Extra-time blues for Royal County

The rehabilitation of Meath ladies football suffered a major setback at Pairc Tailteann on Sunday as they were dumped out of the NFL Div 2 quarter-final by a rejuvenated Waterford side. Despite not playing to their full potential Meath had looked to have safely booked their place in the last four with a three-point lead going into injury-time until Linda Wall blasted a superb equalising goal. The errors at the back that led to Wall"s brilliant goal were typical of the problems that Meath endured. Too often players stood off and failed to get in decent challenges. They invited Waterford to run at them and the Munster girls took full advantage. When these two sides met earlier this year, Meath cruised to an easy win to secure their senior status in a relegation final. It wasn"t all bad for Meath. There were times, especially in the opening half, when they looked very good. The Sheridan sisters Philomena and Mary were excellent and linked up well to create some fine scores, while Claire Coffey, Aine Fagan and Niamh O"Sullivan also impressed. But too many of the Meath players failed to reach the expected standards and that allowed Waterford get over their initial nervousness, settle into the game and eventually seize the initiative with a good extra-time display. Meath started well and were 0-4 to 0-0 ahead after 12 minutes with points from Elaine Duffy (two), Philomena Sheridan and Fagan. However, they allowed Waterford back into the game when Orlaith McLaughlin impeded Elaine Power and conceded a penalty. Towering Michelle Ryan expertly despatched the penalty to bring Waterford back into the game, but Meath were still the better side despite Ryan levelling the contest with a point. O"Sullivan (two), Philomena Sheridan and Duffy (free) stretched Meath"s lead to 0-8 to 1-1 at half-time and had Grainne Nulty"s fisted effort from O"Sullivan"s centre gone either side of Waterford custodain Aimee Jordan that lead could have been greater. Michelle McGrath opened the scoring after the resumption, but Gillian Bennett and Philomena Sheridan responded to make 0-10 to 1-2. Then it all started to go downhill for Meath. They became sloppy in their passing and made some strange decisions. The introduction of Niamh Briggs boosted Waterford and caused pandemonium in defence for Meath. Briggs converted three frees with Duffy posting Meath"s sole reply. Fagan was sin-binned with four minutes remaining and despite stretching their advantage to 0-12 to 1-6 with an Aimee Bennett point, Wall forced extra-time with her superb goal. Waterford moved into a 2-8 to 0-12 lead with scores from Elaine Power and Louise Ryan and when Meath lost Brid Guy to a yellow card they conceded two more points to trail by 0-13 to 2-10 at the break. Meath couldn"t close the gap despite points from Bennett and Nulty. Waterford - A Jordan; N Dunphy, A Dunphy, E Power; R Kirwan (0-1), M Foley, A McGovern; L Ryan (0-1), G Enright; M McGrath (0-1), E Power (0-1), L Wall (1-1); M Wall, M Ryan (1-2), R Manahan. Subs - N Briggs (0-6) for Manahan, Manahan for Enright 59m; extra-time - S Power for Kirwan. Meath - Orlaith McLaughlin (Royal Gaels); Claire Coffey (Na Fianna), Louise McKeever (Seneschalstown), Brid Guy (Boardsmill); Shauna Bennett (St Ultan"s), Sinead McCormack (St Michael"s), Ciara Daly (Boardsmill); Grainne Nulty (Seneschalstown, 0-1), Aedin Murray (Navan O"Mahonys); Niamh O"Sullivan (Royal Gaels, 0-2), Philomena Sheridan (Seneschalstown, 0-4), Aine Fagan (Walterstown, 0-1); Elaine Duffy (St Ultan"s, 0-4), Mary Sheridan (Seneschalstown), Gillian Bennett (St Michael"s, 0-2). Subs - Eve Wardick (Simonstown) for Murray 24 mins, Aimee Bennett (St Ultan"s, 0-1) for Daly 45m, Avril Robinson for (Blackhall Gaels) for G Bennett 54m; extra-time - Ciara Dempsey (Boardsmill) for Robinson, Jenny Rispin (Boardsmill) for McCormack, Fiona O"Neill (Dunboyne) for Duffy, Maria Kealy (Royal Gaels) for Guy. Referee - Gavin Corrigan (Down).