O'Halloran and Meath make light work of Carlow

Gary Cole and Tom Moloney's side made it two from two in the All Ireland Intermediate Championship with a win over Carlow in Rathmolyon

Meath 3-18

Carlow 1-12

Meath put in a massive performance and made a huge statement in the All Ireland Intermediate Championship when defeating Carlow comfortably in Rathmolyon on Saturday afternoon. The full forward line and in particular Olivia O'Halloran stole the show. O'Halloran, Ciara Foley, and Grace Coleman contributed a combined tally of 3-14 with the Kiltale woman securing a personal tally of 0-9 all from play.

Ciara Foley got Meath's tally underway. Eleanor Treacy responded for Carlow with a well-taken 45. However, Erin Leddy restored Meath’s early lead and Olivia O Halloran extended the early gap to two. Soon after O'Halloran got her second as she and Meath had made a bright start to the contest.

Katie Connolly did well to secure possession close to the dugout before setting up O'Halloran for her third. Eleanor Treacy settled the ship for Carlow with a free from distance. Treacy then secured a second 45 to reduce the gap back to two.

O'Halloran who was on fire in front of the posts brought Meath’s tally to 0-6 after 20 minutes. O'Halloran was really causing Carlow a lot of issues and added another to her tally soon after.

Ciara Kavanagh secured Carlow’s first score from play before Eleanor Treacy scored two frees in quick succession to leave a single score in the contest with minutes left in the first half.

O'Halloran brought her first-half tally to 0-6 to leave two points between the sides at the half-time whistle. Meath went in at the break with a 0-8 to 0-6 lead.

Meath started the second-half with intent. O'Halloran picked up where she left off in the opening half with another score. A defining moment came when Ciara Foley was played through and she duly obliged by burying the ball to the back of the Carlow net.

Katie Connolly tapped another one over for Meath and within minutes Meath had extended their lead from two to seven points. Grace Coleman individually finished off the match from a competitive standing by winning possession high up in the Carlow half and polishing the sliotar to the net.

Coleman followed that up with another point soon after to leave 11 points between the sides with 20 minutes left on the clock. Amy Gaffney extended the lead to 12 before that woman again O'Halloran notched another score onto her tally.

Treacy pulled one back for Carlow but Meath rattled off three points in quick succession courtesy of Gaffney, Coleman, and Aoife Carey.

Ciara Foley and Aibha Kiernan traded scores. Caoimhe Coady improved the look on the scoreboard with a fantastic goal to the top corner from distance. Coady then added a point to bring her total to 1-1.

Ciara Foley again found a way through the Carlow defence and her attempt came rattling off the crossbar, however, Coleman was alert and she secured the rebound and finished to the net.

Carlow secured the last two points of the game with consolation scores courtesy of Anna Murphy and Coady. In the end, though Meath ran out comfortable winners. Meath have a week off next weekend and then comes a clash with Dublin which commences a hectic run of games for the Royals.

SCORERS

Meath – Olivia O’Halloran 0-9; Grace Coleman 2-2; Ciara Foley 1-2 one free; Amy Gaffney 0-2; Katie Connolly 0-1; Aoife Carey 0-1; Erin Leddy 0-1.

Carlow – Eleanor Treacy 0-7 four frees, two 45’s; Caoimhe Coady 1-2; Aibha Kiernan 0-1; Ciara Kavanagh 0-1; Anna Murphy 0-1.

Meath - Maggie Randle; Sophia Payne, Aine McNerney, Tracey King; Leah Devine, Maeve Clince, Ellen Burke; Erin Leddy, Aoife Carey; Amy Gaffney, Katie Connolly, Aoibhinn Lally; Olivia O'Halloran, Ciara Foley, Grace Coleman. Subs – Grace Connolly for Carey 45m, Rachel Moran for Leddy 55m, Roisin Heaney for Lally 55m, Eimear Fagan for Burke 59m.

Carlow- Catherine Kavanagh; Niamh Canavan, Rachel Breen, Gillian Doyle; Mairead O' Shea, Niamh Minchin, Anna Breen; Caoimhe Coady, Eleanor Treacy; Eve Sinnott, Aibha Kiernan, Michaela Donoghue; Ciara Kavanagh, Caoimhe Jordan, Holly Wall. Subs – Clodagh Lawlor for Jordan 30m, Rebecca Kelly for A Breen HT, Anna Murphy for Wall 51m, Shauna Sweeney for Sinnott 51m, Emma Lillis for Minchin 51m.

Ref Ciaran Goff (Wicklow)