All-Ireland final place for Meath

Meath 0-14, Kildare 0-5 The outcome was predictable, but that doesn't mean it was easy for Meath at St Peregrine's in the shadow of Blanchardstown Shopping Centre on Saturday. Meath deservedly qualified for the final of the All-Ireland Premier Junior Camogie championship with a wholehearted performance that was good enough to handle the challenge of Kildare. The Royal County had already beaten Kildare twice this year, in the Leinster junior decider and in the qualifying phase of the All-Ireland series. Add in two victories last year, in the Div 3 League final and the provincial decider, and it was easy to work out the reason for high expectations. For a change, some supporters turned up and that also provided great encouragement for the players who were cheered off the pitch at the end with great gusto. There was also a generous round of applause for Meath manager John Davis who has, over the past six years, transformed the fortunes of a team that regularly used to lose games by 20 points and more. It hasn't been an easy journey either - the statistics show that Meath faltered in the semi-finals of 2009, 2010 and 2011. They were due a change of luck, but sport doesn't always deliver what is due. That was true on Saturday also as a dour contest developed on the tight St Peregrines pitch with Kildare contesting every ball with vigour. Despite playing against the wind, Meath made a positive start that ultimately proved crucial. The Royal County were 0-6 to 0-1 to the good inside the opening quarter and it was that period of dominance that gave them the edge. However, it was Kildare who started smartly and had a Susie O'Carroll point on the scoreboard from a '45' after Emily Mangan parried a good shot to safety. Once Meath settled, with Clare Coffey (pictured), solid at full-back, they took a firm grip on the game and the points flowed from Jane Dolan (two frees), Kristina Troy, Edel Guy, Sinead Hackett and Aoife Maguire. Sinead Hackett added another point from play in the 17th minute, but that was Meath's last score until two minutes into first-half injury time when Dolan converted a free for a 0-8 to 0-3 interval advantage. Kildare worked extremely hard during that second-quarter and enjoyed a lot of possession, but could only manage a further brace of points from O'Carroll (one free). Kildare also marked Jane Dolan tightly and curtailed Meath's most prolific scorer who still finished with a tally of five points to her credit, all frees. One difference between the teams was the fact that Kildare's best player, O'Carroll, claimed all her side's scores, she added two second-half points to complete what was a paltry tally. Meath were able to find scores from seven players. Superb points from Aileen Donnelly and Katie Hackett got Meath going again after the resumption. Donnelly embarked on a solo raid and split the posts and 60 seconds later Katie Hackett got her point. Donnelly then set up Aoife Maguire for a good point before Dolan added a brace from frees for a 0-13 to 0-4 advantage. Maguire closed Meath's account all of 11 minutes before the end and when that, along with a tally of 13 wides, is examined it leaves the selectors with a bit of a challenge before the decider against Down. Meath - Emily Mangan (Blackhall Gaels); Holly Geraghty (Blackhall Gaels), Clare Coffey (Na Fianna), Fiona O'Neill (Dunboyne); Áine Keogh (Dunboyne), Aoife Thompson (Dunboyne), Louise Donoghue (Kiltale); Ann Marie Fagan (Trim), Kristina Troy (Blackhall Gaels 0-1 free); Edel Guy (Trim 0-1), Jane Dolan (Blackhall Gaels 0-5 frees), Aileen Donnelly (Kilmessan 0-1); Aoife Maguire (Killyon 0-3), Sinead Hackett (Dunboyne 0-2), Katie Hackett (Trim 0-1). Subs - Lizzie Oakes (Navan O'Mahonys) for Guy 54 mins, Lizzie Lynch (Donaghmore/Ashbourne) for K Hackett and Cheyenne O'Brien (Kiltale) for Maguire both 57m, Maggie Randle (Donaghmore/Ashbourne) for Fagan 59m Kildare - B Byrnes; N Breen, A Trant, J O'Donoghue; F Trant, C Nolan, C Flanagan; L Keatley, S Hurley; A Lyons, O Bambury, C Tallon; S O'Carroll (0-5 three frees, one '45'), C McSweeney, R O'Connell. Subs - L Walsh for O'Connell 44 mins, C Farrell for Tallon 50m, N Concannon for Breen 54m. Referee - Richard McNicholas (Galway).