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Details

Date Time Competition Season
1 July 2023 7:30 pm All Ireland Senior Championship 2023

Match Report

Donegal Secure Home Quarter Final In Pairc Tailteann Classic

In a real classic at Pairc Tailteann, late points from Susanne White and Karen Gutherie saw Donegal top group 2 at the expense of their hosts.

A game that had drama and action from first whistle, to the final hooter, Donegal edged the All ireland Champions and will enjoy a home tie with Dublin in the quarter finals.

Both teams had a goal ruled out and despite Meath producing a heart stopping comeback in the second half, they fell just short and finishing second they will play Kerry in the last eight, a repeat of last year’s All Ireland Final.

Nimah Hegarty scored 1-3 for Donegal, with White adding 0-5, with four points coming from frees, Emma Duggan led the charge for Meath as she kicked seven points, however Donegal just edged them and will have those late scores to thank, after Meath gave them a test in the second half.

Meath started the brighter as Niamh O’Sullivan ended a four minute wait for a score, before Emma Duggan gave them an early two point lead at Pairc Tailteann. But Niamh Hegarty fired home a goal with nine minutes gone to put Donegal in the lead, the followed it up with points from Susanne White and Hegarty, for a 1-2 to 0-2 lead at the end of the opening quarter 

Duggan converted her second point minutes later to cut the gap to two, but Katie Long and White both raised the white flag and doubled Donegal’s lead out to four points. Duggan and Hegarty both exchanged points, before Donegal felt they had a goal as Karen Guthrie sent a high ball in putting pressure on Monica McGuirk in the Meath goal, but she was sent flying into the net by Nicole McLaughlin and the goal was ruled out.

Four points for the evening for Duggan as we ticked past 27 minutes, Meadhbh Byrne cut the lead to 1-5 to 0-6, however right at the death, White landed her third free of the opening half, seeing Donegal lead 1-6 to 0-6 at the break.

Hegarty started the second half with a terrific score to further the Donegal lead, but Vikki Wll landed a monster effort that Claire Friel had to fist over the bar to cancel it out, Duggan pointed another free to cut the deficit to two points as Meath began a comeback.

Despite White putting another free over the blackspot, points from O’Sullivan, Duggan and Wall levelled the tie with 47 minutes, the prize was still on offer with neither looking to finish as runners up.

Meath felt they had the advantage with minutes left as Byrne palmed home a pass from Wall into the back of the net, but the referee saw an infringement in the move and for the second time in the contest, he would cancel out a goal.

Right after that goal was ruled out, Aoife Minogue was sent to the sin bin with a yellow card, White pointed the resulting free to put Donegal ahead with minutes left, that became two as Karen Guthrie pointed a free off her left boot from a difficult angle, that sent hearts racing in Pairc Tailteann, despite Duggan pointing her seventh point at the death, time was not on their side for a grandstand finish, Donegal topping the group.

Meath

1Monica McGuirk Goalkeeper
2Aine Sheridan Defender
3Mary Kate Lynch Defender
4Katie Newe Defender
5Meadhbh Byrne 21 Defender 29'
6Shauna Ennis Defender
7Emma Duggan Defender 6', 17', 21', 27', 35', 43', 59'
8Maire O’Shaughnessy Midfielder
9Aoife Minogue Midfielder 55'
10Megan Thynne Forward
11Vikki Wall Forward 32', 47'
12Niamh Gallogly Forward
13Orlagh Lally Forward
14Stacey Grimes Forward
15Niamh O’Sullivan Forward 4', 40'
16Robyn Murray
17Aisling McCabe Midfielder
18Shelly Melia Midfielder
19Ali Sherlock
20Orlaith Mallon
21Ciara Smyth 5 Forward
22Aoife Farrell Forward
23Olivia Gore
24Orla Smith
25Aoibhin Cleary Defender
26Rachel Casserly
27Ailbhe Leahy Forward
28Orla Finnegan
29Amy O’Dowd
30Amy O’Leary

Donegal

1Claire Friel Goalkeeper
2Niamh Carr Defender
3Abigail Temple Asoko REMOVE Defender
4Emer Gallagher Defender
5Amy Boyle Carr Defender
6Nicole McLaughlin Defender
7Tara Hegarty Defender
8Roisin Rodgers Midfielder
9Niamh McLaughlin Midfielder
10Susanne White Forward 11', 20', 30', 37', 55'
11Katie Long 15 Forward 17'
12Katie Dowds Forward
13Niamh Hegarty Forward 9'
14', 22', 31'
14Katy Herron Forward
18Shannon McGroddy 21 Forward
16Aoibhin Randles
15Ciara McGarvey 11 Forward
17Codie Walsh
19Laoise Ryan Forward
20Sophie McFeely
21Karen Guthrie 26 Forward 58'
22Saskia Boyle Forward
23Jodie McFadden
24Aoibhin O’Connell
25Catherine Boyle
26Niamh Boyle 21 Defender
27Geraldine McLaughlin Forward

Past Meetings

(Round 2)
0-5 1-7
NFL Division 1
O’Donnell Park, Letterkenny

(Semi Final)
1-7 0-12
All Ireland Senior Championship
Croke Park

(Final)
1-9 2-8
NFL Division 1
Croke Park

Ground

Páirc Tailteann
Páirc Tailteann, Commons Road, Navan Rural ED, The Municipal District of Navan, County Meath, Leinster, C15 A2AY, Ireland

Diarmuid Kearney is a freelance Sports Journalist based in Co Kerry. He has more than 5 years experience covering domestic and international soccer for different media organisations, while also working for local and national print and digital organisations covering GAA.