Late surge can't save Royals as Sky Blues power their way to victory

The latest version of the long-running saga between Meath and Dublin in the ladies game unfolded in the Leinster SFC at Pairc Tailteann today with the Sky Blues claiming victory, 1-6 to 0-7 - and once again the two teams served up a hugely entertaining box-office encounter.

Well, at least the second-half was full of spills and thrills because it was then Meath started to show the kind of form this team is undoubtedly able to produce.

The Royals just didn't show up in the opening half and by half-time, when they trailed 0-2 to 1-3, they were in trouble although they did at least get themselves back into a position where they could have won.

The home team resembled a horse in the Derby that puts in a late surge for the finish line and looked, however momentarily like victory might be achieved, only to be edged out in the end, the final surge not enough.

If Meath had played in the opening 30 minutes like they did for most of the second-half they would have won. That will not be much of a consolation for the players who once more where certainly not lacking when it came to honesty of effort - one of the reasons why they are so admired by so many.

A crowd of about 2,500 showed up for this one and, yet again, the majority got behind the home side roaring them on, especially in the second-half when, for a brief spell, it looked like a remarkable comeback might be achieved.

Dublin, however, are too experienced, have too much guile to be caught on the line and instead of folding they resolutely held on to win, deservedly so.

The home fans were enraged by a Dublin 'Maor Foirne' who kept going onto the field to talk to players in blue, but it seems such interventions are allowed in the ladies game. In the grand scheme of things his interventions didn't tip the balance in his team's favour.

Instead, Meath's challenge was undermined by failings that will always be punished at this level. They were the victims of too many turnovers, unforced errors and missed opportunities. Combined, these factors presented as big an obstacle to achieving a victory as the performance of the team in the famous sky blue jerseys.

The home side registered eight wides compared to just two from Dublin. That was one bleak statistic for the home team. Another was the number of turnovers and misplaced passes. What the statistic there is it will make for bleak reading for the Royals.

Meath had most their big guns back for this one with Vikki Wall, Emma Duggan and Megan Thynne making up a very formidable looking half-forward line, at least on paper. The helter-skelter nature of the game, of course, meant that players ran back and forth as the glow of the game demanded. Numbers bore little relation to the positions they played in.

Both teams put in a huge effort, to produce a real championship clash, with players such as Niamh Gallogly, Aoibhin Cleary, Meadhbh Byrne, Mary Kate Lynch, Maire O'Shaughnessy mirroring the hard-grafting attitude of the entire team in the way they chased and harried.

In March 2022 Dublin last played Meath in a league game and 5,000 showed up for that game. Hannah Tyrrell won it for Dublin that day by sweeping over a late, controversial point. Tyrrell featured prominently on Sunday giving the Meath defence plenty to think about. She also scored the only goal of the game after 18 minutes.

The ball was played to Tyrrell about 12 metres from the Meath posts. She had to turn to get a shot away and looked to be going for a point. Instead the ball looped in an arc and past Monica McGuirk, who could do nothing about the score. 1-3 to 0-0 in front Dublin were on their way.

Carla Rowe was another who tormented Meath who didn't get their opening score until the 26th minutes when Stacey Grimes converted a free. Duggan scored from play soon after to at least give her team some hope going in at the break.

Moving the ball at a higher tempo from defence to attack, playing with a greater intensity, and the breeze, Meath looked a more formidable force in the second-half, particularly the last 12 minutes or so. They trailed 0-3 to 1-6 after 43 minutes. Then Dublin had Lauren Magee sinbinned. Meath found their mojo and unanswered scores from Wall, Duggan (free), Cleary (with a super left-footed effort) and Mary Kate Lynch (another quality score) brought them within touching distance, 1-6 to 0-7.

Could they draw level? They couldn't as it turned out. Shots fell short, passes went astray, Dublin stayed resolute. Meath, as always, didn't lack for effort. It was just a pity from their perspective, they only found their best in the final furlong. A classic case of too little, too late.

SCORERS

Dublin - Hannah Tyrrell 1-1; Carla Rowe 0-3 two frees; Jennifer Dunne 0-1; Leah Caffrey 0-1.

Meath - Emma Duggan 0-2 one free; Mark Kate Lynch 0-1; Aoibhin Cleary 0-1; Vikki Wall 0-1; Stacey Grimes 0-1 free; Niamh O'Sullivan 0-1.

TEAMS

Dublin - Abby Shiels; Aoife Kane, Leah Caffrey, Niamh Crowley; Caitlin Coffey, Martha Byrne, Lauren Magee; Eilish O'Dowd, Jennifer Dunne; Kate Sullivan, Carla Rowe, Ellen Gribben; Caoimhe O'Connor, Hannay Tyrrell, Orlagh Nolan. Subs - Niamh Hetherton for Gribben half-time; Dannielle Lawless for Coffey 39 mins, Jodi Egan for Sullivan 55m, Sinead Wylde for Rowe 58m.

Meath - Monica McGuirk; Aine Sheridan, Mary Kate Lynch, Katie Newe; Niamh Gallogly, Shauna Ennis, Aoibhin Cleary; Maire O'Shaughnessy, Aoife Minogue; Megan Thynne, Vikki Wall, Emma Duggan; Meadhbh Byrne, Stacey Grimes, Niamh O'Sullivan. Subs - Ciara Smyth for Byrne 46 mins, Shelly Melia for Thynne 49m, Orlaith Mallon for Grimes 58m.

Referee - Paul McCaughey (Westmeath).