Minor girls retain provincial crown

LEINSTER MFC

Despite a very nervous second-half, Meath held on to retain the Ladies Leinster MFC crown with a narrow victory over Longford in Kinnegad on Wednesday of last week.

When these two sides met in the group stages, Meath had 22 points to spare, but Longford fielded a much stronger team for the final.

Meath won the Leinster MFC A title for the first time in 17 years in 2019, but because of Covid there was no championship in 2020.

Meath started well and looked set to continue the final where they had left off the group stage game with Orlaith Mallon (free) and Nicole Smith giving them an early lead.

Rachel Casserly got on the end of a fine team move to palm the ball to the net to extend the lead to 1-2 to 0-0, but Longford proved their would be a tougher nut to crack this time around as they replied with two points before Ciara Smyth found her range to secure a 1-3 to 0-2 lead at the first water break.

Smyth stretched Meath's lead when play resumed with another fine point and when Lara O'Neill nabbed their second goal of the half the Royals looked set for a comfortable evening.

Kristen Massey and Mallon tagged on further points as Meath opened up a 2-6 to 0-2 lead. However, a lack of concentration in the lead up to half-time allowed Longford back into the game as they hit a fine goal to close the gap to 1-3 to 2-6 at the interval.

After the break Longford closed the gap to two points (1-7 to 2-6) with Meath forced onto the back foot.

Mallon lofted over a superb score to settle Meath before the second water break, but she was taken off almost immediately as Meath led by just two points heading into the final quarter.

Meath missed some excellent chances from decent frees as Longford closed the gap. Nicole Smith replied to extend the advantage again, but Longford kept plugging away and closed to within one point in injury-time.

However, Nicole Smith broke down the right and picked out Ciara Smyth who won a free which she converted to seal a second successive Leinster MFC A title.

Meath - Aoibheann Corcoran; Alannah Reilly, Ciara Lawlor, Emma Regan; Karla Kealy, Emma Jane McKeown, Katie Lenehen; Ellen Brodigan, Rachel Casserly (1-0); Kirsten Massey (0-1), Olivia O'Halloran, Orlaith Mallon (0-3 one free); Nicole Smith (0-2), Lara O'Neill (1-0), Ciara Smyth (0-3 one free). Subs - Amy O'Leary for Massey, Tori Foster for Mallon, Niamh McEntee for Casserly, Amy O'Dowd for Smith, Ciara Blake, Laura McEnery, Eva McConnell, Katelyn McMahon, Alannah McNulty, Leah Sheridan, Olivia Callan, Robyn O'Byrne, Roisin Canny, Tina Kyle, Zoe Kirwan.

Longford - R McGrath; E Lynn, E Duggan, F Talabi; A Donnelly, C McCormack, L Shannon; G Shannon (0-6 one free), M O'Kane (1-1); E O'Reilly, L McGuire (0-3 two frees), K McKeon; K Shannon, K Burke, Z Mulvihill. Subs - C McNamara for Mulvihill, T Alaba for Donnelly.

Referee - Paul Burke (Louth).