O'Halloran's heroics earn dramatic draw for the Royals

Stephen Shiel's side do enough to secure final spot

Meath...0-17

Carlow...1-14

On an Ashbourne pitch bathed in pleasant, spring sunshine more reminiscent of summer, Meath fashioned the draw they needed to secure their place in the National Camogie League Div 2A final - and they did so in the most dramatic of circumstances with Olivia O'Halloran firing over the equalising point with her team's last puck of the game.

Needing a win, or a draw, to secure their final spot they looked for so long like they were going to get neither in this clash on Saturday. After 15 minutes of play the home side trailed by nine. At half-time it was better for the Royals, but only marginally so, 0-5 to 1-9.

They were behind for most of the second-half, despite playing with the help of the slope, yet couldn't quite manage to reel Carlow in until O'Halloran struck. Meath worked the ball to Kiltale player who was close to the 45 metre line when she won possession. The seconds were ticking.

Somebody in the Meath camp on the sideline shouted 'have a shot, have a shot'. They obviously knew the player's capabilities. O'Halloran only had a split second to compute the distance and the angle required. She did the calculations in the fick of an eyelash and fired between the posts.

Seconds later the final whistle sounded. Even then Meath couldn't be absolutely sure they were through. Other results had to be taken onboard and the permutations mused over as players and mentors stood around on the pitch. Finally it was confirmed. They were through with the victory over Loais proving to be crucial

We've heard of the Kings of the Comeback. On Saturday Meath were the Queens of the Comeback, their resilience and hard graft seeing them over the line when others might have given up. Yet they were fortunate too because they probably gave their worst display of the campaign so far, especially in the opening half.

It says something that the home team team didn't get on the scoreboard until the seventh minute when, who else, but O'Halloran took a pass from Ciara Foley and slotted the ball between the posts. By that stage the visitors had 1-4 in their account and playing the kind of robust, confident camogie that belied their place at the foot of the table.

Their goal was scored by Abhainn Coady who sliced through the Meath cover with some ease after just three minutes. It was an ominous sign for the Royals and so it proved.

Meath did play with a greater intensity in the second-half but they still trailed by three with four minutes remaining. It says a lot about their fitness and desire that they dominated the closing stages, including three minutes of injury time, with Leah Devine, Katie Connolly and O'Halloran firing over unanswered scores to secure the draw.

In all O'Halloran contributed four points from play with sharpshooter Roisin Heaney the only other Meath player to match that.

The ever enterprising Emma Regan underlined her influence in the way she fired over three sweet points from play with Ella O'Brien, Abbye Donnelly, Aoife Carey, Katie Connolly and Grace Coleman others to work scores.

The closest the home side came to finding the net was on 41 minutes when Roisin Heaney forced a super reaction save from Carlow's netminder Aoibhinn Dowling. Maggie Randle was also called upon to make a couple of smart blocks.

Those moments too were crucial in helping Meath secure, however precariously, the draw they needed.

Meath - Maggie Randle; Sophia Payne, Maeve Clince, Rachel Moran; Leah Devine, Abbye Donnelly (0-1), Rachel O'Neill; Aoibhin Lally, Ellen Burke (0-1); Olivia O'Halloran (0-4), Aoife Carey (0-1 free), Roisin Heaney (0-4 two frees, one 45); Ella O'Brien (0-1), Ciara Foley, Emma Regan (0-3). Subs - Grace Connolly for Lally 27m, Anna Kane for Heaney 45m, Grace Coleman (0-1) for Foley 52m, Katie Connolly (0-1) for Carey 55m, Erin Leddy for Payne 58m.

Carlow - Aoibhinn Dowling; Niamh Canavan (0-2), Caoimhe Coady, Gillian Doyle; Rachel Breen, Michelle Nolan, Abbie Foley; Eleanor Treacy, Rebecca Kelly (0-1); Aimie Nolan (0-3), Ciara Kavanagh (0-4 three frees, one 45), Molly Kavanagh (0-1); Sarah Sheehan (0-1), Roisin Joyce, Abhainn Coady (1-2). Subs - Rhiannon Kenny for Sheehan 45m, Eve Sinnott for Joyce 54m, Leah Ryan for M Kavanagh 55m, Kate Doyle for C Kavanagh 58m.

Referee - Ciaran Goff (Wicklow).