TG4 All Ireland Senior Championship

As in previous games, Armagh’s slow start proved costly as the Royals held a seven-point advantage twelve minutes in to the first half. Aimee Bennett opened her sides scoring and her effort was quickly followed by scores from Geraldine Doherty and Katie O’Brien. Bennett tagged on her second point before Armagh full forward Caitlin Malone plucked the ball from the clouds and sent it over the bar to get her side off the mark.

Meath added four quick points to stretch their lead further but two Caroline O’Hanlon points kept her side in touch. The Royals continued to pile on the pressure but good defending from Caoimhe Marley and Dervla Toal ensured they couldn’t find a way through. A Mags McAlinden free was cancelled by a similar score from Meath’s Jenny Rispin and further scores from Elaine Duffy (2), Rispin and Katie O’Brien left Armagh trailing on a score line of 0-13 to 0-04 at the break.

Armagh were much improved in the second half, holding Meath scoreless until the 27th minute when they snatched a goal. Caitlin Malone showed great vision to set up Shauna O’Hagan for her side’s first point of the half. A free from Caroline O’Hanlon reduced the gap further but the Meath defence were hard to break down with Mary Sheridan in particular driving her team on.

Mairead Tennyson was introduced for Laura Brown and immediately was involved, helping to set up a point for Shauna O’Hagan. The Orchard girls were handed a boost when Meath’s Aine Fagan was sin binned for consistent fouling. It was the Royals who capitalised though when referee Liam McDonagh awarded them a penalty with minutes remaining. Meath benefited, scoring the rebound following an excellent save by Catherine McAlinden. Armagh finished strongly adding 3 quick points to leave the score line reading Meath 1-13 Armagh 0-10.

The Orchard girls now face an unprecedented situation of a must win relegation play off in two weeks time to ensure they play Senior football in 2010 while Meath advance to the quarter finals.

Armagh: C McAlinden, C Marley, D Toal, C McCann, S McCleary, M Moriarty, R O’Mahony, C O’Hanlon, S Reel, L Brown, S O’Hagan, M O’Donnell, C Murray, C Malone, M McAlinden

Subs: N Marley for C Marley, M Tennyson for L Brown, C Breen for R O’Mahony, D Hagan for C McAlinden

Meath: I Munnelly, C Coffey, L McKeever, M Kealy, A Murray, M Sheridan, A Fagan, J Burke, S Bennett, G Doherty, G Nulty, K O’Brien, E Duffy, J Rispin, A Bennett