Kerry are out of the TG4 Ladies All Ireland Senior Football Championship.
In the last four they fell to Meath by 2-12 to 1-9 in the last four at Glenisk O’Connor Park, Tullamore.
Kerry v Meath in the TG4 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Semi-Final at Glenisk O’Connor Park, Tullamore. Photo: David Corkey/Radio Kerry SportKerry manager Mark Bourke
Meath forward Vikki Wall
Meath manager Shane McCormack
By Daire Walsh..........
Kerrie Cole and Sarah Wall struck goals in either half as Meath booked a return to the final for the first time since 2022.
Kerry v Meath in the TG4 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Semi-Final at Glenisk O’Connor Park, Tullamore. Photo: David Corkey/Radio Kerry SportAlthough their opponents raced two points clear in the early moments with unanswered efforts from Siofra O’Shea (free) and Anna Galvin, a Meath side that were buoyed by an excellent knockout triumph at home to Tipperary 13 days earlier subsequently edged in front with three scores on the bounce from Marion Farrelly, Emma Duggan and Ciara Smyth.
Kerry v Meath in the TG4 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Semi-Final at Glenisk O’Connor Park, Tullamore. Photo: David Corkey/Radio Kerry SportWhile a fine point from play by O’Shea had Kerry back on level terms, Meath rocked their Munster rivals on 18 minutes when Cole cut in from the right and smashed an unstoppable shot into the opposition net via the underside off the crossbar.
After Duggan converted a close-range Meath free, Niamh Ní Chonchúir chipped in with a much-needed brace for a Kerry side that spurned a number of scoring opportunities in the opening period. Traded points between Farrelly and O’Shea ensured the Royals brought a 1-5 to 0-6 cushion into the interval, but the Kingdom turned the game on its head when Rathmore attacker Danielle O’Leary bagged a superb goal within two minutes of the resumption.
Kerry v Meath in the TG4 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Semi-Final at Glenisk O’Connor Park, Tullamore. Photo: David Corkey/Radio Kerry SportHowever, Meath didn’t panic and they squeezed back into the ascendancy with points from Duggan and Aoibhin Cleary. Although O’Shea and Caoimhe Evans split the uprights for Kerry in a tense third-quarter, these scores arrived either side of an expertly-taken Meath goal by marauding defender Sarah Wall — whose sister Vikki got through a lot of hard work for the Royals — after 40 minutes.
Kerry v Meath in the TG4 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Semi-Final at Glenisk O’Connor Park, Tullamore. Photo: David Corkey/Radio Kerry SportSmyth and influential Kerry ace O’Shea added further points for their respective outfits as the second half progressed, but Meath were on the brink of victory when former team captain Shauna Ennis and current skipper Cleary registered quickfire scores to leave their side four ahead inside the closing 10 minutes.
Kerry v Meath in the TG4 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Semi-Final at Glenisk O’Connor Park, Tullamore. Photo: David Corkey/Radio Kerry SportThe influential Duggan added a two-point salvo as the final whistle approached to make sure Kerry were kept at bay and the Royals — Brendan Martin Cup champions in 2021 and 2022 — can now look forward to a showpiece affair against the winners of today’s other semi-final between Dublin and Galway at Croke Park on August 3.
Kerry v Meath in the TG4 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Semi-Final at Glenisk O’Connor Park, Tullamore. Photo: David Corkey/Radio Kerry Sport
Kerry v Meath in the TG4 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Semi-Final at Glenisk O’Connor Park, Tullamore. Photo: David Corkey/Radio Kerry Sport
Kerry v Meath in the TG4 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Semi-Final at Glenisk O’Connor Park, Tullamore. Photo: David Corkey/Radio Kerry SportScorers – Meath: E Duggan 0-5 (4f), S Wall, K Cole 1-0 each, A Cleary, M Farrelly, C Smyth 0-2 each, S Ennis 0-1.
Kerry: S O’Shea 0-5 (4f), D O’Leary 1-0, N Ní Chonchúir 0-2, A Galvin, C Evans 0-1 each.
MEATH: R Murray; A Sheridan, MK Lynch, K Newe; A Cleary, S Wall, K Kealy; O Sheehy, M Farrelly; M Thynne, N Gallogly, C Smyth; E Duggan, V Wall, K Cole. Subs: S Ennis for Newe (32), K Bermingham for Sheehy (40), N McEntee for Cole (57).
KERRY: ME Bolger; E Lynch, D Kearney, C Lynch; A O’Connell, E Costello, A Dillane; M O’Connell, A Galvin; N Carmody, N Ní Chonchúir, C Evans; J Lucey, S O’Shea, D O’Leary. Subs: R Dwyer for Lucey (37), R Rahilly for Kearney (39), K Enright for Galvin (50), F O’Donoghue for O’Connell (52), N Quinn for Dillane (53).
Referee: Maggie Farrelly (Cavan).
