TG4 Leinster SFC

Dublin 1-6
Meath 0-7

Aisling Clery reports from Páirc Tailteann

REIGNING TG4 LEINSTER SFC Champions Dublin opened their 2023 championship with a narrow win against a fiery Meath side in front of big support in Páirc Tailteann.

A lobbed Hannah Tyrrell goal in the first half proved decisive as Dublin led by 1-3 to 0-2 at the break, and while Meath upped the ante the Dubs held on on to secure victory.

Championship pace was evident from the off and it took just two minutes for Jennifer Dunne to open the scoring after receiving a timely pass from Caoimhe O’Connor.

While Meath struggled to get the ball into the inside line early on, Tyrell added Dublin’s second point on seven minutes after a series of linked passes involving Carla Rowe and Ellen Gribben.

Leah Caffrey found herself in attacking mode as she stretched Dublin to a three-point lead after 15 minutes of play.

The game’s only goal came on 20 minutes when Tyrrell somewhat fortuitously found the net, lobbing Meath netminder Monica McGuirk.

The Sky Blues could have gone even further ahead but the goal scorer’s next effort dropped short and McGuirk made no mistake parrying it away to safety.

Meath finished the half with a flurry, Stacey Grimes converting a 26th-minute free and Emma Duggan adding a point from play after excellent work from Niamh Gallogly in winning possession. Dublin were 1-3 to 0-2 to the good at the break.

Dublin captain Rowe hit Dublin’s first three scores of the second half, with Niamh O’Sullivan pulling one back for the Royals.

Rowe’s final score, a free on 42 minutes, turned out to be their last as Meath increased their pressure.

Vikki Wall landed a score from distance on 44 minutes and Emma Duggan’s point two minutes later reduced the deficit to five points.

However, Meath were still not done and further points from Aoibhín Cleary and Aoife Minogue reduced the gap to two, ensuring the game finished on a knife edge.

But Dublin held on to possession in the final few moments to secure victory over the reigning All Ireland Champions.

Scorers for Dublin: H. Tyrrell 1-1, C. Rowe 0-3 (2f), J. Dunne 0-1, L. Caffrey 0-1.

Scorers for Meath: E. Duggan 0-2 (1f), S. Grimes 0-1 (1f), N. O’Sullivan 0-1, A. Cleary 0-1, A. Minogue 0-1, V. Wall 0-1.

MEATH: M. McGuirk, Á. Sheridan, M.K. Lynch, K. Newe, N. Gallogly, S. Ennis (C), A. Cleary, M. O’Shaughnessy, A. Minogue, M. Thynne, V. Wall, E. Duggan, C. Smyth, S. Grimes, N. O’Sullivan.

Subs: C. Smyth for Byrne (45), S. Melia for Thynne (47), O. Mallon for Grimes (54).

DUBLIN: A. Shiels, A. Kane, L. Caffrey, N. Crowley, C. Coffey, M. Byrne, L. Magee, E. O’Dowd, J. Dunne, K. Sullivan, C. Rowe (C), E. Gribben, C. O’Connor, H. Tyrrell, O. Nolan.

Subs: N. Hetherton for Gribben (30), D. Lawless for Coffey (39), J. Egan for Sullivan (51), S. Wylde for Rowe (54).

Referee: Paul McCaughey (Westmeath).

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Elsewhere in the 2023 TG4 senior provincial championships, there were key victories for Cork, Kerry and Donegal.

Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh sparkled as the Kingdom secured a 2-8 to 0-8 victory over Waterford at Fraher Field.

Ní Mhuircheartaigh, top scorer during the victorious Lidl NFL Division 1 campaign for Kerry, scored 1-7 against the Déise on Sunday afternoon.

Ní Mhuircheartaigh had posted by 1-4 by half-time as Kerry led by 1-5 to 0-4, with her goal arriving in first half stoppage time.

Substitute Danielle O’Leary put the gloss on the final scoreline with a goal in stoppage time at the end.

In Cahir, meanwhile, a haul of 1-12 for Aishling Moloney wasn’t enough for Tipperary as the Premier County fell to a 1-14 to 1-17 defeat against Cork.

Moloney was in sensational form on home soil but Cork had a key haul of 1-4 from Eimear Kiely, while the O’Sullivan sisters, Ciara and Doireann, contributed 0-9 between them.

Cork led by 0-8 to 0-5 at the break and a three-point deficit remained between the sides at full-time.

And in Ulster, Donegal showed real spirit to dig out a 1-6 to 0-4 victory against Cavan at Kingspan Breffni Park.

Donegal were hurt by relegation from Division 1 of the Lidl National League but Karen Guthrie’s return proved a major fillip and the experienced forward scored 1-4 in Sunday’s win.

Donegal led by 1-3 to 0-2 at the break and they kept Cavan at bay in the second half to register a crucial win in the Ulster round-robin series, which also contains champions Armagh.

- Additional reporting by Jackie Cahill.