Gaelic Games

Women’s football round-up: Kerry end Meath’s reign to reach semi-finals

Shauna Howley’s late point helps Mayo past Galway as Ciara O’Sullivan inspires Cork to two-point win over Armagh

Kerry ended Meath's three-in-a-row dream with a 2-8 to 0-10 win on Saturday. Photograph: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
Kerry ended Meath's three-in-a-row dream with a 2-8 to 0-10 win on Saturday. Photograph: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
Sat Jul 15 2023 - 17:54

Kerry 2-8 Meath 0-10

There will be a new name on the Brendan Martin Cup this year, and Kerry will hope they can end their famine after they knocked out the back-to-back champions Meath in Tralee.

The reigning TG4 All-Ireland champions went down fighting, closing a 10-point interval deficit to four at the finish, but it is Kerry who will face Mayo in the All-Ireland semi-final in a fortnight after coming through the proverbial game of two halves.

In wind and rain more akin to January than July, Kerry weathered that second half Meath comeback to kill off their hopes of three-in-a-row, but it says much about the conditions and Meath’s resilience, that Kerry scored just a solitary point in the entire second half. But it was enough. Just.

Two goals in the opening half – the first no doubt influenced by the extremely testing wind – helped Kerry to that 10-point lead at the interval, and given the strength of the wind it felt as if the Kingdom would need every bit of that 2-7 to 0-3 lead.

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Having lost the 2021 Lidl National League Division 2 final and the 2022 All-Ireland SFC Final to Meath – by 10 and nine points respectively – Kerry didn’t lack motivation to make it third time lucky against the Royals.

Aided by a near gale-force wind, Kerry took an early two-point lead through Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh and Siofra O’Shea, the latter’s booming point from outside the 45 a clear indication of the strength of the wind in the home side’s favour at Austin Stack Park.

Meath, understandably, were finding it extremely difficult to move the ball up the field, through a combination of the elements and the ferocious hard work of the Kerry players, but the visitors did win a couple of frees that the reliable Emma Duggan converted to make it 0-2 apiece after 11 minutes.

Two minutes after that, O’Shea tried her luck again for a long-range point but goalkeeper Monica McGuirk misjudged the flight of the dropping ball, which flew in over her head for a Kerry goal. It was a slice of good fortune the home side might say they deserved, but there was nothing lucky about the next five minutes when Kerry hit the champions for 1-3 without reply.

Ní Mhuircheartaigh converted a free before Niamh Ní Chonchuir landed two points within a minute of each other to make it 1-5 to 0-2. Then, in the 18th minute, Niamh Carmody pounced on the loose ball from a Kerry turnover, with Hannah O’Donoghue and O’Shea transferring the ball back to Carmody for a confident finish past McGuirk to open up a nine-point lead.

Duggan converted her third free, but Lorraine Scanlon and Ní Mhuircheartaigh mined late points to give Kerry that considerable lead at the break, a lead Meath did their level best to close in the second half.

Duggan converted her fourth free in the 32nd minute and Hannah O’Donoghue pointed for Kerry three minutes later, but that would be Kerry’s last score.

Vikki Wall shot two points within two minutes of each other, Duggan converted another free, and when Wall fired over her third point in the 45th minute Kerry’s half time lead was halved to five points, 2-8 to 0-9.

But try as Meath did for the goal they really needed, the Kerry defence was magnificent, Kayleigh Cronin and Cait Lynch in particular repelling a couple of dangerous Meath goal chances.

Ní Mhuircheartaigh could have made the last couple of minutes a little more comfortable but her shot on goal was brilliantly saved by McGuirk, but Kerry held out, taking down the champions and marching into the semi-finals where they will surely carry the favourite’s tag to go all the way and lift their first All-Ireland title since 1993.

KERRY: C Butler; E Lynch, K Cronin, C Murphy; A O’Connell, E Costello, C Lynch; L Scanlon (0-1), L Galvin; N Carmody (1-0), N Ní Chonchúir (0-2), A Galvin; H O’Donoghue (0-1), S O’Shea (1-1), L Ní Mhuircheartaigh (0-3, one free). Subs: D O’Leary for Galvin (37 mins), A Harrington for Ní Chonchuir (48), M O’Connell for Carmody (50), N Broderick for O’Donoghue (56)

MEATH: M McGuirk; A Sheridan, MK Lynch, K Newe; N Gallogly, S Ennis, E Duggan (0-7, five frees); M O’Shaughnessy, A Minogue; M Thynne, V Wall (0-3), O Lally; A Cleary, S Grimes, N O’Sullivan. Subs: M Byrne for Cleary (35 mins), O Mallon for Grimes (40), S Melia for O’Shaughnessy (57).

Referee: Shane Curley (Galway).

Mayo 0-10 Galway 1-6

A dramatic late point from substitute Shauna Howley with just 20 seconds remaining on the clock snatched victory for Mayo over arch rivals Galway in the first of the TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship quarterfinals at Pearse Stadium.

Just as extra-time loomed, Galway’s attempt to work one last score from deep was punished when Ciara Needham intercepted and raced through before setting up Howley for the winner.

Mayo had the wind in the first half and picked up two points through Deirdre Doherty and Sinead Cafferky before Galway landed the first major blow on six minutes.

Nicola Ward was involved in a move that included Leanne Coen, Ailbhe Davoren and Róisín Leonard before Lynsey Noone was perfectly placed to finish to the net making it 1-0 to 0-2.

It was the first of four goal chances the Tribeswomen had but they didn’t manage to convert others as Laura Brennan saved from Lynsey Noone, Shauna Brennan hit the crossbar, and Davoren was pulled for steps before slicing the ball wide.

Doherty’s second free levelled and the teams would be all square twice more by the 27th minute. Tracey and Róisín Leonard both registered placed balls for Galway; Ciara Needham and Doherty providing the Mayo response.

They looked set to enter the dressingrooms level but Mayo took advantage of an error just before the hooter. Aoife Geraghty turned over possession in midfield before delivering into Tara Needham and she pointed making it 0-6 to 1-2 at the break.

The hosts suffered a blow three minutes after the restart when Lynsey Noone received a yellow card for a challenge on Geraghty. But the Maghnus Breathnach/Fiona Wynne managed team outscored their opponents 0-3 to 0-1 over the next 10 minutes.

Two Róisín Leonard frees and one from play for her cousin Tracey were only matched by a Shauna Howley free. But Mayo did have the ball in the net on 39 minutes only for Geraghty’s effort to be disallowed for a square ball.

Howley’s second score restored parity for the sixth time on the three-quarter mark and the teams traded again through Galway’s Aoife Molloy and Mayo’s Maria Cannon.

Galway had a late chanced but Tracey Leonard’s effort went wide before Mayo countered for their dramatic winner from Howley before getting a late yellow card as the Connacht champions advance to the last four.

MAYO: L Brennan; S Lally, C McManamon, D Caldwell; K Sullivan, C Needham (0-1), E Ronayne; A Geraghty, S Walsh; S Mulvihill, F McHale, S Cafferky (0-1); D Doherty (0-3, three frees), R Kearns, T Needham (0-1).

Subs: S Howley (0-3, two frees) for Doherty (h-t), M Cannon (0-1, free) for Mulvihill (43 mins), L Wallace for Sullivan (51), L Cafferky for McHale (55), T O’Connor for Geraghty (60).

GALWAY: L Murphy; K Geraghty, A Ni Cheallaigh, S Ni Loingsigh; A Molloy (0-1), L Ward, S Brennan; N Ward, L Coen; L Noone (1-0), H Noone, O Divilly; T Leonard (0-2, one free), A Davoren, R Leonard (0-3, three frees).

Subs: C Trill for Brennan (h-t), S Divilly for L Noone (43 mins), K Slevin for R Leonard (46), B Quinn for Ní Cheallaigh (50), E Noone for H Noone (53).

Referee: Séamus Mulvihill (Kerry).

Cork 0-14 Armagh 2-6

Two frees from Katie Quirke proved crucial as Cork got the better of Armagh in their quarter-final tie at the Athletic Grounds.

It was a close battle all through but in the end Cork, inspired by Ciara O’Sullivan, came out on top to advance to the semi-finals.

Armagh were dealt a blow before the game when star forward Aimee Mackin was unable to start due to a hamstring injury, a huge loss to her side.

Doireann O’Sullivan opened the scoring two minutes in from a free before Bláithín Mackin replied for the home side.

A sweeping team move, which started in their own half, saw the visitors back in front when Ciara O’Sullivan scored. But again, their lead didn’t last long as Armagh worked the ball straight down the pitch to see Aoife McCoy equalise.

She added her second to put Armagh in front as they led 0-3 to 0-2 after 12 minutes.

Daire Kiely scored a magnificent point from out near the sideline to see the sides level again, before Mackin had the first goal chance when she burst past several defenders but her effort went across the goal and wide.

Ciara O’Sullivan put Cork back in front as there was nothing between the sides in the first 15 minutes before Doireann O’Sullivan increased Cork’s lead to put two between the sides for the first time.

Libby Coppinger had a great chance to extend it to three but her close-in effort went narrowly wide.

It took a brilliant save from Anna Carr to stop Cork going further in front when she stopped a shot from Anna Ryan which looked destined for the back of the net.

Kelly Mallon pointed from a free for Armagh to make it 0-4 to 0-5 with 23 minutes played.

Another Mallon free had the sides level and it remained that way to the break and all to play for in the second half.

Ciara O’Sullivan restored Cork’s lead on the restart and Hannah Looney made it 0-7 to 0-5, with a fisted point with her back to goal.

Armagh regained the lead in the 37th minute when they raised a green flag. A shot from Mackin was blocked by Róisín Phelan but the loose ball fell to Niamh Coleman and he found the back of the net.

Again Cork responded with Doireann O’Sullivan equalising from a free with her sister, Ciara, putting them back in front, 0-9 to 1-5.

Another Doireann O’Sullivan free restored Cork’s two-point lead with 43 minutes gone but the lead didn’t last long.

Emily Druse and Shauna Grey combined to play Mackin in and she gave Meabh O’Sullivan no chance of saving as she made it 2-5 to 0-10.

Aoife Healy made her presence felt not long after coming on as a sub as she equalised for Cork.

With 45 minutes gone Cork were down to 14 when Doireann O’Sullivan was sinbinned as the momentum started to swing in Armagh’s favour.

Quirke took over the free taking duties when O’Sullivan was off the pitch and she made sure with her first effort to restore Cork’s lead. She added another free to make it 0-13 to 2-5 with nine minutes remaining.

Armagh had another goal chance with Mackin clean through but this time she couldn’t find a way past Meabh O’Sullivan as Cork managed to keep them scoreless until Doireann returned.

Ciara O’Sullivan put the visitors three up with three minutes remaining before Bláthnaid Hendron made it a two point tie.

But Cork held on for the win to see the through to the semi-finals.

CORK: M O’Sullivan; M Duggan, E Meaney, R Phelan; A Ryan, S Kelly, L O’Mahony; M O’Callaghan, H Looney (0-1); D Kiely (0-1), L Coppinger, C O’Sullivan (0-5); O Cahalane, D O’Sullivan (0-4, four frees), E Cleary.

Subs: A Healy (0-1) for A Ryan (40 mins), K Quirke (0-2, two frees) for O Cahalane (44), D Kiniry for L O’Mahony, B O’Sullivan for D Kiely (both 50).

ARMAGH: A Carr; S Grey, C McCambridge, L Kenny: G Ferguson, L McConville, C Towe: N Coleman (1-0), E Lavery; B Mackin (1-1), C O’Hagan, E Druse; N Reel, K Mallon (0-2, two frees), A McCoy (0-2).

Subs: N Marley for L Kenny (40 mins), B Hendron (0-1) for C O’Hagan (50).

Referee: Margaret Farrelly (Cavan).