No Royal reprieve in replay

Devastating Derry destroy Meath's All-Ireland ambitions

When time affords the opportunity to reflect on today's All-Ireland Intermediate Camogie final replay in Clones Meath will lament missed chances and a few decisions that went against them, but in reality Derry were the better team and deserved to lift the Jack McGrath Cup with a 1-17 to 1-9 victory..

Meath did have a couple of goal chances in the opening half, but couldn't get off clean strikes such was the tenacity and determination of the Derry defence.

There were a couple of Derry scores, one in either half, that looked to have sailed narrowly wide, but the umpires made their calls and signalled them good.

However, the one call that Meath can feel most aggrieved about came just five minutes after they had got themselves back into the game with Aoife Minogue's penalty goal in the 48th minute.

That goal and Sonia Leonard's subsequent point closed the deficit to 1-8 to 0-12. Derry responded impressively with points from Mary Hegarty and a disputed score from Aoife Shaw to restore a three-point lead, but then came the hammer blow.

As Minogue was on the attack for Meath, she was deemed to have caught the ball twice, but she clearly hadn't and despite protests from players and managers referee Liz Dempsey awarded a free in to Derry.

The Ulster side took full advantage with Aine McAllister's floated free gathered by Shannon O'Connor and she finished brilliantly to the net. That made it 1-15 to 1-8 and despite giving their all for the remainder Meath's dream was over.

Even though Lady Luck deserted Meath, and some big calls went against them, they can have few complaints. Derry were the better team on the day, but if they had a little more rub of the green who knows what might have happened.

The tone of the pulsating opening half was set in the early seconds as both sides went at it full pelt with no quarter asked or given.

The lead changed hands on several occasions with Aoife Minogue giving Meath a dream start with an early settling point from a 42-metre free inside 90 seconds.

However, despite playing against the breeze into the town end Derry took control and pulled clear.

Their opening score came in the fourth minute as Meath failed to retain possession from a sideline and Mairead McNicholl lofted over.

After five minutes of stalemate Derry took the lead for the first time when Meath were harshly adjudged to have thrown the ball coming out from defence and Aoife Shaw opened her account from the free.

Less than two minutes later Derry doubled that advantage when Shaw converted a '45' after Meath had to scramble the ball away from danger.

Meath did create a couple of half goal chances, but missed strikes and poor pulls let Derry off the hook while superb defence from Leah Lennon and Aoife Ni Chaiside also kept their goal intact.

Minogue ended Meath's 10 minute barren spell with a huge free from a difficult angle over 60 metres out and from the resultant poor puck out Emma O'Connell took advantage to restore parity, 0-3 each, after 12 minutes.

Minogue landed another free to restore Meath's advantage and they looked in a strong position when Abbye Donnelly set up Amy Gaffney for a fine score to make it 0-5 to 0-3.

However, Meath then endured another 10 minute spell without a score as Derry turned the two-point deficit into a two-point lead.

Eimear McGuigan got the ball rolling when she pounced on Tara Murphy's batted clearance and 30 seconds later the Ulster side were level with Dervla O'Kane on target.

There was a moment of concern for Murphy in the 21st minute when she dropped Mary Hegarty's speculative shot from distance, but the ball hit the post. However in her effort to clear the danger Leah Devine over-carried. From the resultant free Shaw's effort was narrowly wide, but bizarrely the umpires gave the score after a delay and while the referee did question that call she went with the men in white and Derry were ahead.

Shaw's first from play made it 0-7 to 0-5 before Minogue broke that Meath barren spell again.

However, in first-half injury-time Derry finished strong with Hegarty and Shaw (free) ensuring a 0-9 to 0-6 interval advantage.

Just as they did in the original fixture in Croke Park six days earlier Derry stretched their lead within seconds of the restart when McGuigan pointed.

Minogue ended another lengthy barren spell with a free, a first score in 16 minutes, but Derry were on top and added points from a '45' from Shaw and a superb score from McNicholl which led to celebrations from the Derry management.

Those celebrations were a little premature as Minogue had a 20-metre free saved on the line before she converted the penalty after Donnelly was fouled.

Leonard's follow up point made it 1-8 to 0-12, but then a little bit of luck ensured Derry got over the line, and you win nothing without luck.

Hegarty and Shaw's points were followed by O'Connor's controversial goal and even though Grace Coleman tapped over a late free for Meath the 14 minute barren spell before that allowed Derry breathe and they sealed the win with three late scores from McAllister.

SCORERS

Derry - Aoife Shaw 0-7 three frees, two '45s'; Shannon O'Connor 1-0; Aine McAllister 0-3 two frees; Mairead McNicholl 0-2; Eimear McGuigan 0-2; Mary Hegarty 0-2; Dervla O'Kane 0-1.

Meath - Aoife Minogue 1-5 four frees, 1-0 penalty; Amy Gaffney 0-1; Emma O'Connell 0-1; Sonia Leonard 0-1; Grace Coleman 0-1 free.

TEAMS

Derry - Niamh Gribbin; Niamh Quinn, Leah Lennon, Sinead McGill; Rachel Downey, Aoife Ni Chaiside, Lauren McKenna; Dervla O'Kane, Aine McGill; Mairead McNicholl, Aine McAllister, Eimear McGuigan; Aoife Shaw, Rachel McAllister, Mary Hegarty. Subs - Shannon O'Connor for McGill 26 mins, Orlaith Hull for Hegarty 60m, Eimear McCloskey for McKenna, Bronagh McCullagh for Shaw both 64m.

Meath - Tara Murphy; Rachel O'Neill, Claire Coffey, Sophia Payne; Tracy King, Maeve Clince, Leah Devine; Aoibhin Lally, Aoife Minogue; Amy Gaffney, Abbye Donnelly, Olivia O'Halloran; Ciara Foley, Emma O'Connell, Ellen Burke. Subs - Sonia Leonard for Lally half-time, Grace Connolly for O'Halloran 42 mins, Grace Coleman for Donnelly 57m, Ella O'Brien for Gaffney 60m.

Referee - Liz Dempsey (Kilkenny).