Meath begin life in the fast lane in style

Four years since their last appearance in the Ladies NFL Div 1 Meath marked their return to the highest level with a performance that was right out of the top drawer at Ashbourne on Sunday. Back in training since early December the Meath side showed a fitness and hunger that simply blew Tyrone away, especially in the opening half which they finished with a 1-9 to 1-1 advantage. Admittedly Meath were helped in that opening half by a breeze and the slope at Ashbourne that favours those playing into the 'town' goals. Those factors aside, some of quality of the play produced by Meath was at times, excellent and while they struggled to contain Tyrone for the third quarter they reasserted themselves to finish with a flourish and close out the game. The victory sets them up nicely for a clash with Dublin next weekend and if they can reproduce the same quality as they did against Tyrone they should be in with a real chance against their old rivals. The way in which Meath moved the ball around at pace caused Tyrone problems all afternoon and Meath's strategy of using Jenny Rispin (pictured) as a sweeper in front of the full-back line worked a treat. Rispin picked up a lot of possession and it meant that numerous Tyrone attacks faltered in the final quarter of the pitch. Meath counter-attacked very effectively with Kellie Allen, Fiona Mahon, Katie O'Brien and Vivienne McCormack very effective in channelling the ball from backs to forwards using their pace to break quickly. Unusually the home half-back line was made up of players from the one club with Ashley Leavy, Eileen Rahill and Allen all members of the Oldcastle team. Once Meath got the ball to the forward division they usually come up with a score and nobody proved better than Geraldine Doherty making the scorekeeper earn his corn. Doherty's had her injury concerns in the past, but now she looks like she's back to the type of player that could ransack a defence given half a chance. The St Ultan's clubwoman was Meath's top scorer with six points, five of them from play. Some of points were superbly taken when she had to make time and space for herself to shoot. Aoife Thompson also proved very effective in taking her scores and she was particularly prominent in the opening half when she grabbed three points from play. The hard-running O'Brien also helped herself to a hat-trick of points over the hour, two from frees. Laura Dempsey, the 2011 u-16 player-of-the-year, made the step up to the senior ranks in this game while Thompson returned after a spell away - and both did well. Another u-16 player from last year Emma Troy also came on at half-time and did well. The Meath goal came on 21 minutes when they launched yet another attack from deep, the ball was worked out to the left. McCormack delivered a cross into the square and there was Shauna Bennett to rise high and fist to the net. One aspect of the home team's victory that pleased manager Paula Cunningham was the manner in which the defence gave Tyrone little scope, quickly closing down opponents. How well they did this can be gauged from the fact that Tyrone didn't get their first point until near half-time when Catriona McGahan slotted over. The Ulster team's opening score was their goal and it came on nine minutes when Joline Donnelly clipped the upright, the ball was eventually worked out to Gemma Begley who fired to the net. Begley and Donnelly were prominent in the third quarter as Tyrone enjoyed a purple patch and at one stage reduced their deficit to four. Meath weathered the storm, and with the introduction of Mary Sheridan, got their passing game going again and finished the stronger. SCORERS Meath - G Doherty 0-6 one free; S Bennett 1-0; K O'Brien 0-3 two frees; A Thompson 0-3. Tyrone - G Begley 1-3 one free; J Donnelly 0-2 one free; C McGahan 0-2. THE TEAMS Meath - Irene Munnelly (St Ultan's); Eve Wardick (Simonstown), Aedin Murray (Navan O'Mahonys), Orla Sheridan (Seneschalstown); Ashley Leavy (Oldcastle), E Rahill (Oldcastle), K Allen (Oldcastle); Shauna Bennett (St Ultan's), Fiona Mahon (Seneschalstown); Laura Dempsey (Boardsmill), Katie O'Brien (St Ultan's), Vivienne McCormack (Clann na nGael); Jenny Rispin (Summerhill), Aoife Thompson (Dunboyne), Geraldine Doherty (St Ultan's). Subs - Catriona O'Shaughnessy (Donaghmore/Ashbourne) for Leavy half-time, Emma Troy (Boardsmill) for Wardick half-time, Mary Sheridan (Seneschalstown) for Dempsey 35 mins, Megan O'Brien (St Michael's) for McCormack 53m, Coleen Jordan (Skryne) for Thompson 59m. Tyrone - S Lynch; M Donnelly, C McGlinchey, T McLoughlin; C Scullion, E Teague, J Donnelly; S Ferrity, S Quinn; E Hegarty, N Woods, O O'Neill; J Donnelly (0-2 one free), G Begley (1-3 one free), C McGahan (0-2). Subs - M Kelly for Ferrity 32 mins, A O'Kane for Hegarty 48m, G McCarney for Teague 59m. REFEREE Michael Henry (Monaghan).