Trip to Kingdom suddenly looks daunting for Royals

So it's the hard, rocky road for Meath after this latest setback in a season of turbulence and uncertainty. The road to Kerry.

A victory in theLadies All-Ireland SFC tie at Pairc Tailteann last evening would have guaranteed Meath a home game in the quarter-finals but they were thwarted in achieving that ambition by a very efficient, capable, at times swashbuckling Donegal side who deservedly won, 1-10 to 0-12.

Instead of a game back in Pairc Tailteann they now face a long trip to Kerry - and that looks now a daunting prospect. Last March Meath travelled to the Kingdom for a league game and were defeated 0-9 to 1-18.

Last evening Donegal led for most of the way and they were capable of withstanding some intense Meath pressure too but one of the dominant characters in this bristling, relentlessly gripping drama was match official Declan Carolan.

He departed from the playing arena amid a crescendo of boos from the home supporters.

They were unhappy with the Armagh official and decisions he made which, they felt, seriously undermined their team's cause. They were unhappy with a Meath 'goal' he disallowed after 56 minutes.

Vikki Wall and the lively Meadhbh Byrne exchanged passes close to the Donegal posts. The swift move ended with Byrne knocking the ball to the net with her hands.

It was a score that evoked a huge roar from the home support as they rightly felt their team had taken a massive step towards victory. That joy soon turned to despair when referee Carolan disallowed the goal after consulting with his umpires. The reason, it appears, was square ball.

Shortly before that Meath captain Shauna Ennis was released by a super pass from Aoife Minogue. Ennis was one-on-one with Donegal goalkeeper Claire Friel.

Both players literally banged into each other. The match official gave a free out but surely the onus on the 'keeper

In fairness to Carolan it was a 50/50 call but Meath fans were none too impressed with the decision he made.

Both the 'goal' and the rejected penalty claim were added to other grievances felt by the home following. They were particularly incensed by an incident just before the interval when Niamh O'Sullivan was racing through a stretched Donegal defence.

The prospects were promising for the Royals but the move was abruptly brought to a halt when O'Sullivan was unceremoniously hauled down.

Meath fans leapt from their seats in rage and demanded some retribution in the form of a yellow card at least. None was given.

Emma Duggan scored a point from a free but there was a real sense Donegal had got off lightly. That sense of injustice was compounded later on when Aoife Minogue was sent to the sinbin.

The controversial calls aside Meath struggled at times to impose themselves in this game. At other times they were brilliant.

They made a bright start and conjured up some fast-paced football but they also found themselves on the backfoot at times as they wrestled with Donegal's formidable ability to transition from defence to attack.

Early points from O'Sullivan and Duggan had given Jenny Rispin's side the start they sought but Donegal began to get into their rhythm and they made a hugely significant breakthrough after just six minutes when they sliced through the home rearguard. Minogue executed a brave block to stop an opponent scoring a point.

The ball instead ended up in the hands of their richly talented forward Niamh Hegarty to slotted the ball to the net. They were on their way.

Donegal also had in their ranks full-back Abigail Temple-Asokuh whose father Eloka Asokuh played for Finn Harps and Nigeria in the 1993 u-17 World Cup.

At one stage in the opening half on Saturday the visitors led by five but this Meath team is nothing if not resilient. They don't cave in when fortune is against them.

It is one of the chief reasons why they are double All-Ireland winners. They didn't contemplate defeat in this contest either.

By the break, Donegal led by three, 1-6 to 0-6, and during the course of the second-half the breeze-assisted home side steadily cut the deficit until they drew level on 47 minutes with a typically swashbuckling Wall point from play.

Then we had those, match-deciding decisions - not to give Meath a penalty after Ennis went down and the cancellation of Byrne's 'goal' - were made and the dye was cast.

In such moments games are won or lost, seasons are deemed a success or failure, even careers are made or unmade.

Certainly Meath are playing a lot better than they did earlier in the season. They are moving from defence to attack quicker and it was that ability that led to many of their scores on Saturday.

It was significant that Duggan and Wall contributed eight points between them. They are back to near their best with Duggan firing over six of her seven points from frees.

Wall's two scores were super long-range efforts from play. O'Sullivan also capped a hugely energetic display with two points while the ever enterprising Meadbbh Byrne also fired over a point. Minogue and O'Shaughnessy were other hugely influential figures.

Donegal had some fine players including Niamh McLoughlin and Susie White and Hegarty who finished with 1-3.

Instead of Meath looking forward to a home draw in the quarter-finals they have to travel to Kerry and win. A daunting challenge indeed.

SCORERS

Donegal - Niamh Hegarty 1-3; Susie White 0-5 frees; Cait Long 0-1; Karen Guthrie 0-1.

Meath - Emma Duggan 0-7 six frees; Vikki Wall 0-2; Niamh O'Sullivan 0-2; Meadhbh Byrne 0-1.

TEAMS

Meath - Monica McGuirk; Aine Sheridan, Mark Kate Lynch, Katie Newe; Meadbh Byrne, Shauna Ennis, Emma Duggan; Maire O'Shaughnessy, Aoife Minogue; Megan Thynne, Vikki Wall, Niamh Gallogly; Orlagh Lally, Stacey Grimes, Niamh O'Sullivan. Subs - Ciara Smyth for Byrne 60 mins.

Donegal - Claire O Frighil; Niamh Carr, Abigail Temple-Asokuh, Emer Gallagher; Amy Boyle-Carr, Nicole McLoughlin, Tara Hegarty; Roisin Rogers, Niamh McLoughlin; Susie White, Cait Long, Cait O Dubhda; Niamh Hegarty, Caitrin Herron, Shannon McGroddy. Subs - Karen Guthrie for McGroddy, Niamh Boyle for Guthrie half-time, Ciara McGarvey for Long 52m, Guthrie for White 58m.

Referee - Declan Carolan (Armagh).