Comfortable win for Dublin eases relegation concerns

Goals in the first quarter from Caoimhe O'Connor and Carla Rowe set the tone as Dublin comfortably accounted for neighbours Meath by 16 points in their Lidl National Football League Division 1 Round 5 encounter at Parnell Park.

The victory helped ease any relegation concerns after an inconsistent start to the year for Dublin while Meath’s ambitions of a final berth look precarious, coming on the back of last week’s defeat to Kildare.

The hosts didn’t take too long in opening their account as late replacement Rebecca McDonnell popped over in the first minute with Meath terribly unfortunate not to net soon after as Ciara Smyth’s low shot cannoned to safety off Abby Shiels’ upright.

While Niamh Hetherton spurned a glorious chance at the opposite end in the third minute, Dublin looked lively in attack throughout as they added to their tally through a brace of Rowe frees and a Niamh Sullivan point.

Kerrie Cole provided an isolated moment of encouragement for the visitors through a fifth-minute score, but their task grew even tougher as O’Connor fired past the exposed Robyn Murray from close range five minutes later.

Matters deteriorated for Meath within three minutes as Sullivan and Rowe combined for the latter to punch home clinically beyond Murray, opening up an eleven-point lead by the end of a one-sided first quarter.

While Dublin’s scoring rate dropped for the remainder of the half, points from Hetherton and Rowe ensured they entered the break with a dominant 2-8 to 0-2 lead.

Meath required a strong start to the second-half and it duly arrived through a brace of points in quick succession from Marion Farrelly and an Emma Duggan free.

However, from isolated possession, the hosts managed to add to their tally through the influential Éilish O’Dowd and substitute Hannah Tyrrell as they looked to extinguish any prospect of an unlikely Meath comeback.

Hannah Tyrrell made her first appearance in this campaign and managed a 42nd-minute point

Tyrrell’s first appearance of the campaign was another boost for Dublin, as she popped over a second point in the 42nd minute with an O’Connor score leaving Dublin thirteen points to the good.

While Duggan clipped over two frees at the opposite end to start the final quarter, the hosts never looked in any danger as they pulled away by the final whistle courtesy of points from Tyrrell, O’Dowd, Chloe Darby and Sophie McIntyre.

DUBLIN: A Shiels; J Tobin, L Caffrey, A Kane; H McGinnis, M Byrne, N Donlon; É O'Dowd (0-02), G Kós; C O’Connor (1-01), N Hetherton (0-01), A Curran; K Sullivan (0-02), C Rowe (1-05, 4f), R McDonnell (0-01).

Subs: S McIntyre (0-01) for Curran (23'), H Tyrrell (1-01) for McDonnell (33'), C Darby (0-02, 1f) for Rowe (42'), A Nyhan for Donlon (57'), A Timothy for Hetherton (57'), C Kirwan for O’Connor (57'), S Birnie for Kane (58').

MEATH: R Murray; N Troy, S Wall, A Sheridan; N Gallogly, M Lynch, C Millington; V Wall (0-01), K Bermingham; M Thynne, C Smyth (0-01), E Duggan (0-04, 4f); M Byrne, M Farrelly (0-02), K Cole (0-01).

Subs: M O’Shaughnessy for Bermingham (ht)), O Sheehy for Byrne (ht), E Moyles for O’Shaughnessy (38'), O Smith for Millington (47'), M Collins for Farrelly (53').

Referee: Maggie Farrelly (Cavan).

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