Deniese O’Flaherty reports from Grangegoggen, Kells.
KATE SLEVIN SCORED seven points as Galway made a winning return to the Lidl National Football League Division 1 with an eight-point victory over Meath in Grangegoggen, Kells.
Slevin — a league and cup winner with Athlone Town in 2025, but focusing solely on inter-county football this year — was in fine form throughout with Galway very much in control for large parts of the game.
Her 0-7 tally included the first two-pointer scored Division 1 as ladies football trial playing rule enhancements through the leagues.
Meath struggled to get scores and their first point of the second half didn’t arrive until the 53rd minute. They ended the game with four points in-a-row but they were mere consolation scores.
Galway dominated proceedings from the start but Meath’s defence held them firm for the early exchanges. Andrea Trill opened the scoring in the fourth minute. Galway were ahead by two in the eighth minute before Emma Duggan got Meath’s first point in the 10th minute from a free.
A second point from Roisin Leonard gave the Tribeswomen a three-point lead in the 15th minute. Duggan replied for the home side before Galway hit a purple patch and kicked over four unanswered points; Niamh Divilly and Leanne Coen with two excellent scores. A point from Meadhbh Byrne just before the break saw Meath trail by five – 0-9 to 0-4.
Galway's Bronagh Quinn with Órla Smith of Meath. Grace Halton / INPHO
Grace Halton / INPHO / INPHO
Points from Leonard and Slevin (two) in the early minutes of the second half extended Galway’s lead to eight points after 38 minutes of play. Minutes later, Slevin scored the first two-pointer of the game to stretch the lead to 10 points.
Galway were excellent in the tackle in the second half and Meath found it hard to break them down when in forward positions. Aoife Molloy got up from wing-back to fire over a point for the Connacht side in the 50th minute. Meath got their first point of the second half – and first in over 23 minutes of play – in the 53rd minute through captain Niamh Gallogly. Duggan and Megan Thynne followed up with points for the Royals.
😍 OUTSIDE OF THE BOOT!
A phenomenal score off the outside of the boot from Kate Slevin to extend @GalwayLgfa lead.
LIDL National League coverage in association with @AIGinsurance
Meath sub Orla Finnegan fired over a free in the 60th minute to cut the deficit to eight points in the end.
Scorers for Galway: K Slevin 0-7 (1 2pt score, 1f), R Leonard 0-3 (1f), M Glynn 0-2, A Trill, N Divilly, L Coen, A Molloy 0-1 each.
Scorers for Meath: E Duggan 0-3 (1f), R Casserly, M Byrne, M Thynne, N Gallogly, O Finnegan (1f) 0-1 each.
GALWAY: L O’Halloran; R Quinn, S Ní Loingsigh, B Quinn; S Healy, C Trill, A Molloy; N Divilly, A Madden; M Glynn, K Slevin, K Thompson; A Trill, L Coen, R Leonard.
Subs: E Noone for Leonard and A O’Rourke for Glynn 44, E Power for Molloy and H Noone for Healy 53, S McGovern for Quinn and K Mee for C Trill 60+1.
MEATH: R Murray; Á Sheridan, M.K. Lynch, O Gore; Ó Smith, S Wall, K Bermingham; O Sheehy, N Gallogly; M Thynne, C Smyth, M Farrelly; E Duggan, R Casserly, M Byrne.
Subs: L O’Neill for Smyth and O Finnegan for Byrne 41, C Lawlor for Farrelly 42, A Gaffney for Gore 47, M McConnell for Duggan 54, S Ní Scaláin for Quinn 55.
Referee: Ray McBride (Dublin).
****
Cork 1-10
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Kildare 2-7
Ger McCarthy reports from MTU Cork
Cork's Katie Quirke [file photo]. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
CORK AND KILDARE played out a thrilling Division 1 ladies football league draw at MTU Cork.
The new rules being trialled in this year’s league had an immediate and positive effect on a cracking first round encounter.
The solo and go was used to good effect and both teams were penalised for not retreating, resulting in numerous close-range frees.
Pat Sullivan’s Kildare adapted better and deservedly led for most of an entertaining game.
The Lillies were 2-6 to 1-6 ahead with less than 10 minutes remaining when Cork found another gear. Two Abigail Ring efforts and a Katie Quirke free, meant it was all square with time almost up.
Then, Alannah Prizemann’s converted free looked to have won it for Kildare. That was until Quirke’s fifth converted free of the afternoon, four minutes into injury-time, salvaged a point for the Rebels.
Kildare were the better team in the opening half and built a 0-5 to 0-3 lead thanks in part to Aoife Murnane’s brace of points.
🔥 KILDARE FIRE BACK!
A vital interception sees Aoife Murnane take full advantage and respond back with a goal for @KildareLGFA1
LIDL National League coverage in association with @AIGinsurance
Mayah Doyle, Aoife Rattigan and Prizemann also scored while Quirke and Grace Ní Mhurchú points kept Cork in touch.
It was Joe Carroll’s team who first billowed the net via a Melissa Duggan goal and looked set to change ends a point to the good. Instead, Aoife Murnane made her presence felt with an injury-time green flag to send the visitors in 1-5 to 1-3 ahead.
A low-scoring third quarter saw the team draw level, 1-6 apiece, as Emma Cleary, Leah Hallihan and Quirke (free) scored. Kildare’s Prizemann converted a 13-metre free in response.
Both goalkeepers, Caoime Richmond and Rachel Fennin, produced excellent point-blank saves to keep the score unchanged until the 50th minute.
That was when Murnane left three Cork defenders in her wake and walloped the ball into the net to make it 2-6 to 1-6. An exciting finale saw Cork draw level before Prizemann and Quirke exchanged frees at either end.
Kildare will feel this is one that got away with a new-look Cork thankful to have a point on the board on their first day back in Division 1.
Scorers for Cork: K Quirke 0-5 (5f), M Duggan 1-0, A Ring 0-2, G Ní Mhurchú, E Cleary, L Hallihan 0-1 each.
Kildare: A Murnane 2-2, A Prizemann 0-2 (2f), M Doyle, A Rattigan, J Harney 0-1 each.
CORK: C Richmond; M Duggan,D Kiniry, K Horgan; A Corcoran, S McGoldrick, R Corkery; A Healy, A O’Mahony; R Leahy, G Ní Mhurchú, E Cleary (captain); R O’Regan, K Quirke, L Hallihan. Subs: Á Terry O’Sullivan for R O’Regan (42), K Redmond for A O’Mahony (50), A Ring for L Hallihan (50), E Hurley for R Leahy (57), C Hughes for R Corkery (58).
KILDARE: R Fennin; E Wheeler, R Sargent, M Doherty; H McLoughlin, L Shaw, L Lenehan (captain); N Murphy, G Wheeler; M Doyle, C Wheeler, A Rattigan; A Murnane, L Curran, A Prizeman. Subs: J Harney for L Curran (2, inj), M Aspell for M Doyle (37), M McDonagh for G Wheeler (52), R Forde for A Rattigan (46), A Mahon for J Harney (57), A Cahill for A Prizemann (58).
Waterford made a winning start to their Division 1 ladies football league campaign against last year’s league finalists Armagh at the BOX-IT Athletic Grounds.
Waterford were 10-points better off when these sides met in the 2025 league and improved that result by two-points this time around and were full value for their comfortable victory.
Armagh were without experienced players such as Caroline O’Hanlon, Niamh Henderson, Niamh Reel, the Mackin sisters, Blaithin and Aimee, along with the Coleman siblings, Niamh and Dearbhla.
The travelling side made the perfect start to proceedings with Chloe Fennell raising a green flag inside six minutes. Brid McMaugh’s shot had dropped short and Fennell was on hand to knock home a major.
Armagh made a rapid response with debutant Lara Marsden, daughter of 2002 All-Ireland winner Diarmaid Marsden, nabbing two scores inside 30 seconds.
Fennell grew her own personal tally but neither side split the posts for the next ten minutes. Waterford could, and should, have added another goal but Brianna Mathers pulled off a fine save while they also hit the post and crossbar during that period.
TOP CORNER!@WaterfordLGFA take full advantage of the 'solo and go' and hit a second goal past @ArmaghLGFA
LIDL National League coverage in association with @AIGinsurance
Áine O’Neill notched three quickfire points inside 90 seconds and added a fourth straight score to make six the difference. Maeve Lennon grabbed the final score of the half for the Orchard County, who trailed 1-5 to 0-3 at the interval.
McMaugh got the game up and running after the turnaround but her effort was cancelled out by Aoife McCoy. O’Neill and Clare Walsh grew the margin to seven before the hosts hit a purple patch for the first time.
Gregory McGonigle’s side nailed three on the bounce, with Lennon pointing twice from the dead ball while skipper Lauren McConville also raised a white flag. Waterford substitute Kellyann Hogan then converted two frees to restore their six-point advantage.
Kelly Mallon tagged on a score after coming off the bench but any hope of a revival was washed away when Treasa Ní Chrontaigh slashed home her sides second three-pointer and they tagged on the final three points of the day to soar into a 12-point win.
Scorers for Waterford: Á O’Neill 0-5, C Fennell 1-1, T Ní Chrontaigh 1-0, K Hogan 0-2 (2f), C Walsh 0-2, B McMaugh 0-2, K Murray 0-1, J Queally 0-1.
Scorers for Armagh: M Lennon 0-3 (2f), L Marsden 0-2, K Mallon 0-1, L McConville 0-1 A McCoy 0-1.
WATERFORD: K Gardiner; C Murray, L Mulcahy, R Casey, L Ní hArta, K McGrath, L Cusack; E Power, B Browne; K Murray, B McMaugh, Á O’Neill; C Fennell, C Walsh, L McGregor. Subs: K Hogan for C Walsh (41 mins), A McGrath for E Power (49 mins), T Ní Chrontaigh for C Fennell (55 mins), A Hahesy for A O’Neill (59 mins), J Queally for K Murray (59 mins).
ARMAGH: B Mathers; M Ferguson, C McCambridge, G Ferguson; Emily Druse, L McConville, C Towe; S Quigley, C Marley; L Marsden, A McCoy, C McNally; M Lennon, A Donnelly, K Mallon. Subs: K Mallon for C McNally (39 mins), E Cassidy for S Quigley (45 mins), E Lavery for M Lennon (53 mins), Elsie Druse for L Kavanagh (59 mins).
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Galway beat Meath on return to Division 1, Waterford sink Armagh, Cork and Kildare draw
LAST UPDATE | 42 mins ago
Galway 0-16
Meath 0-8
Deniese O’Flaherty reports from Grangegoggen, Kells.
KATE SLEVIN SCORED seven points as Galway made a winning return to the Lidl National Football League Division 1 with an eight-point victory over Meath in Grangegoggen, Kells.
Slevin — a league and cup winner with Athlone Town in 2025, but focusing solely on inter-county football this year — was in fine form throughout with Galway very much in control for large parts of the game.
Her 0-7 tally included the first two-pointer scored Division 1 as ladies football trial playing rule enhancements through the leagues.
Meath struggled to get scores and their first point of the second half didn’t arrive until the 53rd minute. They ended the game with four points in-a-row but they were mere consolation scores.
Galway dominated proceedings from the start but Meath’s defence held them firm for the early exchanges. Andrea Trill opened the scoring in the fourth minute. Galway were ahead by two in the eighth minute before Emma Duggan got Meath’s first point in the 10th minute from a free.
A second point from Roisin Leonard gave the Tribeswomen a three-point lead in the 15th minute. Duggan replied for the home side before Galway hit a purple patch and kicked over four unanswered points; Niamh Divilly and Leanne Coen with two excellent scores. A point from Meadhbh Byrne just before the break saw Meath trail by five – 0-9 to 0-4.
Points from Leonard and Slevin (two) in the early minutes of the second half extended Galway’s lead to eight points after 38 minutes of play. Minutes later, Slevin scored the first two-pointer of the game to stretch the lead to 10 points.
Galway were excellent in the tackle in the second half and Meath found it hard to break them down when in forward positions. Aoife Molloy got up from wing-back to fire over a point for the Connacht side in the 50th minute. Meath got their first point of the second half – and first in over 23 minutes of play – in the 53rd minute through captain Niamh Gallogly. Duggan and Megan Thynne followed up with points for the Royals.
Meath sub Orla Finnegan fired over a free in the 60th minute to cut the deficit to eight points in the end.
Scorers for Galway: K Slevin 0-7 (1 2pt score, 1f), R Leonard 0-3 (1f), M Glynn 0-2, A Trill, N Divilly, L Coen, A Molloy 0-1 each.
Scorers for Meath: E Duggan 0-3 (1f), R Casserly, M Byrne, M Thynne, N Gallogly, O Finnegan (1f) 0-1 each.
GALWAY: L O’Halloran; R Quinn, S Ní Loingsigh, B Quinn; S Healy, C Trill, A Molloy; N Divilly, A Madden; M Glynn, K Slevin, K Thompson; A Trill, L Coen, R Leonard.
Subs: E Noone for Leonard and A O’Rourke for Glynn 44, E Power for Molloy and H Noone for Healy 53, S McGovern for Quinn and K Mee for C Trill 60+1.
MEATH: R Murray; Á Sheridan, M.K. Lynch, O Gore; Ó Smith, S Wall, K Bermingham; O Sheehy, N Gallogly; M Thynne, C Smyth, M Farrelly; E Duggan, R Casserly, M Byrne.
Subs: L O’Neill for Smyth and O Finnegan for Byrne 41, C Lawlor for Farrelly 42, A Gaffney for Gore 47, M McConnell for Duggan 54, S Ní Scaláin for Quinn 55.
Referee: Ray McBride (Dublin).
****
Cork 1-10
Kildare 2-7
Ger McCarthy reports from MTU Cork
CORK AND KILDARE played out a thrilling Division 1 ladies football league draw at MTU Cork.
The new rules being trialled in this year’s league had an immediate and positive effect on a cracking first round encounter.
The solo and go was used to good effect and both teams were penalised for not retreating, resulting in numerous close-range frees.
Pat Sullivan’s Kildare adapted better and deservedly led for most of an entertaining game.
The Lillies were 2-6 to 1-6 ahead with less than 10 minutes remaining when Cork found another gear. Two Abigail Ring efforts and a Katie Quirke free, meant it was all square with time almost up.
Then, Alannah Prizemann’s converted free looked to have won it for Kildare. That was until Quirke’s fifth converted free of the afternoon, four minutes into injury-time, salvaged a point for the Rebels.
Kildare were the better team in the opening half and built a 0-5 to 0-3 lead thanks in part to Aoife Murnane’s brace of points.
Mayah Doyle, Aoife Rattigan and Prizemann also scored while Quirke and Grace Ní Mhurchú points kept Cork in touch.
It was Joe Carroll’s team who first billowed the net via a Melissa Duggan goal and looked set to change ends a point to the good. Instead, Aoife Murnane made her presence felt with an injury-time green flag to send the visitors in 1-5 to 1-3 ahead.
A low-scoring third quarter saw the team draw level, 1-6 apiece, as Emma Cleary, Leah Hallihan and Quirke (free) scored. Kildare’s Prizemann converted a 13-metre free in response.
Both goalkeepers, Caoime Richmond and Rachel Fennin, produced excellent point-blank saves to keep the score unchanged until the 50th minute.
That was when Murnane left three Cork defenders in her wake and walloped the ball into the net to make it 2-6 to 1-6. An exciting finale saw Cork draw level before Prizemann and Quirke exchanged frees at either end.
Kildare will feel this is one that got away with a new-look Cork thankful to have a point on the board on their first day back in Division 1.
Scorers for Cork: K Quirke 0-5 (5f), M Duggan 1-0, A Ring 0-2, G Ní Mhurchú, E Cleary, L Hallihan 0-1 each.
Kildare: A Murnane 2-2, A Prizemann 0-2 (2f), M Doyle, A Rattigan, J Harney 0-1 each.
CORK: C Richmond; M Duggan,D Kiniry, K Horgan; A Corcoran, S McGoldrick, R Corkery; A Healy, A O’Mahony; R Leahy, G Ní Mhurchú, E Cleary (captain); R O’Regan, K Quirke, L Hallihan. Subs: Á Terry O’Sullivan for R O’Regan (42), K Redmond for A O’Mahony (50), A Ring for L Hallihan (50), E Hurley for R Leahy (57), C Hughes for R Corkery (58).
KILDARE: R Fennin; E Wheeler, R Sargent, M Doherty; H McLoughlin, L Shaw, L Lenehan (captain); N Murphy, G Wheeler; M Doyle, C Wheeler, A Rattigan; A Murnane, L Curran, A Prizeman. Subs: J Harney for L Curran (2, inj), M Aspell for M Doyle (37), M McDonagh for G Wheeler (52), R Forde for A Rattigan (46), A Mahon for J Harney (57), A Cahill for A Prizemann (58).
Referee: Jonathan Murphy (Carlow).
****
Waterford 2-14
Armagh 0-8
Shaun Casey reports from BOX-IT Athletic Grounds
Waterford made a winning start to their Division 1 ladies football league campaign against last year’s league finalists Armagh at the BOX-IT Athletic Grounds.
Waterford were 10-points better off when these sides met in the 2025 league and improved that result by two-points this time around and were full value for their comfortable victory.
Armagh were without experienced players such as Caroline O’Hanlon, Niamh Henderson, Niamh Reel, the Mackin sisters, Blaithin and Aimee, along with the Coleman siblings, Niamh and Dearbhla.
The travelling side made the perfect start to proceedings with Chloe Fennell raising a green flag inside six minutes. Brid McMaugh’s shot had dropped short and Fennell was on hand to knock home a major.
Armagh made a rapid response with debutant Lara Marsden, daughter of 2002 All-Ireland winner Diarmaid Marsden, nabbing two scores inside 30 seconds.
Fennell grew her own personal tally but neither side split the posts for the next ten minutes. Waterford could, and should, have added another goal but Brianna Mathers pulled off a fine save while they also hit the post and crossbar during that period.
Áine O’Neill notched three quickfire points inside 90 seconds and added a fourth straight score to make six the difference. Maeve Lennon grabbed the final score of the half for the Orchard County, who trailed 1-5 to 0-3 at the interval.
McMaugh got the game up and running after the turnaround but her effort was cancelled out by Aoife McCoy. O’Neill and Clare Walsh grew the margin to seven before the hosts hit a purple patch for the first time.
Gregory McGonigle’s side nailed three on the bounce, with Lennon pointing twice from the dead ball while skipper Lauren McConville also raised a white flag. Waterford substitute Kellyann Hogan then converted two frees to restore their six-point advantage.
Kelly Mallon tagged on a score after coming off the bench but any hope of a revival was washed away when Treasa Ní Chrontaigh slashed home her sides second three-pointer and they tagged on the final three points of the day to soar into a 12-point win.
Scorers for Waterford: Á O’Neill 0-5, C Fennell 1-1, T Ní Chrontaigh 1-0, K Hogan 0-2 (2f), C Walsh 0-2, B McMaugh 0-2, K Murray 0-1, J Queally 0-1.
Scorers for Armagh: M Lennon 0-3 (2f), L Marsden 0-2, K Mallon 0-1, L McConville 0-1 A McCoy 0-1.
WATERFORD: K Gardiner; C Murray, L Mulcahy, R Casey, L Ní hArta, K McGrath, L Cusack; E Power, B Browne; K Murray, B McMaugh, Á O’Neill; C Fennell, C Walsh, L McGregor. Subs: K Hogan for C Walsh (41 mins), A McGrath for E Power (49 mins), T Ní Chrontaigh for C Fennell (55 mins), A Hahesy for A O’Neill (59 mins), J Queally for K Murray (59 mins).
ARMAGH: B Mathers; M Ferguson, C McCambridge, G Ferguson; Emily Druse, L McConville, C Towe; S Quigley, C Marley; L Marsden, A McCoy, C McNally; M Lennon, A Donnelly, K Mallon. Subs: K Mallon for C McNally (39 mins), E Cassidy for S Quigley (45 mins), E Lavery for M Lennon (53 mins), Elsie Druse for L Kavanagh (59 mins).
Referee: Maggie Farrelly (Cavan).
****
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Armagh LGFA Cork LGFA GAA kildare lgfa Ladies Football lidl ladies national league Waterford LGFA Wrap