Meath ladies earn All-Ireland final ticket

Stacey Grimes fired 1-7 as Meath worked their way past Roscommon in today's Ladies All-Ireland IFC semi-final at Hyde Park to win by 3-18 to 2-5 writes Declan Rooney.

This victory was as comprehensive as the scoreline suggests with captain Niamh O’Sullivan on song up front as was goalkeeper Monica McGuirk. Roscommon hit a goal in each half, but Meath were totally dominant.

After winning the toss and electing to play with the wind in the first-half, Meath got off to a flying start with a point from O’Sullivan before late call up Fiona O’Neill ended a fluid move in the seventh minute with a second score. A Stacey Grimes free made it 0-3 to 0-0 after eight minutes.

 At the back Orlaith Duff lead a tight defensive set-up for Meath and they managed to stifle several Roscommon attacks before they gained momentum.

So it came as some surprise when the home side drew level after 13 minutes. It took a storming run from Jenny Higgins to break the Meath cover and her pass was palmed to the net by Laura Fleming.

Meath reeled off quick points with Grimes, O’Sullivan and Niamh Gallogly all on target. When they backed it up with Marion Farrelly’s goal after 18 minutes, following O’Neill’s block, Meath were well on the road to victory.

Three minutes later O’Neill bagged a goal on the back of a brilliant move launched when Máire O’Shaughnessy intercepted a Roscommon ball out of defence, which meant Meath were good value for their 2-9 to 1-1 half-time lead.

Considering Meath kicked 10 wides in that opening period their lead could have been greater but a Grimes free and another Wall score had Meath in control after the restart.

Laura Fleming struck Roscommon’s second goal in the 42nd minute, but that only cut the gap to10 points and when Grimes converted a penalty after a foul on O’Sullivan, it sealed the win.

Meath: M McGuirk; K Newe, O Lally, O Duff; S Ennis, M Thynne, N Gallogly (0-1); M O’Shaughnessy, K Byrne; F O’Neill (1-3), M Farrelly (1-1), A Cleary; S Grimes (1-7), V Wall (0-2), N O’Sullivan (0-3). Subs - A Leahy for Byrne 43mins, E White (0-1) for O’Neill 47m, B Keogh for Ennis 51m, S Cleary for Gallogly and O Byrne for Farrelly both 54m.

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Sunday 16th September - Meath v Tyrone All-Ireland final.