Meath advance despite injury scares

Despite losing Emma Duggan and Orlaith Duff to head injuries Meath survived a late storm to overcome Wexford by 4-15 to 3-14 and book their place in the Ladies All-Ireland IFC semi-finals following a thrilling quarter-final at Crettyard on Sunday.
Playing into a strong wind Wexford carried the ball effectively early on and caused Meath plenty of problems as they led 0-2 to 0-0 after four minutes. However Meath never panicked with Duggan bagging two goals to give her side a narrow 2-4 to 0-9 advantage in the 22nd minute.
Five minutes later Duggan grabbed her hat-trick, but it came at a cost as she bravely followed up her missed penalty and as she bundled the ball over the line she collided with the frame of the goal and had to be taken off.

Emma Duggan scored a hat-trick in 29 minutes before being forced off after colliding with the goal post in the act of claiming her third goal

That goal boosted Meath to a 3-7 to 0-11 interval lead and Eamonn Murray's side stretched that lead to 4-11 to 1-11 as Fiona O'Neill and Aisling Murphy traded scores.
However almost immediately after O'Neill's goal play was held up for close to an hour after Meath defender Orlaith Duff landed awkwardly on her neck following a clash of heads. An ambulance was summoned and Duff was taken to hospital where she was later released without any serious injury.

Orlaith Duff is looked after by Hayley Clarke and Caitriona O'Shaughnessy while waiting for the ambulance to arrive.

When play eventually resumed the heavens opened and asthe rain lashed down Wexford clawed their way back into contention with a deflected goal from Sarah Harding-Kenny and a penalty from Amy Wilson which made it 3-12 to 4-14 with six minutes remaining.
The impressive Vikki Wall steadied Meath and try as they might Wexford couldn't find a way past the inspiration Monica McGuirk again as the Royals held on to set up a semi-final clash with Roscommon in Nowlan Park Kilkenny on Saturday 17th August.

Full match report and reaction from manager Eamonn Murray in Tuesday's Meath Chronicle.