Jackies maintain impressive winning streak

DUBLIN 3-19 MEATH 2-4

Dublin ladies senior footballers arrived in Summerhill on Saturday afternoon safe in the knowledge that they had already reserved their place in the 2016 TG4 Leinster senior championship final having secured qualification with previous round robin victories over Laois and Westmeath.

Reigning provincial champions, Dublin as expected totally controlled the opening exchanges despite a hearty performance from the Royal County, the visitors raced into an early four-point lead. However in the tenth minute of the game Meath turned the tables on the champions when they broke through the centre of the Dublin defence to score the opening goal of the game. Experienced Meath full forward Jenny Rispin slotting the ball confidently passed Dublin keeper, Ciara Trant.

Dublin remained calm and were rewarded for their exertions when corner forward Niamh McEvoy finished off a well worked Dublin attack to the back of the Meath net in the 16th minute moving her side seven points clear of their Leinster rivals.

Referee Stephen McNulty did not endear himself to the Dublin supporters present in Summerhill when he sent wing half back Martha Byrne to the sin bin in the 28^th minute for what seemed an innocuous challenge on Meath’s Niamh O’Sullivan.

Despite being down a player, Dublin finished the half strongly adding a further five points to their tally before the interval to leave 11 points between the sides at the break, HT Dublin 1-12 (15) Meath (4).

Siobhan Woods got the second half underway briskly with a well taken point which was countered 3 minutes later by a Niamh O’Sullivan Meath free. All Star forward Carla Rowe who appeared to cover every blade of the Summerhill pitch started to make her presence felt by tagging on two unanswered points with 13 points now separating the two teams.

Meath traditionally are known for their never say die attitude and this was very much evident yesterday in Summerhill as their young side continued to take the game to their city rivals. The Royals where rewarded for their efforts in the 42nd minute of the game when Jenny Rispin once again hit the back of the Dublin net.

But the gulf in standards between the two sides and indeed experience was simply too big a task for this Meath team with Dublin adding 2-04 to Meath’s 0-02 in the closing 18 minutes of the game. Carla Rowe and Nicole Owens on target for Dublin’s two goals.

Dublin boss Greg McGonigle will be happy with his team’s performance as all six starting forwards got on the score sheet but he will be disappointed to see his defence conceding two goals from play, something to work on ahead of the Leinster final on July 10^..

SCORERS - Dublin: Sinead Aherne 0-6 (0-3f), Carla Rowe 1-3, Niamh McEvoy 1-2, Nicole Owens 1-1, Noelle Healy 0-3, Siobhan Woods 0-2, Fiona Hudson, Lyndsey Davey 0-1 each

DUBLIN: Ciara Trant (St Brigid’s), Fiona Hudson (Fingallians), Deirdre Murphy (St Brigid’s), Leah Caffrey (Na Fianna), Martha Byrne (Cuala), Sinead Finnegan (Fingallians), Colleen Barrett (St Brigid’s), Molly Lamb (Kilmacud Crokes), Sorcha Furlong (St Brigid’s), Noelle Healy (St Brigid’s), Nicole Owens (St Sylvester’s), Carla Rowe (Clann Mhuire), Siobhan Woods (Raheny), Sinead Aherne (St Sylvester’s), Niamh McEvoy (St Sylvester’s). Subs: Ciara Ruddy (Ballyboden St Endas) for Barrett, Niamh Collins (Foxrock Cabinteely) for Byrne, Laure Magee (Kilmacud Crokes) for Lamb, Lyndsey Davey (Skerries Harps) for Aherne, Amy Ring (Foxrock Cabinteely) for McEvoy

MEATH: Monica McGuirk, Elaine Plunkett, Sarah Powderly, Orla Byrne, Aisling Cassidy, Shauna Ennis, Vikki Wall, Catriona Keogan, Niamh Lister, Laura Gilsenan, Niamh O’Sullivan, Emma White , Ailbhe McHugh, Jenny Rispin , Niamh Gallogly.Subs: Stacey Grimes for Keogan, Aoibhín Cleary for Gilsenan, Niamh O’Kelly-Lynch for Cassidy, Kate Lawless for Byrne, Ray Lawless for Plunkett

REF: Stephen McNulty (Wicklow)