Meath wrap up Camogie league campaign with win over Offaly

Confusion over half time scoreline didn't stop Meath claiming an emphatic victory in Ashbourne

Meath 2-14

Offaly 0-5

Meath defeated Offaly by a wide margin in what transpired to be their final NCL game of the 2024 campaign at Donaghmore Ashbourne on Saturday afternoon. Meath knew coming into this game that they had to rack up a considerable score-line and hope that Derry did similar against Westmeath to have any hope of qualifying for a league final. As the game progressed, word spread of the lake county’s dominance against Derry and this game very quickly became a dead rubber in the wider context of the league as a result. That didn’t affect the players on the pitch though as Meath put in a fine performance to wrap up their league campaign in style.

A cagey opening few minutes meant that neither side got much momentum going in the early exchanges. Ciara Foley got Meath's tally underway before a scramble in the Offaly defence led to the opening goal. Foley forced a good save out of the Offaly net minder but Amy Gaffney was alert and ready to strike at the rebound.

Carey then put Meath up by five with ten minutes gone. Katie Connolly extended the lead to six as Meath began to dominate proceedings.

Offaly started to up their game but a couple of wides in a row meant that they struggled to make any inroads on Meath’s lead. Connolly secured her second point to make it a seven-point game before Gaffney added a point to extend the lead to eight.

Ciara Foley went on a fantastic individual run before laying it off Connolly. Connolly who was on fire in front of the posts so far in the contest secured her 3rd score. After 20 minutes, Meath were cruising and led the game by 9 points.

Leah Gath eventually got Offaly off the mark with a pointed free on the 25th-minute mark. Following a well-worked team move which started with a fantastic block by Maeve Clince, the ball found its way to corner forward Emma Hannifin who slotted it over the bar. Shortly after Gath reduced the gap back to 8 once again with her second. Meath responded quickly with two points in quick succession from Aoife Carey, the second of which came just before the half-time whistle.

Meath led at the break 1-9 to two points.... Or so we thought. On his way into his dressing room, the referee removed a point from Meath’s tally and when questioned, Martin Molloy did not give any clear indication as to which point he was after removing from Meath’s half-time total. Regardless of whether it was a 10 or nine-point lead that Meath held, they had a very dominant first half and were well in control of the game.

Meath started the second half with two wides before Offaly’s Faye Mulrooney opened the scoring. Aoife Carey responded with Meath’s opening score in the half. Mulrooney and Carey traded scores once again.

Emma Hannifin's shot on goal rattled off the crossbar and this time Ciara Foley was there to pick up the pieces and finish it to the net to secure Meath’s second goal.

The game had petered out in the second half and the pace had slowed right down. The tendency of the referee to blow his whistle at any small bit of contact did not help the flow of the game either. Two frees courtesy of Carey and Foley kept Meath’s tally ticking over. Sub Aoibhinn lally wrapped up the scoring as Meath ran out easy winners.

SCORERS

Meath – Ciara Foley 1-3 two frees; Aoife Carey 0-5 five frees; Amy Gaffney 1-1; Katie Connolly 0-3, Emma Hannifin 0-1; Aoibhinn Lally 0-1.

Offaly – Leah Gath 0-3 three frees; Faye Mulrooney 0-2.

MEATH - Maggie Randle; Rachel O'Neill, Claire Coffey, Sophia Payne; Ellen Burke, Erin Leddy; Katie Connolly, Ciara Foley, Grace Connolly; Emma Hannifin, Aoife Carey, Amy Gaffney. Subs – Aine McNerney for G Connolly 52m, Aoibhinn Lally for K Connolly 52m, Rachel Moran for Clince 53m, Emma O’Connell for King 53m, Louise Gaffney for O’Neill 56m, Roisin Heaney for Hannifen 56m, Grace Coleman for Burke 58m, Olivia O’Halloran for A.Gaffney 58m.

OFFALY - Leah Gallagher; Cathy Fogarty, Deirdre Cashen, Orla Gorman; Amy Byrne, Alana Roddy, Ciara Ryan; Kaitlyn Kennedy, Orlagh Phelan; Faye Mulrooney, Leath Gath, Grace Teehan; Clodagh Leahy, Becky Bryant, Ellen Regan. Subs – Jane Lowry for Leahy 25m, Lizzie Harding for Ryan 45m, Aoife Hoctor for Cashen 45m, Cara Haore for Regan 54m, Sarah Guinan for Fogarty 55m.

Referee: Martin Molloy