Meath Ladies Notes 26.01.2016

New Season Awaits the Royals

Under new management, Meath Ladies are one week away from the start of their 2015 League campaign. Manager, Diane O’Hora will be hoping for a positive start to the new season with a home tie against near neighbours Kildare, next Sunday 1^st February. Meath defeated Kildare in last year’s league campaign – in what was a monumental tussle on a wet and blustery Sunday in Hawkfield. Meath finished 1-12 to 1-11 winners that day and will be hoping for a similar outcome next weekend. Meath will take on Kildare in the fine facilities of Donaghmore-Ashbourne with throw in at 2pm. Meath will also take on Clare in an away trip in round two before Down and Westmeath visit in rounds three and four respectively. Thereafter, Meath are on the road with away trips to Donegal, Armagh and Cavan.

The Meath County Board have also announced that gate receipts for next Sunday’s encounter v Kildare will be donated to the Climb4Clare fundraiser. Meath Ladies are hoping for a big home support for their home encounters, especially next Sunday. Climb4Clare is a fundraiser, initiated by the LGFA in 2014, to provide assistance to children whose parents are dealing with cancer. Currently this facility does not exist in the Republic of Ireland, fundraising efforts in 2014 ensured its start up this year however fundraising is ongoing.

On Saturday, Meath were well represented on the Leinster team who were defeated by Ulster in the Post-Primary Schools Interprovincial Blitz in Kinnegad. Meath schools had nine players on the Leinster panel –with all players performing well. Well done to Stacey Grimes (Loreto Navan – Seneschalstown), Aisling Cassidy (Loreto Navan, Simonstown), Kelsey Nesbitt (Loreto Navan – Simonstown), Catriona Keogan (Loreto Navan, Skryne), Hannah Heskin (Loreto Navan – Navan O’Mahonys), Niamh Gallogly (Dunshaughlin Community College – Royal Gaels), Victoria Wall (St Peter’s Dunboyne – Dunboyne) and Aoibhin Cleary (Ashbourne Community School – Donaghmore Ashbourne), and Catherine Dolan (Eureka, Kells – Cavan).

The Meath Ladies Minor team were fortuitous to meet Maria Walsh, the 2014 Rose of Tralee from Philadelphia on Sunday. Ms. Walsh was accompanied by the 2014 Meath Rose, Sinead O’Sullivan, a previous Meath player herself. Ms Walsh was kind enough to meet and speak with the girls as she embarked on a whistle stop tour of County Meath. Meath County Board Secretary, Mary O’Regan and Meath Minor captain Hannah Heskin were on hand to welcome Ms. Walsh to Drumree GAA and wish her well on her tour of the County. Hannah presented Ms Walsh with a Meath Ladies jersey before posing for a group photo. The Meath Minors kick off their championship campaign on 14^th/15^th February with an away trip to Wicklow.

Tesco Homegrown National Ladies Football League – Division Two Fixtures:

Round One – 1^st February

Meath (h) v Kildare – Donaghmore/Ashbourne at 2pm

Round Two – 8^th February

Clare v Meath (a)

Round Three – 22^nd February

Meath (h) v Down

Round Four – 1^st March

Meath (h) v Westmeath

Round Five – 15^th March

Donegal v Meath (a)

Round Six – 29^th March

Armagh v Meath (a)

Round Seven – 12^th April

Cavan v Meath (a)

Playoff(s) – 19^th April

Semi Finals – 26^th April

Final – 9^th May