Meath v Galway

SFC: Champions Meath edge Galway thanks to late Duggan winner

Emma Duggan kicked a last-minute point to earn defending champions Meath a dramatic win over Galway in a tense TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship quarter-final at O’Connor Park in Tullamore.

BY DAIRE WALSH

1-11 to 0-9 in front with the finishing line in sight, the Royals found themselves pegged back.

The prospect of 20 additional minutes of action was starting to loom large in the Offaly venue, but the outstanding Duggan decided the outcome to book Eamonn Murray’s charges into a semi-final showdown with Donegal at Croke Park next weekend.

After she traded early points with Galway defender Nicola Ward, Dunboyne youngster Duggan rounded off a seventh-minute move by rattling the opposition net.

Orlagh Lally subsequently split the uprights to extend their lead but despite some early hesitation, Galway were slowly coming to terms with Meath’s rigid defensive system.

Following successive efforts from Olivia Divilly, Ailish Morrissey and Leanne Coen, Galway cut the deficit to a single point on 19 minutes.

Vikki Wall did break free for a Meath score but a Tracey Leonard free meant the title holders had to be content with a 1-3 to 0-5 interval cushion.

Although this slender advantage was wiped out by Divilly within 30 seconds of the restart, Meath didn’t panic.

Two points without reply from Stacey Grimes (free) and Aoibheann Leahy created some daylight between them and the westerners. While a Tracey Leonard free kept Galway in touch, Meath appeared on course for the penultimate round when Kelsey Nesbitt (two), Aoibhin Cleary and Grimes combined for four points in the space of five minutes.

The impressive Divilly and substitute Roisin Leonard kept the scoreboard ticking over for the Connacht champions but Meath did likewise through the reliable boots of Nesbitt and Grimes.Meath looked to be in full control inside the final-quarter, until Eva Noone followed a pointed free by Tracey Leonard with a superb goal from a left-hand angle. Leonard’s cousin Roisin was making a huge impact off the bench and she landed a superb score to level matters on 56 minutes.

This looked set to bring the game into extra-time but Duggan had the final say with a booming point on the right flank with just 15 seconds left on the clock.

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Armagh 2-14 – 4-12 Kerry

Kerry advance to last Four helped by on form Ní Mhuircheartaigh

Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh struck 2-6 at O'Connor Park in Tullamore as Kerry set up a TG4 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship semi-final against Mayo with a four-point triumph over Armagh.

In addition to the Corca Dhuibhne ace’s scoring prowess, Niamh Carmody and Siofra O’Shea also rattled the net for the Kingdom. The majestic Aimee Mackin finished with an astonishing 0-11 haul for Armagh but the Orchard County ultimately suffered a second consecutive quarter-final exit.

After Ní Mhuircheartaigh and Aoife Lennon traded points in a pulsating start, Carmody combined to devastating effect with O’Shea for a superb fourth-minute Kerry goal.

The always-influential Mackin came to life with three excellent points, but additional scores from captain Anna Galvin, Danielle O’Leary and Katie Brosnan ensured the Kingdom were three points in front, 1-4 to 0-4, on the first-quarter mark.

Both teams remained committed to an all-out attacking approach as the action progressed and, as a consequence, there were goals galore towards the end of the opening period. While Lorraine Scanlon cancelled out a Mackin free, Armagh attacker Aoife McCoy shook the Kerry net in the 23rd-minute.

Buoyed by this score, the Ulster outfit went on to add points through Mackin (two) and the evergreen Caroline O’Hanlon. Even though a Ní Mhuircheartaigh goal briefly halted their march, another goal courtesy of Niamh Coleman left Armagh 2-8 to 2-5 ahead at the interval.

Galvin and Mackin added to their respective accounts with points on the restart, before Kerry narrowed the gap to the bare minimum with a two-point salvo by Ní Mhuircheartaigh. The travelling Kingdom supporters were then given a reason to be cheerful when O’Shea fired low to the bottom left-hand corner for her side’s third goal on 37 minutes.

A Ní Mhuircheartaigh free helped Kerry to build further momentum, only for a revitalised Armagh to once again restore parity with unanswered points from Mackin (two) and Kelly Mallon. Ní Mhuircheartaigh and substitute Erica McGlynn scored points in advance of Mackin’s 10th score of the game, but the Munster side were in sight of a last-four spot when Ní Mhuircheartaigh coolly slotted home a 53rd-minute penalty.

Yet another point by the immense Mackin kept Armagh in the hunt, but a similar effort from Ní Mhuircheartaigh at the opposite end put the seal on a magnificent win for Kerry.

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