Quickfire goals boost Meath to stunning victory

What is it about all the drama when Meath play Cork?

Last year the teams met twice, with Cork winning by a narrow margin in Birr before Meath produced a stunning finish to win the All-Ireland SFC semi-final in Croke Park and today's NFL Div 1 opener lived up to those recent encounters with Meath edging it 2-7 to 1-8.

Yet again there was little to separate these two great sides in a pulsating encounter, but when Emma Cleary netted in the 42nd minute to edge Cork in front for the first time the visitors to Pairc Tailteann to looked certain to use the strong wind at their backs to their advantage and kick on.

However, in typical Meath resilient fashion they never gave up.

A minute after falling behind Shauna Ennis magnificent surging run saw her on the end of a sweeping move, but she was smothered out before she could get her shot away.

That looked to be that for Meath, but they never gave up.

An outstanding split-second of awareness, opportunism and skill saw Stacey Grimes release Emma Duggan with a quick free. This time it was the right player, in the right place at the right time and Duggan held her cool superbly to move away from goalkeeper Martina O'Brien and fire to the net.

Meath were back in front, seconds later they were practically out of sight.

Another outstanding move involving Megan Thynne, Aoibheann Leahy and Grimes picked out Aoibhin Cleary to the right of the target, her powerful drive was parried by O'Brien, but Orlagh Lally was aware enough to maintain her run and she reached the loose ball first to punch to the net.

Suddenly Meath were five points clear. It was into defensive mode and safe in the knowledge that they can play that game better than most they didn't concede another goal opportunity to a dangerous Cork side who did manage to get back to within two points, but they couldn't penetrate the watertight Meath rearguard.

It really was thrill-a-minute stuff throughout.

Meath started well and used the wind to good effect with good football leading to the opening two scores when Emma Troy was fouled and Grimes converted and then when Lally pointed after good work by Troy.

However, there were a few handling errors from Meath that let Cork off the hook.

Orla Finn got the visitors off the mark from a free in the fourth minute, but Grimes responded likewise after Emma white was fouled.

Despite playing against the wind Katie Quirke responded with an excellent score from play and after Grimes hit the upright Meath's lead at the water break was just two points, 0-3 to 0-2.

Laura O'Mahony drew Cork level two minutes after the restart and Finn was denied a goal by an excellent save from Monica McGuirk.

Grimes restored Meath's lead from a free, but then O'Sullivan saw a great goal chance slip through her hands when she dropped Maire O'Shaughnessy's excellent centre.

O'Sullivan made amends with a fine point to make it 0-5 to 0-3, but that gap should have been greater as Grimes uncharacteristically missed a free from 20-metres before nailing one from 30 metres three minutes later.

Cork closed the half with Finn picking up a yellow card and a 10-minute spell in the sin-bin for a high tackle on O'Sullivan, but they would have been please to be just 0-4 to 0-5 adrift at the break after playing into a strong wind.

Grimes stretched Meath's lead six minutes after the restart, but Quirke responded in kind for Cork. with Finn back on the field Cork laid siege on the Meath goals and were rewarded when Cleary netted to make it 1-5 to 0-7.

However, Meath's response was magnificent. Firstly Duggan and then Lally applied the finishing touches for excellent goals to make it 2-7 to 1-5 at the second water break.

Cork lost their goalkeeper to injury as she tried to prevent Lally's goal, but they resumed smartly with points from Finn (free) and Rachel Leahy making it 1-7 to 2-7 with 10 minutes remaining.

When Ciara McCarthy narrowed the deficit to two points with seven minutes remaining Cork looked in a strong position, but Meath defended heroically and despite finishing the game a woman down after O'Sullivan picked up a yellow card in the 62nd minute they deservedly held on to claim the spoils which puts them in a strong position ahead of next week's trip to Waterford.

SCORERS

Meath - Stacey Grimes 0-5 frees; Orlagh Lally 1-1; Emma Duggan 1-0; Niamh O'Sullivan 0-1.

Cork - Katie Quirke 0-3 one free; Emma Cleary 1-0; Orla Finn 0-2 frees; Laura O'Mahony 0-1; Rachel Leahy 0-1; Ciara McCarthy 0-1.

TEAMS

Meath - Monica McGuirk; Katie Newe, Mary Kate Lynch, Orlaith Duff; Shauna Ennis, Emma Troy, Aoibhin Cleary; Maire O'Shaughnessy, Orlagh Lally; Megan Thynne, Vikki Wall, Emma Duggan; Emma White, Stacey Grimes, Niamh O'Sullivan. Subs - Aoibheann Leahy for White 36 mins, Ciara Smyth for Ennis, Orla Byrne for O'Shaughnessy both 51m,

Cork - Martina O'Brien; Marie Ambrose, Sarah Leahy, Meabh Cahalane; Laura O'Mahony, Melissa Duggan, Erica O'Shea; Aisling Hutchings, Shauna Kelly; Emma Cleary, Aine O'Sullivan, Daire Kiely; Sadbh O'Leary, Katie Quirke, Orla Finn. Subs - Libby Coppinger for O'Sullivan, Rachel Leahy for Kiely both 36 mins, Roisin Phelan for S Leahy, Caoimhe Moore for O'Brien both 46m, Abbie O'Mahony for Kelly 47m, Ciara McCarthy for O'Leary 50m, Aisling Kelleher for Ambrose, Eimear Kiely for Hutchings both 58m.