Meath 1-13

Waterford 1-8

Tomás McCarthy reports from Dungarvan

JENNY RISPIN MADE a winning start to her reign as Meath ladies football manager on a day of sunshine and showers in Dungarvan as the reigning TG4 All-Ireland champions did enough to carve out victory.

The Royals earned the result as sit-down protests continued around the country.  Members of the Meath and Waterford squads lined up together and then sat down to demonstrate the frustrations of senior Ladies Football and camogie squads. Teams have been carrying out protest at matches throughout the weekend to protest the need for minimum standers to be enshrined in a player charter for the 2024 season.

All Star forward Emma Duggan fired 1-4, including a late goal, as the Royals advanced to the TG4 All-Ireland SFC quarter-finals. Orlagh Lally landed four points from play for the visitors while Niamh Gallogly got two.

The @meathladiesMLGF & @WaterfordLGFA seniors stand #UnitedForEquality and then sit in protest. Players need minimum standers enshrined in a player charter for 2024.@LadiesFootball @OfficialCamogie @officialgaa
Video courtesy of @SportTG4 pic.twitter.com/nqA6SYFNVo

— GPA (@gaelicplayers) June 25, 2023

Waterford sharpshooter Lauren McGregor grabbed 1-4 as Pat Sullivan’s side now enter a relegation battle. McGregor has shot nine goals this year across league and championship.

Bríd McMaugh opened the scoring after five minutes for the hosts. Wind assisted Meath took control as Niamh Gallogly, Orlagh Lally and Stacey Grimes opened up a 4-1 lead. The visitors were also guilty of seven first half wides.

The pre-match sunshine quickly turned to thunder and lightning. Despite the inclement weather, McMaugh fisted over on 24 minutes for Waterford after a driving run from Annie Fitzgerald. All Star attacker Emma Duggan was tightly marked but she eventually popped over her first point of the afternoon. Lally landed her third to make it 7-2 approaching the break. Just before the half-time hooter, Waterford were awarded a close range free and Lauren McGregor converted.

Kate McGrath narrowed the gap to three 70 seconds into the second period. Niamh O’Sullivan and Duggan split the posts at the other end. McGregor nailed a free for the hosts before Kellyann Hogan fired over a point from 40 metres (0-9 to 0-6).

That was as close as Waterford got. Duggan dispatched two frees before Meadhbh Byrne raised a white flag. McGregor got two frees to bring her total to four.

A late Orlagh Lally point wrapped up victory for Rispin’s Royals. With two minutes left, Meath sub Ali Sherlock set up Duggan who slotted the ball into the corner of the Waterford net. Just before the full time hooter, McGregor rifled the ball to the top corner. Her ninth goal of the season, she has scored 9-18 in 2023 for the Déise.

Scorers for Meath: E Duggan 1-4 (2fs), O Lally 0-4, N Gallogly 0-2, S Grimes (f), M Byrne, N O’Sullivan 0-1 each.

Scorers for Waterford: L McGregor 1-4 (4fs), B McMaugh 0-2, Kate McGrath, K Hogan 0-1 each.

Meath: M McGuirk; A Sheridan, MK Lynch, K Newe; M Thynne, S Ennis, N Gallogly; M O’Shaughnessy, V Wall; M Byrne, E Duggan, O Lally; N O’Sullivan, A Minogue, S Grimes. Subs: S Melia for O’Shaughnessy (51), C Smyth for Grimes (51), A Sherlock for Byrne (57), O Gore for O’Sullivan (58).

Waterford: E O’Brien; C Murray, L Mulcahy, A Murray; A Waring, Karen McGrath, E Murray; B McMaugh, E Power; A O’Neill, A Fitzgerald, K Hogan; K Murray, L McGregor, Kate McGrath. Subs: H Power for Waring (39), C Hynes for C Murray (56), C McCarthy for McMaugh (57).

Additional reporting by Sinéad Farrell

Written by Tomás McCarthy and posted on the42.ie

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