Meath 2-17
Tipperary 1-6

by Daire Walsh

Meath will face defending champions Kerry at the semi-final stage of the TG4 All-Ireland senior football championship after goals from Vikki Wall and Niamh Gallogly helped the Leinster side towards an emphatic triumph over Tipperary at Pairc Tailteann in Navan on Sunday.

While Tipperary opened the scoring in this contest with an Anna Rose Kennedy point just 20 seconds into the play, Meath subsequently squeezed in front thanks to unanswered efforts from Gallogly and midfielder Marion Farrelly. The Royal County subsequently bolstered their prospects on six minutes when Wall rifled an unstoppable strike from a left-hand angle into the far corner of the Tipperary net.

Despite their Munster counterparts initially responding with an Aishling Moloney free, a wind-assisted Meath proceeded to dominate the remainder of the opening period. After Farrelly and Emma Duggan split the posts to move the home team five points clear (1-4 to 0-2) on the first-quarter mark, Gallogly profited from excellent build-up play by Megan Thynne and Ciara Smyth before palming home for a 17th minute goal.

Farrelly swung over another brace of points off her trusty left boot as the action progressed and with Wall, Kerrie Cole and captain Aoibhin Cleary also finding the range, the Royals brought a commanding 2-9 to 0-2 cushion into the break.

Meath stretched their advantage on the resumption with a successful Duggan free and even though substitute Neassa Towey and Kennedy kicked fine points for Tipperary at the opposite end, Ciara Smyth and Cole also raised white flags to leave Shane McCormack’s hosts very much in control of his own destiny.

Skryne attacker Smyth and the always dependable Wall then contributed additional points to ensure the Royals were 16 to the good (2-14 to 0-4) heading into the final-quarter. The strength in depth of the Meath panel was emphasised by the introduction of former team skippers Monica McGuirk and Shauna Ennis as substitutes during this juncture – the latter getting her name on the scoresheet with a 46th minute point.

A spirited Tipperary supplemented white flag scores courtesy of Towey and Aoibhe O’Shea with a fisted goal from Moloney in the closing stages, but with Smyth and Gallogly added to their personal hauls, Meath convincingly returned to the penultimate phase of the Brendan Martin Cup for the first time since 2022.

Scorers – Meath: N Gallogly 1-2, V Wall 1-2 (0-1f), M Farrelly 0-4, C Smyth 0-3, E Duggan 0-2 (1f), K Cole 0-2, A Cleary, S Ennis 0-1 each.

Tipperary: A Moloney 1-1 (0-1f), AR Kennedy, N Towey 0-2 each, A O’Shea 0-1.

MEATH: R Murray; A Sheridan, MK Lynch, K Newe; A Cleary, S Wall, K Kealy; O Sheehy, M Farrelly; M Thynne, N Gallogly, C Smyth; E Duggan, V Wall, K Cole. 

Subs: S Ennis for Cole (40), K Bermingham for Farrelly (44), C Lawlor for Kealy (47), A Gaffney for Sheehy (51), M McGuirk for Murray (53), N McEntee for Duggan (55, blood).

TIPPERARY: L Fitzpatrick; K Downey, L Spillane, E Cronin; S English, M Curley, H Spillane; L Morrissey, E Morrissey; C English, AR Kennedy, A Ryan; A McGuigan, A Moloney, N Shelly. 

Subs: N Towey for Shelly (36), A O’Shea for H Spillane (39), K Cashman for Downey (43), C Condon for L Morrissey (44), H Brennan for Ryan (51).

Referee: Shane Curley (Galway).

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