Dublin win dead-rubber Leinster LGFA SFC clash with Meath’s second string
Dublin 5-13 Meath 0-8
Katie Newe was one of the few regulars in the Meath team beaten by Dublin at Parnell Park.
With both counties having already secured a final spot and that clash taking place on Sunday at Croke Park (11:45am), this TG4 Leinster SFC round three tie was a bit of a non-event at Parnell Park last Sunday.
The outcome was predictable enough even before the throw-in as Meath fielded with just one regular, Katie Newe, as manager Shane McCormack and his selectors decided to give his extended panel an outing against the All-Ireland champions. A handful of regulars were included on the bench for Meath, none of whom made an appearance during the course of proceedings.
Dublin boss Mick Bohan included many of the team that will see action again at the weekend and they didn’t have to be anywhere near their best to record their third win of the campaign.
Nicole Owens, Carla Rowe, Jennifer Dunne and Caoimhe O’Connor all found the net for the holders in the opening half as they built-up a 4-8 to 0-5 interval lead.
Rowe tested Meath ’keeper Robyn Murray in the early exchanges before Meadhbh Byrne opened the scoring for Meath on two minutes. Dublin got down to business right away and Owens found the net for her side’s opening goal on four minutes.
There was no let up for Meath throughout the half as Rowe struck for a second goal shortly after from an Annabelle Timothy pass. Sineád Goldrick almost made it a hat-trick of goals for Dublin but her effort came off the crossbar and was scrambled away by ’keeper Murray.
Two Rowe points in the space of a minute added to Dublin’s lead, the second after a great run down the left wing. Orlaith Mallon converting a free for Meath’s second score but Dublin were finding it far too easy to create openings and Goldrick hit an excellent point.
Byrne accounted for Meath’s third point with a fine long-range effort that curled inside the upright at the end of the opening quarter.
Points from Owens and Jennifer Dunne stretched Dublin’s lead and Orlagh Nolan then went close to finding the net but once more Murray managed to scramble the effort to safety.
Goldrick added her second point and Dublin struck for their third goal after a delivery from Rowe found Dunne who finished to the net. The Meath defence was caught out again as O’Connor fired to the net on 26 minutes.
Hannah Tyrrell who had had a quiet first half landed two points in quick succession, one from a free, before Mallon converted her second free on the stroke of half-time with Dublin out of sight at that stage.
Dublin eased off considerably throughout the second half with their fifth goal arriving near the end of the third quarter when Owens pounced on a misplaced kickout for her second goal.
Byrne pointed for Meath early in the half while their two remaining points from Seona Lynch and Amy O’Leary arrived late in the half.
Dublin finished the game strongly with Hannah Hegarty, Dunne and Ellen Gribben accounting for the final three scores.
DUBLIN: Rachael Fleming; Kate Murray, Martha Byrne, Niamh Crowley; Hannah McGinnis, Sineád Goldrick 0-3, Aoife Kane; Jennifer Dunne 1-2, Lauren Magee; Caoimhe O’Connor 1-0, Orlagh Nolan 0-1, Carla Rowe 1-2; Annabelle Timothy, Hannah Tyrrell 0-2 (1f), Nicole Owens 2-1. Subs: Leah Caffrey for Magee (HT), Ellen Gribben 0-1 for Murray (HT), Caitlin Coffey for Timothy (42), Hannah Hegarty 0-1 for Goldrick (50), Abby Shiels for Fleming (50).
MEATH: Robyn Murray; Ciara Lawlor, Olivia Gore, Karla Kealy; Tori Foster, Isabel O’Connor, Katie Newe; Aisling McCabe, Rachel Casserly; Meadhbh Byrne 0-2, Seona Lynch 0-2, Orlaith Mallon 0-2 (2f); Megan Collins, Kerrie Cole 0-1, Ailbhe Leahy. Subs: Sarah Caulfield for Newe (HT), Ciara Doherty for Casserly (34), Ciara Gorman for Collins (34), Emily McCann for O’Connor (39), Amy O’Leary 0-1 for Cole (39).
REFEREE: Eoghan O’Neill (Laois).
