Sharp Offaly comfortably end Meath's Camogie season

Gary Cole and Tom Moloney's side suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of the faithful - Tom Gannon reports

Offaly 5-18

Meath 3-6

Meath Camogie’s season drew to a close after they were soundly beaten by Offaly in Semple Stadium in the quarter-final of the Intermediate Camogie championship. Gary Cole and Tom Moloney’s charges were the last Meath adult side still competing in a 2024 championship.

It was a disappointing exit for the Royal girls who showed great promise at various stages during their intermediate campaign. On the day though they bumped into a sharp Offaly side who are still in the hunt for a return to the senior grade having been relegated 12 months ago.

Meath got off to a terrible start in the contest and after 20 minutes they trailed 2-8 to 1-1. Meath only managed one more score in the opening 30 minutes and they went in at half-time trailing by 12 points.

To their credit, Meath battled hard in the third quarter and the Connolly twins, Grace and Katie made significant impacts when they were introduced. Offaly proved to be the much stronger of the two sides throughout though and three second-half goals secured the faithful county a spot in the semi-final.

Meath struggled to get any momentum in the early exchanges as Offaly raced into a 1-5 to no score lead. Clodagh Leahy rattled off three early frees but the early sucker blow for Meath was delivered when Becky Bryant found the back of Maggie Randle’s net.

Ciara Foley got Meath’s tally underway with a free in the 11th minute. Meath was given hope when Olivia O’Halloran put through Amy Gaffney and the Ratoath woman skint the Offaly full-back before slotting it past Leah Gallagher to leave five between the sides. Sadly for the Meath supporters that was as close as the Royals got to Offaly on the scoreboard.

Offaly responded to Gaffney’s goal with two points in quick succession courtesy of Bryant and Leahy. Joint captain Grace Teehan then started to cause Meath’s defence a lot of issues. Teehan brushed aside Aine McNerney before finishing the sliotar brilliantly to the net to give Offaly a second goal.

Teehan brought her tally to 1-4 with two more scores either side of a fantastic individual score for midfielder Leahy.

Meath’s only other score of the half came in the 29th minute when Foley found O’Halloran with a pass across the Offaly goalmouth and the Kiltale woman finished off the move to give Meath their second goal.

Offaly put themselves further ahead early in the second-half when Ellen Regan played Becky Bryant through as the Tullamore woman found the net for her second and Offaly’s third green flag.

Meath then commenced their best spell of the contest and over the next 15 minutes outscored Offaly 1-4 to 0-2. The goal came in the 35th minute when Amy Gaffney turned on the burners and slid her way by three Offaly defenders before finishing to the back of the net.

Gaffney’s goal was followed by well-taken scores courtesy of the Connolly twins, Grace and Katie. The pair had injected some life into the Meath attack and were linking up well together.

Normal service resumed for Offaly though on the 46th minute. Mairead Jenning’s attempt at a point dropped short and dipped under the crossbar for Offaly’s fourth goal.

Meath would only manage to score two more points in the final 10 minutes. Sub Grace Coleman sent one flying over before Aoife Carey secured a free. Offaly would score another 1-4 in the final five minutes to finish the clash off with a flourish.

SCORERS

Offaly – Grace Teehan 1-5; Clodagh Leahy 0-8 six frees; Becky Bryant 2-2; Mairead Jennings 1-2 one free; Grainne Kennedy 1-1.

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

TEAMS

Offaly – Leah Gallagher; Sharon Shanahan, Cathy Fogerty, Orla Gorman, Orlagh Phelan, Ellen Regan, Alana Roddy; Faye Mulrooney, Clodagh Leahy, Grace Teehan, Ciara Ryan, Fianait Dooley; Mairead Jennings, Aine O’Connor, Becky Bryant. Subs – Grainne Kennedy for Ryan 41m, Kaitlyn Kennedy for O’Connor 46m, Leah Gath for Mulrooney 53m, Lizzie Harding for Regan 55m, Hannah Feenane for Jennings 57m.

Meath – Maggie Randle; Sophia Payne, Claire Coffey, Rachel O’Neil; Leah Devine, Maeve Clince, Aine McNerney; Erin Leddy, Tracey King; Aoibhinn Lally, Amy Gaffney, Aoife Carey; Olivia O’Halloran, Ciara Foley, Ellen Burke. Subs – Grace Connolly for King 31m, Grace Coleman for Lally HT, Katie Connolly for McNerney HT, Rachel Moran for Leddy 39m, Ella O’Brien for Foley 53m.

Referee – Mike Ryan (Tipperary).