Kerry 0-16
Meath 0-8

Dan Kearney reports from Austin Stack Park

KERRY CRUISED to an impressive double scores win over Meath to reach the TG4 All-Ireland semi-final at windy Austin Stack Park in Tralee.

The winners had too much firepower in an accomplished performance that saw eight different players get on the scoresheet with Kerry outscoring the visitors by 0-12 to 0-3 in a superb second half.

Playing into the breeze in the first half, it was Kerry that took the game to Meath and registered the first score of the game from the boot of midfielder Mary O’Connell in the third minute.

Meath attacked but Emma Duggan’s free came off the crossbar and Megan Thynne shot wide straight after. Kerry were less wasteful at the other end though and Danielle O’Leary slotted over to put them two ahead.

Niamh Ní Chonchúir was fouled in the 12th minute and Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh made no mistake from 25 metres to push Kerry three ahead but two minutes later Marion Farrelly, Meath’s most effective performer in the opening half, shot a fine individual score.

Ciara Smith shot over for the Royals a minute later, and they were really starting to grow into the game now with Farrelly forcing Kerry goalkeeper Ciara Butler into an outstanding save at the expense of a point, to level matters at 0-3 apiece.

Corner back Ciara Murphy popped over a neat point for Kerry in the 20th minute to push them a point ahead but once again it was Farrelly on the mark for Meath in the 23rd minute to level the game at 0-4 each.

The last action of the first half fell to Emma Duggan who hit a beauty of a score from distance to see her side take a 0-5 to 0-4 lead at the half-time break.

Meath introduced former Footballer of the Year Vikki Wall at half-time but after a typical run by her failed to yield a score, Kerry went on to slot over seven points on the trot with substitute Siofra O’Shea popping over two fine scores.

Niamh Gallogly shot a welcome point for Meath to bring the score to 0-11 to 0-6 but Kerry were relentless and with seven minutes left on the clock had pushed 0-15 to 0-7 ahead.

Monica McGuirk made a fine save from Emma Dineen at the expense of a point, but she had the final say when she punched over to seal a comprehensive win for Kerry to set up a semi-final meeting with either Armagh or Mayo, who meet on Sunday.

Scorers for Kerry: L Ní Mhuiurcheartaigh 0-4 (3f), E Dineen 0-3, S O’Shea 0-3, D O’Leary 0-2, M O’Connell 0-1, A Galvin 0-1, C Murphy 0-1, N Carmody 0-1.
Meath: M Farrelly 0-3, E Duggan 0-2, 1f, C Smyth 0-1, V Wall 0-1, N Gallogly 0-1.

KERRY: C Butler; E Lynch, K Cronin, C Murphy; A O’Connell, D Kearney, A Dillane; M O’Connell, A Galvin; N Carmody, E Dineen, N Ni Chonchúir; H O’Donoghue; L Ní Mhuircheartaigh, D O’Leary. Subs: S O’Shea for H O’Donoghue 38, F O’Donoghue for K Cronin 41, L Scanlon for N Ní Chonchúir 45, A Harrington for N Carmody 54, K Brosnan for L Ní Mhuircheartaigh 57.

MEATH: M McGuirk; S Wall, M.K. Lynch, N Troy; N Gallogly, S Melia, K Newe; M O’Shaughnessy, A Cleary; M Thynne, K Cole, C Smyth; M Byrne, M Farrelly, E Duggan. Subs: V Wall for K Cole H/T, A Sheridan for K Newe 37, R Casserly for M Byrne 50, C Lawlor for N Troy 53, S Lynch for C Smyth 59.

Referee: Barry Redmond (Wexford).

Elsewhere, Laois and Kildare will battle it out for survival in the TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship ranks next Saturday, 13 July.

They lost out in their respective relegation qualifiers against Tipperary and Donegal on Saturday afternoon.

At John Lockes GAA club in Callan, Co. Kilkenny, Tipperary got the better of Laois by 1-15 to 1-4 to ensure they’ll be playing Senior Championship football again in 2025.

And at Kingspan Breffni, Donegal edged out Kildare by 0-9 to 0-8 to ensure survival.

A goal in the second minute by Angela McGuigan helped Tipperary build a 1-11 to 0-00 interval lead and really there was no way back for Laois after that.

Laois didn’t register their first score of the game until Andrea Moran pointed a free four minutes after the restart.

Tipperary, with Emma Morrissey finishing with 0-5 from play and Ashling Moloney shooting 0-6, five of them frees, pulled away again and were never threatened.

Laois never gave up and Katie Donoghue found the net in the closing stages and will now turn their attentions to next week’s relegation play-off decider against Kildare.

Donegal held off a late Kildare rally to ensure their senior status for next year after a tight struggle in Cavan.

Kildare led by 0-6 to 0-5 at the interval but Donegal took over after the restart, and with Susanne White finishing with 0-6, they got the opening four points after the break to lead by 0-9 to 0-6 after 48 minutes.

Kildare rallied from there and while they held Donegal scoreless for the remainder of the match, they were only able to manage three points and unable to get level and will now start preparing for a relegation showdown with neighbours Laois next weekend.