien who put the ball over from just inside the 21’. Katie added her second point of the match on twenty-five minutes to end Meath’s scoring for the half at seven points. Kildare’s Noelle Earley blasted the ball wide on twenty-six minutes. Kildare were given a free on the thirteen metre line but Kildare’s Simone Gilabert put the ball wide. Kildare managed to get a third point before half time, courtesy of half back, Maria Moolick. The half time whistle went with Meath leading seven points to three. On the restart it didn’t take Kildare long to get into the action, Aishling Jennings pointed from a free in the 32nd minute to close the gap between the teams and Brianne Leahy dragged the ball wide a minute later. Meath hearts dropped on 34 minutes when Kildare’s full forward Simone Gilabert found her way through Meath’s defence to hit the back of the net. The goal levelled the teams for the first time in the match. However, to be fair to the Meath girls they did not panic and calmly resumed play. Lisa Keenan shot wide on 35 minutes. Louise McKeever pointed on 37 minutes to put the Royal girls ahead again. A minute later Elaine Duffy was fouled on the 13 metre line. Duffy herself took the free however it rebounded off the upright. Duffy was first to the loose ball and struck the ball superbly to point from a more acute angle. Once more there was clear daylight between the teams with Meath ahead by two points. Excellent teamwork and accurate passing by Meath’s Vicky McGinn, Fiona Mahon, Charlene McAuley, and Jackie Shiels, gave Duffy the ball and she skilfully put the ball over the bar on forty minutes to put Meath ahead by three points. In the ten minutes that were to follow, Meath’s goalkeeper was by far the best player on the pitch, keeping Meath in with a chance of progressing to the quarter finals. She saved time and time again. Elaine Dillon pointed for the Lilywhites on 42 minutes. Meath’s chances were dwindling as they failed to score. Kildare found another gear and scored point after point to first level the match through Aishling Jennings and then go ahead through Jennings and Brianne Leahy. Meath tried all their options, introducing a new full forward line of Jane Dolan, Michelle Doyle and Avril Robinson, and bringing Louise McKeever back into defence but it didnt work. Kildare were hungry for victory and the score could have been better for the Lilywhites as on the 56th minute, corner back Suzanne McKeever saved the ball off the line as Munnelly was caught off the line, a rare occurrence. Meath had their chances at the end of their half, the game was really anyone’s with five minutes to go but it was the Lilywhites who found the scores while Meath could only find the wrong side of the upright. The game finished in Kildare’s favour, 1-10 to Meath’s 0-10. The Meath team were well served by Irene Munnelly, Sinead Dooley, Jenny Rispin, Karen Bowe, Elaine Duffy, Louise McKeever, Katie O Brien and Fiona Mahon. Sadly for the Meath camp, their competition is over for another year. Kildare go on to face Laois in the All Ireland Quarter Final, a re-run of this year’s Leinster Final where Laois ran out easy winners. Despite the loss, Meath players return to their clubs knowing they wore the Royal jersey with pride and served it well. Meath may have been unfortunate and in many ways unlucky this year in their games, but they were well led by Captain Sinead Dooley and the management team led by Geraldine Sheridan. The focus is now turned on to the club championships as they draw to a closure, and also to the Meath Junior team who play Cork in the semi final of the Aisling McGinn Cup on September 15th. Meath Team and Scorers: Irene Munnelly, Sinead Dooley, Jane Burke, Suzanne McCormack, Jenny Rispin, Vicky McGinn, Karen Bowe, Grainne Nulty (0-01), Lisa Keenan, Katie O Brien (0-02), Louise McKeever (0-01), Fiona Mahon (0-01), Elaine Duffy (0-04), Jackie Shiels (0-01), Charlene McAuley. Subs: Jane Dolan for McAuley (52 mins), Avril Robinson for Duffy (55 mins), Michelle Doyle for Shiels (57 mins). Kildare Team; Catriona Dolan, Aisling Holton, Celia Hogan, Aisling Lambe, Aoife Herbert, Donna Berry, Maria Moolick, Brianne Leahy, Kate Leahy, Noelle Earley, Aishling Jennings, Elaine Dillon, Aoidhin McBride, Simone Gilabert, Hazel Mulligan. Share this Article 0 0