Meath hold on to seal Leinster final spot

LADIES LEINSTER SFC

Meath....2-14

Kildare..1-16

From leading by nine points 10 minutes into the second-half Meath just about held on to secure their place in the Ladies Leinster SFC final with a narrow victory over Kildare at Newbridge this afternoon.

The prize for the Royals is to open the fare in Croke Park on Leinster final day next Sunday against Dublin before the men's team take on Louth in the provincial decider.

It was heart-stopping stuff in Newbridge as Meath looked to be in a totally dominant position until they started to change their shape and personnel and that gave Kildare hope as they outscored the Royals by 1-6 to 0-4 in the closing 20 minutes.

One of those Kildare points came in the sixth minute of the four minutes of announced injury-time and made it a one point game. Even after that score the referee still allowed play to continue and Ciara Wheeler did have a shot at securing a draw, but her effort went wide.

The game ended in confusion with Emma Duggan yellow carded before a Kildare player picked up an injury just as the referee blew his final whistle. Some in the crowd weren't sure if the whistle was to signal the end of the game or to stop the contest for the injury, but as the crowd came on the field the game ended.

It was a nervy ending to what had been a hugely impressive performance from Meath for 40-odd minutes.

After a see-saw opening quarter that saw Kildare take the lead after 90 seconds through the dangerous Roisin Byrne the hosts led 0-5 to 0-3 with Byrne again, Neasa Dooley and two frees from Alannah Prizeman responded to by points from Kerrie Cole, Vikki Wall and Orlaith Sheehy.

Sarah Wall was denied a goal by a fine save from Mary Hulgaine in that spell, but the signs that Meath were gaining control were ominous.

Cole made it a one-point game in the 17th minute and from the resultant kickout Megan Thynne claimed possession and set up Duggan for a simple finish to the net.

Duggan then added a brilliant point two minutes later to make it 1-5 to 0-5 and after Murray did well to deny Dooley's cheeky effort Meath added another point through Niamh Gallogly before Sarah Wall was on hand to finish easily to the net after Mary Kate Lynch had been denied by Hulgraine.

Kildare did close the opening half with a point from Prizeman to close the gap to 0-6 to 2-6 at the interval.

Meath continued to be the dominant force after the interval with Duggan and Ciara Smyth stretching the lead to eight. Prizeman replied with a converted free, but two further points from Duggan, including Meath's first from a free, gave the visitors their nine-point lead, 2-10 to 0-7.

Then came Meath's nervy spell. Two pointed frees from Prizeman and one from Ellen Dowling swamped a fine point from Farrelly as Kildare closed to within seven.

Another magnificent move ended in a point for Duggan as Meath went into the last 10 minutes with a 2-12 to 0-10 lead, but Kildare grew in confidence as Meath made changes.

Prizeman grabbed a point from play and despite two stunning saves to from Murray to deny Ciara Wheeler, the loose ball ricocheted off a Meath defender and just about crossed the line to give Kildare renewed hope in the 53rd minute, 1-11 to 2-12.

Further points from Dowling and Prizeman made it a two-point game, but Smyth and Duggan from a free that should have been a penalty after Megan Collins was fouled looked to have settled Meath in the first minute of injury-time.

Bizarrely, despite their being four minutes of injury-time announced the referee played almost seven and Kildare hit points from Mia Doherty, Byrne and Dooley in that spell, but time ran out and Meath held on set up next Sunday's mouth watering clash with Dublin in Croke Park.

Meath - Robyn Murray; Aine Sheridan, Mary Kate Lynch, Katie Newe; Aoibhin Cleary, Sarah Wall (1-0), Karla Kealy; Orlaith Sheehy (0-1), Marion Farrelly (0-1); Megan Thynne, Niamh Gallogly (0-1), Ciara Smyth (0-2); Emma Duggan (1-6 two frees), Vikki Wall (0-1), Kerrie Cole (0-2). Subs - Katie Bermingham for Sheehy 43m, Amy Gaffney for Thynne 50m, Megan Collins for Cole 51m, Ciara Lawlor for Farrelly 60m.

Kildare - Mary Hulgraine; Ruth Sargent, Laoise Lenehan, Mia Doherty (0-1); Lisa Shaw, Laura Dunlea, Molly Aspel; Lauren Murtagh, Siofra Galvin; Ciara Moran, Ciara Wheeler (1-0), Neasa Dooley (0-1); Aoife Rattigan, Alannah Prizeman (0-8 six frees), Roisin Byrne (0-3). Subs - Lara Gilbert for Sargent 26m, Lia Reilly for Moran 40m, Gillian Wheeler for Rattigan 42m, Ellen Dowling (0-2) for Galvin 44m, Lara Curran for Shaw 52m, Ciara Price for Murtagh 61m.

Referee - Barry Redmond (Wexford).