Meath show real character to bounce back and earn a draw
Royals make up for forgettable first-half display
"Character" as Roy Keane wrote in his second autobiography he co-authored with Roddy Doyle "is just as important as skill."
If the Corkman had been watching the All-Ireland Intermediate camogie final at Croke Park today he would surely have felt his assertion was justified.
Meath certainly showed plenty of character in bouncing back from what appeared to be a hopeless situation to earn a draw, 2-6 to 1-9 and a replay in Clones next Saturday, 1pm.
Behind by seven at the interval today Meath showed a determination and strong mentality (ie character) that was admirable, inspiring.
At half-time Brendan Skehan's side trailed 1-1 to 1-8 and when they shipped the opening point of the second-half to go eight behind the situation looked as bleak as the horizon before a big storm.
The second-half had only started when the situation worsened as Derry's Lauren McKenna strode forward and pointed. Eight behind the Royals looked on the ropes. Out of the race. Off the pace.
Then, in their darkest hour, they began to play. It was like someone flicking a switch.
They pushed up on their opponents, played with a great deal more intensity and gradually the team in green and gold worked their way into the game. As the contest drew to a close Meath captain Ellen Burke lofted over a superb score from distance to leave just a point between the sides.
There was 59 minutes on the clock when Aoife Minogue, calmly, cooly, pointed from a free to level matters. Meath kept pressing looking for more and their sense of adventure almost paid rich dividends. Four minutes into injury time they won a free close to the Hogan Stand but about 50 metres from the Derry goals.
Up stepped Minogue once more. This was a pressure-cooker puck if there ever was one. The Dunderry player, who did so much to get Meath to Sunday's showdown, took aim and hit the sliotar towards the posts. For a micro second it looked like the ball was going to go between the posts. It sailed narrowly wide. Then the final whistle sounded.
Meath might be disappointed not to have won in the end but they surely would have settled for a draw when they slipped those eight points behind.
The Royals will look back on this game with very mixed emotions. They started off well with Minogue surging through and pointing after just nine seconds. Then after five minutes Sophia Payne and Grace Coleman worked the ball to Abbye Donnelly. Her centre was batted out by the Derry goalkeeper Niamh Gribbin. A scramble ensured and Ciara Foley got a touch to the net.
Meath could not have dreamed of a such a start yet they were unable to muster a score for the rest of the half. Maybe the bright, breakneck start gave the players a false sense of security. The feeling that this was going to be their day. Their intensity slackened and Derry mopped up a world of ball around midfield.
The Ulster side also manufactured and took their chances with considerable confidence and elan. They got a break too on 23 minutes when Mairead McNicholl won the ball out under the Hogan Stand. She fired towards the Meath posts. The ball deceived Meath goalkeeper Tara Murphy as it went just under rather than over the bar.
Murphy has had a wonderful year. Some of her saves this season have been top drawer and her handling and clearances on Sunday were first class - but she will be naturally disappointed to have conceded the goal.
As expected Aoife Shaw and Aine McAllister caused plenty of problems for the Meath defence and between them they notched up six of Derry's eight first-half points.
Meath did generate a real goal chance before the break when Minogue surged forward as only she can. Her powerful shot was superbly saved by Gribbin.
The Meath defence looked lost and vulnerable at times during the opening half. They looked unsure of how to deal with their rampaging Ulster opponents. That all changed, changed utterly in the second-half.
It was then players like Leah Devine, Maeve Clince, Tracy King came to the fore not giving their opponents a look in. The backline of Rachel O'Neill, Claire Coffey and Sophia Payne also provided a strong defensive bulwark.
It was the impressive Donnelly who really got the comeback underway taking a pass from Amy Gaffney before pointing with 37 minutes played. The comeback was on all right.
Minogue pointed again from a free before Meath made another huge breakthrough with 44 minutes on the clock. Gaffney had a shot blocked close to the Derry posts, an almighty scrambled ensued. Aoibhin Lally slotted home. Now it was 2-3 to 1-9.
Foley snipped over a fine point as the Royals continued to roll on. Burke garnered her fine score to leave just a point between the teams. Then Minogue cooly, calmly equalised from a free. She just couldn't repeat the feat to win the game in injury time.
Meath could reflect on that second-half and think of what might have been. They had chances from play. Then, there was a penalty awarded to them on 43 minutes. Minogue took the penalty and drove it low and hard but Derry 'keeper Gribbin saved. There were other chances spurned from play.
Minogue also, uncharacteristically, spooned a few efforts wide from frees in the capricious breeze that swirled around Croke Park. Derry also missed chances. It was that kind of day.
Encouragingly Meath finished strongly indicating their superb level of fitness. That's one of the positives they can take from this game. Another was the way bounced back from a near hopeless situation.
It showed real character to do what they did. The kind of character a certain Mr Keane would no doubt be impressed by.
Now they will seek to show more of what they are made of in the replay. Derry too will want to make up for a forgettable second-half. It should be an intriguing battle.
SCORERS
Meath - Ciara Foley 1-1; Aoibhin Lally 1-0; Aoife Minogue 0-3 two frees; Abbye Donnelly 0-1; Ellen Burke 0-1.
Derry - Mairead McNicholl 1-1; Aoife Shaw 0-4 one free, one '45'; Aine McAllister 0-2 one free; Lauren McKenna 0-2.
TEAMS
Meath - Tara Murphy; Rachel O'Neill, Claire Coffey, Sophia Payne; Tracy King, Maeve Clince, Leah Devine; Grace Coleman, Aoife Minogue; Amy Gaffney, Abbye Donnelly, Olivia O'Halloran; Ciara Foley, Emma O'Connell, Ellen Burke. Subs - Aoibhin Lally for Coleman 29 mins, Nadine Doyle for O'Halloran 53m.
Derry - Niamh Gribbin: Niamh Quinn, Leah Lennon, Sinead McGill; Rachel Downey, Aoife Ni Chaiside, Lauren McKenna; Dervla O'Kane, Aine McGill; Mairead McNicholl, Aine McAllister, Eimear McGuigan; Aoife Shaw, Rachel McAllister, Mary Hegarty. Subs - Orlaith Hull for Hegarty 47 mins, Aimee Lennon for McGuigan 48m, Shannon O'Connor for McNicholl 59m.
Referee - Barry Nea (Westmeath).