Wonder Wall goal inspires Meath to semi-final victory
When Vikki Wall blasted one of the finest goals likely to be seen at Nowlan Park it emphatically deflated the Roscommon bubble as Meath marched on to a second successive Ladies All-Ireland IFC final with a comprehensive 4-20 to 1-12 victory this afternoon.
Wall's goal was Meath's second in a 12 minute spell that saw the Royals extend their three-point lead to 4-11 to 1-8 and put an end to a Roscommon challenge that threatened at times to explode before being excellently quelled by Eamonn Murray's charges.
In the final 25 minutes Meath outscored Roscommon by 2-12 to 0-4 as they used their second-half wind advantage to good effect to set up a final clash with Tipperary in Croke Park on Sunday 15th September.
Despite playing into the teeth of a strong wind Meath opened the scoring in the third minute as Vikki Wall capitalised on a poor clearance.
Roscommon did cause the Meath full-back line problems throughout the opening half and they squandered a goal chance a minute later when Jenny Higgins shot straight at Monica McGuirk.
Rebecca Finan did restore parity from a free in the seventh minute, but Meath continued to create the more clearcut chances with Orla Byrne blazing a brilliant goal chance wide before she edged Meath ahead again with a fine point.
Emma Duggan doubled Meath's lead in the 10th minute and seconds later an excellent sweeping move involving Aoibhin Cleary, Byrne and Duggan ended with Fiona O'Neill sweeping the ball to the net to make it 1-3 to 0-1.
Roscommon's second score came from another free from Finan, but they continued to cause Meath problems before O'Neill combined with Duggan to stretch Meath's lead to 1-4 to 0-2.
Finan and Higgins closed the gap to a goal early in the second quarter, but another Duggan point, her first from a free, pushed Meath 1-5 to 0-4 ahead. However they couldn't shake off Roscommon and after Finan narrowed the gap it was Aimee O'Connor who found the net to make it 1-5 each.
Instead of being rocked by that setback Meath replied impressively with Vikki Wall picking out O'Neill with a superb pass and she lofted over.
Duggan added another point from a free after Kelsey Nesbitt was fouled and in the 26th minute another outstanding move involving Vikki Wall, Bridgetta Lynch and Nesbitt released Byrne for a fine goal.
Byrne brought her tally to 1-2 with a point before Finan closed the gap with a free to close Meath's half-time lead to 2-8 to 1-6.
Roscommon burst from the traps with a point from Laura Fleming inside 23 seconds and then Finan made it 1-8 to 2-8 to suggest Meath would have to dig deep if they were hold on – and dig deep they did.
Two minutes after seeing their lead cut to three points Duggan looked to be fouled before Helena Cummins saved her shot, the referee waved play on, but when the ball fell to Bridgetta Lynch and the Oldcastle girl was upended referee Stephen McNulty consulted with his umpires before awarding the clearcut penalty.
Duggan dusted herself down and brilliantly converted from the penalty spot and even though Meath lost Orlaith Duff for 10 minutes due to a harsh yellow card they kicked on with Duggan firing over two more points before Wall blasted her wonder goal.
The remainder was academic as Meath asserted their authority. Sinead Glennon, Higgins, Natalie McHugh and Finan (free) sporadically interrupted the Meath dominance with scores, but the Royals scored at will for the remainder.
O'Neill (two), Emma White (two), Nesbitt (two), Megan Thynne, Vikki Wall, Orla Byrne and Kate Byrne all added to Meath's tally to secure their comfortable passage.
SCORERS
Meath – Emma Duggan 1-5 two frees 1-0 penalty; Fiona O'Neill 1-4; Orla Byrne 1-3; Vikki Wall 1-2; Kelsey Nesbitt 0-2; Emma White 0-2; Megan Thynne 0-1; Kate Byrne 0-1.
Roscommon – Rebecca Finan 0-7 four frees; Aimee O'Connor 1-0; Jenny Higgins 0-2; Laura Fleming 0-1; Sinead Glennon 0-1; Natalie McHugh 0-1.
TEAMS
Meath - Monica McGuirk; Katie Newe, Sarah Powderly, Orlaith Duff; Aoibhin Cleary, Shauna Ennis, Megan Thynne; Maire O’Shaughnessy, Sarah Wall; Fiona O'Neill, Emma Duggan, Orla Byrne; Bridgetta Lynch, Kelsey Nesbitt, Vikki Wall. Subs – Emma White for Lynch 50 mins, Megan O'Brien for S Wall 54m, Kate Byrne for O'Shaughnessy 60m, Shelly Melia for O'Neill, Aoibheann Leahy for Duggan both 62m.
Roscommon - Helena Cummins; Honor Ennis, Amanda McLoone, Niamh Feeney; Joanne Cregg, Alice Kelly, Sorcha Bruen; Sinead Kenny, Laura Fleming; Siobhan Tully, Roisin Wynne, Natalie McHugh; Rebecca Finan, Aimee O’Connor, Jenny Higgins. Subs – Megan Kelly for Feeney 38 mins, Sinead Glennon for O'Connor, Rachel Brady for Cregg both 46m, Katie Daly for Fleming 55m, Rachel Fitzmaurice for Tully 56m,
Referee – Stephen McNulty (Wicklow).