Another Dublin-Meath encounter, another afternoon of intrigue and a game that, typically, went right to the wire. This is developing into a tasty rivalry indeed and while Dublin edged this one, thanks largely to Hannah Tyrrell’s 1-2 haul, an opportunity for Royal County revenge may very well present itself later in the summer.
For now, Dublin can celebrate a successful defence of their TG4 Leinster title and their 16th provincial win in total.
The win, reversing the narrow loss Dublin suffered to Meath in the group stage earlier this month, means they will enter the All-Ireland championship in Group 1 along with Mayo, Tipperary and Cavan and will play their first game on June 11th, at home to Cavan.
As Leinster runners-up, Meath will go into Group 2 along with the Ulster champions and Monaghan.
Eamonn Murray’s side, victors against Dublin in last year’s All-Ireland final, wrestled back control of this game after a slow start by taking the lead early in the second-half.
An Orlagh Lally goal gave them vital momentum at that stage and, briefly, the lead, though Tyrrell’s 46th minute goal from the penalty spot would prove the decisive score.
For Dublin manager Mick Bohan it amounted to victory in a game of “chess” with Meath doing a pretty good impression of Donegal circa 2011 by playing to their counter-attacking strengths.
“It becomes a little bit of a game of chess, which is frustrating at times,” said Bohan of running up against Meath’s green and gold wall. “They’re particularly good at breaking fast and doing damage on the counter.
“From our point of view, there were a couple of players probably missing during the National League who would be big players to us and they came to the fore, or at least some of them came to the fore today, and we have new players that we’re particularly happy with this year too, the likes of Jess Tobin, who has just been a revelation.”
Dublin came with an appetite for destruction and met a Meath team happy to came out in their own half for much of the first-half, hence the chess reference.
Dublin’s first three chances all came from Nicole Owens; firstly, a point effort that sailed wide, then a shot at goal that Monica McGuirk touched around the post for a ‘45 and, in the eighth minute, Dublin’s opening score.
Reigning Footballer of the Year Vikki Wall did break free for one of her typical lung bursting charges in the 15th minute but was hauled down by a mixture of Kate McDaid, who tracked her throughout and Leah Caffrey and the resulting free came to nought when a short ball to Emma Duggan was turned over by Tobin.
It summed up Meath’s first-half difficulties as they struggled to punish Dublin on the break as they’d planned.
Player of the Match Sinead Goldrick kicked Dublin’s second point in the 16th minute and was quickly followed by Kate Sullivan before Lyndsey Davey got in on the act.
Two minutes from half-time, Meath finally split the posts through Aoibheann Leahy though it required a sumptuous, left-footed pass from Duggan to create the opening.
An excellent Tyrrell point from distance was Dublin’s riposte and the holders deservedly went in at the break leading by 0-5 to 0-1.
Their one failing was that they didn’t score more while so on top and they were made to pay, the Royals reeling off 1-2 immediately after the restart.
Duggan was central to the revival. Her point 16 seconds into the half got Meath going before a shot off the post was collected by Orlagh Lally and dispatched to the net. Then, in the 36th minute, Duggan played in Wall who was fouled, allowing Stacey Grimes to convert. Somehow, Meath now led 1-3 to 0-5.
They would lead again at 1-4 to 0-6 but Tyrrell’s 46th minute penalty conversion proved decisive, putting Mick Bohan’s side into a lead they would this time retain.
Dublin: C Trant; J Tobin, L Caffrey, M Byrne; A Kane, S Goldrick (0-1), O Nolan; J Dunne, K McDaid; K Sullivan (0-1), C O’Connor, S Wylde; L Davey (0-1), H Tyrrell (1-2), N Owens (0-1).
Subs: N Hetherton (0-1) for Wylde (h/t), S Killeen for Sullivan (38 mins), L Magee for Nolan (43), H Leahy for Kane (56).
Meath: M McGuirk; S Ennis, MK Lynch, O Duff; N Gallogly, E Troy, A Cleary; M O’Shaughnessy, O Lally (1-0); M Thynne, E Duggan (0-1), A Leahy (0-1); V Wall (0-1), S Grimes (0-2, 0-2f), N O’Sullivan.
Subs: O Byrne for Leahy (43 mins), K Nesbitt for Gallogly (52), C Smyth for Lally (56).
Referee: J Murphy (Carlow).
