Result: Meath 1-11 Dublin 0-12
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Afternoon all and welcome along to our coverage of the 2021 All-Ireland senior ladies football final.
It’s an all-Leinster clash, Dublin taking on Meath and throw in at Croke Park is 4.15pm.
So it’s the champions Dublin against the challengers Meath.
Dublin are chasing a fifth successive title whereas Meath have undergone a remarkable rise after winning the intermediate final in 2020.
Here are the teams named to start:
Dublin
1. Ciara Trant (St Brigid’s)
2. Martha Byrne (Cuala), 3. Niamh Collins (Foxrock-Cabinteely) 4. Leah Caffrey (Na Fianna)
5. Olwen Carey (Thomas Davis), 6. Sinéad Goldrick (Foxrock-Cabinteely) 7. Orlagh Nolan (Ballinteer St John’s)
8. Jennifer Dunne (Cuala), 9. Lauren Magee (Kilmacud Crokes)
10. Hannah Tyrrell (Na Fianna), 11. Lyndsey Davey (Skerries Harps), 12. Carla Rowe (Clann Mhuire)
13. Sinéad Aherne (St Sylvester’s, captain), 14. Niamh Hetherton (Clontarf), 15. Siobhan Killeen (Clontarf),
Meath
1. Monika McGuirk (Duleek/Bellewstown)
2. Emma Troy (Boardsmill), 3. Mary Kate Lynch (Summerhill), 4. Katie Newe (Ratoath)
5. Aoibheann Leahy (Navan O’Mahonys), 6. Aoibhin Cleary (Donaghmore/Ashbourne), 7. Shauna Ennis (Na Fianna – captain)
8. Orlagh Lally (Clann na nGael), 9. Maire O’Shaughnessy (Donaghmore/Ashbourne)
10. Orla Byrne Duleek/Bewllewstown), 11. Stacey Grimes (Seneschalstown), 12. Niamh O’Sullivan (Dunshaughlin Royal Gaels)
13. Vikki Wall (Dunboyne), 14. Emma Duggan (Dunboyne), 15. Bridgetta Lynch (Oldcastle).
Here’s the view from Croke Park with The42′s Emma Duffy before this match:
Croke Park has filled up nicely on the biggest day of the ladies football calendar.
After wins for Wicklow and Westmeath in the junior and intermediate finals, a Leinster clean sweep is guaranteed as five-in-a-row chasing Dublin and fairytale senior newcomers Meath lock horns in the big one.
Mick Bohan’s all-conquering Sky Blues are 60 minutes or so away from completing a perfect five-in-a-row, but challengers Meath certainly back themselves to upset the odds and see their fairytale story hit stratospheric levels.
The Artane band have just lined up for the pre-match parade and final words are being said to both panels. There’s a fairly even balance of blue and green around the ground, but it’s what happens on the pitch that matters…
One late Dublin change just confirmed – Siobhan McGrath for Olwen Carey.
The Dublin and Meath teams before today’s game.
Meath 0-1 Dublin 0-0
2 mins – Meath get off the mark early with Stacey Grimes pointing a free. From the kickout they win possession but Niamh O’Sullivan is off target.
Meath 0-1 Dublin 0-1
3 mins – All square now as Sinead Aherne clips over a point for Dublin into Hill 16.
Meath 0-2 Dublin 0-1
5 mins – No mistake from Niamh O’Sullivan on this occasion for Meath, she holds her nerve to the left of goal and splits the posts.
Goal for Meath!
Meath 1-2 Dublin 0-1
8 mins – What a boost for Meath! A Dublin kickout broke in their direction with Emma Duggan mopping up possession and firing a perfectly-judged shot over the back-pedalling Dublin goalkeeper Ciara Trant as the ball dropped into the net.
Meath 1-2 Dublin 0-2
10 mins – After that setback, Dublin pull a point back courtesy of Hannah Tyrrell from a close-range free.
Meath 1-3 Dublin 0-2
12 mins – Emma Troy bursts forward from defence, swaps passes and then has the composure to fire over a point that pushes Meath four clear. This is a brilliant start by them.
Meath 1-3 Dublin 0-3
12 mins – Super piece of play from Cuala’s Martha Byrne. She turned over Meath on the left wing, charged forward as Dublin counter-attacked and was on hand to slot over the point.
Meath 1-3 Dublin 0-4
14 mins – Patient move by Dublin culminates in Hannah Tyrrell finding a pocket of space to calmly tap over another point.
Water Break: Meath 1-4 Dublin 0-4
Bridgetta Lynch fires over Meath’s latest point to leave three in it, great work by Vikki Wall in the build-up. Midway through the first half here.
Meath 1-4 Dublin 0-5
17 mins – The action resumes with Tyrrell converting a free for Dublin.
A blistering drive by Hannah Tyrrell for Dublin in the direction of the goal but Meath’s Monika McGuirk does well to tip it away for a ’45.
Meath 1-6 Dublin 0-5
22 mins – Two quick points for Meath, Stacey Grimes from a free and Niamh O’Sullivan from play, and there’s four in it again.
Meath 1-7 Dublin 0-6
26 mins – Emma Troy again pops up with a point for Meath. No one tracked her run on the right as Meath attacked down the left before switching the play to Troy. At the other end Hannah Tyrrell replies with a vital score for Dublin, this time off her right.
Meath 1-8 Dublin 0-6
28 mins – Emma Duggan swings over a brilliant point for Meath under pressure off her right. Caoimhe O’Connor in for Dublin for Niamh Hetherton.
Half-Time: Meath 1-8 Dublin 0-6
Meath flying it at half-time and leading by five points. Big test for the champions Dublin in the second half.
Niamh McEvoy in for the second half for Dublin for Siobhan Killeen.
The second half is under way in Croke Park.
Meath 1-8 Dublin 0-7
32 mins – Tyrrell knocks over a point for Dublin to get the second-half scoring under way. The gap is back to four now.
37 mins – No further scores yet in the second half, neither team having much joy in breaking down the defences.
39 mins – Meath’s defending has been superb as they frustrate the Dublin attack, putting them under huge pressure as they attempt to shoot. Tyrrell sees her effort there for Dublin drift just wide.
42 mins - A long passage of Meath possession culminates in Dublin turning them over as they probed for an opening in attack that refused to come.
Meath 1-8 Dublin 0-8
43 mins – A crucial score arrives there with Dublin breaking the deadlock, a fine kick from Carla Rowe. Three in it now.
Meath 1-9 Dublin 0-8
46 mins – Stacey Grimes clips over a badly-needed point for Meath, their first of the second half, after terrific work by Niamh O’Sullivan earlier in the attack.
Water Break: Meath 1-9 Dublin 0-8
So we’re entering the final quarter here and Meath in possession of a four-point advantage. Can Dublin reel them in?
Subs: Dublin bring in Kate Sullivan for Orlagh Nolan.
Meath 1-10 Dublin 0-8
47 mins – Emma Duggan swings over a point for Meath and now there’s five in it again, another score that stemmed from Meath turnover deep in their defence as Dublin attacked.
Two Meath subs to let you know about from the water break:
30. Megan Thynne (Dunsany) for Bridgetta Lynch
17. Niamh Gallogly (Dunshaughlin Royal Gaels) for Aoibheann Leahy
Meath 1-10 Dublin 0-9
49 mins – Substitute Kate Sullivan steps inside the Meath cover and fires over a point for Dublin.
Meath 1-10 Dublin 0-10
49 mins – Only three in it now, Hannah Tyrrell firing over for Dublin after being set up by Caoimhe O’Connor.
Emma Duggan with a chance to extends Meath’s lead but she’s off target from a free.
Meath 1-10 Dublin 0-11
51 mins – No mistake at the other end by Lyndsey Davey for Dublin, just two in it now.
52 mins - Off the post! Sinead Aherne’s point attempt for Dublin hits the woodwork and comes down with Meath able to clear.
Meath 1-11 Dublin 0-11
53 mins – Niamh O’Sullivan with a super point for Meath from a tight angle, three in it again.
55 mins - Chances at both ends are spurned, Davey for Dublin sees her shot fall short and O’Sullivan is wide for Meath. Aoife Kane in for Dublin for Davey.
Meath 1-11 Dublin 0-12
57 mins – Tyrrell with a pointed free for Dublin, two in it.
59 mins - Niamh McEvoy shot for Dublin but it tails wide and we’re into the final minute.
Into the final few seconds and Meath in possession.
They’ve done it! Meath are All-Ireland senior champions!
Full-Time: Meath 1-11 Dublin 0-12
An amazing achievement by Meath to win All-Ireland intermediate and senior crowns in successive years, Dublin’s dominance of the sport is ended after winning the last four titles.
What a day for Meath, we’ll have Emma Duffy’s report, reaction and analysis coming up from Croke Park after that historic success.
Thanks for joining us.
