Meath…2-12

Mayo…1-09

A blitzkrieg at the start of the second half which saw Meath register 2-5 without riposte set them on their way to another Final date in Croke Park. This time it will be Donegal providing the opposition in the Lidl Ladies NFL Div. 1 decider on April 10th.

Eamonn Murray’s side trailed by 0-04 to 0-07 at the midway point, with Emma Duggan and Stacey Grimes among those raising white flags. But the Brendan Martin Cup holders won’t have been too perturbed given that Michael Moyles’ Mayo had operated with the stiff wind at their backs in the first half in Clones.

Right from the off of the second half, the Kepak clad ladies were more focussed, direct and deadly accurate as the posted the aforementioned salvo with the returning Kelsey Nesbitt and midfielder Orlagh Lally prompting the hoisting of green flags. The latter coming at the end of a fine team move and superb ball from Vikki Wall.

To their credit, the Connacht county fought back thanks to a Lisa Cafferkey goal. Indeed, it was at that point they had their best spell in the game but thanks to resolute defending from Katie Newe and Mary-Kate Lynch, coupled with industrious effort further outfield from Maire O’Shaughnessy, Lally and Megan Thynne, the leaders held firm and a brace of late points meant the bus for Croker could be booked once more.

Meath – M McGuirk; K Newe, MK Lynch, K Nesbitt; A Ennis, E Troy, A Cleary; M O’Shaughnessy, O Lally; M Thynne, A Leahy, E Duggan; V Wall, S Grimes, N O’Sullivan. Subs – E White for O’Sullivan, N Gallogly for Nesbitt both 50mins, B Lynch for Grimes 58m, O Duff for MK Lynch 58m.