Dublin blitz Meath with 20-point win in Leinster final dress rehearsal

Carla Rowe scored 1-2 to help Dublin to victory file photo .

Meath 0-8

DUBLIN SECURED THEIR third win in the TG4 Leinster SFC when they accounted for Meath in glorious sunshine in Parnell Park this afternoon.

Four first-half goals paved the way for victory in what was a dress rehearsal of sorts ahead of the two teams meeting again next Sunday in the provincial final in Croke Park.

Nicole Owens (2), Carla Rowe, Jennifer Dunne and Caoimhe O’Connor all found the net for Mick Bohan’s team against a Meath side who rested some of their more seasoned players ahead of next week’s final.

Owens hit the net on four minutes for the first of Dublin’s four first-half goals, and and the ball was in the back of the Meath net again two minutes later, Rowe this time the one to convert after a brilliant exchange with Annabelle Timothy.

Dublin could have been even further ahead when Sinéad Goldrick’s effort rebounded off the Meath crossbar and was parried away to safety by goalkeeper Robyn Murray.

Advertisement

Orlagh Nolan too had a chance to add to Dublin’s goal tally, but it was fumbled away by Murray who played well under pressure.

Dublin landed their third goal when the Sky Blues again created the overlap and a ball from Rowe found Jennifer Dunne who dutifully finished with aplomb.

Meath were caught on the overlap once more on twenty-six minutes as Caoimhe O’Connor got her name on the scoresheet, firing to the net to give the Dubs a comfortable 4-8 to 0-5 lead at the break.

The second half was a quieter affair with Owens adding Dublin’s fifth goal on 42 minutes. A miskicked kick-out landed in St Sylvester’s player’s arms and she tapped home to an empty net.

Dublin finished strongly with Hannah Hegarty, Dunne and Ellen Gribben all scoring to seal their third win in the Championship.

The sides will meet again next Sunday in the TG4 Leinster championship final at 11.45am in Croke Park.

Scorers for Dublin: N Owens 2-1, C Rowe 1-2, J Dunne 1-2, S Goldrick 0-3, C O’Connor 1-0, H Tyrrell 0-2 (1f), O Nolan 0-1, E Gribben 0-1, H Hegarty 0-1.

Scorers for Meath: M Byrne 0-2, S Lynch 0-2, O Mallon 0-2 (2f), K Cole 0-1, A O’Leary 0-1.

DUBLIN: R Fleming, K Murray, M Byrne, N Crowley, H McGinnis, S Goldrick, A Kane, J Dunne, L Magee, C O’Connor, O Nolan, C Rowe (C), A Timothy, H Tyrrell, N Owens.

Subs: L Caffrey for Magee (HT), E Gribben for Murray (HT), C Coffey for Timothy (42), H Hegarty for Goldrick (50), A Shiels for Fleming (50).

MEATH: R Murray, C Lawlor, O Gore, K Kealy, T Foster, I O’Connor, K Newe (C), A McCabe, R Casserly, M Byrne, S Lynch, O Mallon, M Collins, K Cole, A Leahy.

Subs: S Caulfield for Newe (HT), C Doherty for Casserly (34), C Gorman for Collins (34), E McCann for O’Connor (39), A O’Leary for Cole (39).

Referee: Eoghan O’Neill (Laois).