Orlagh Nolan struck a magnificent hat-trick of goals at Parnell Park as Dublin rounded off their Lidl National Football League Division 1 campaign with a victory over Waterford.A TG4 All Star winner at left half-back in 2021, Nolan started at centre-forward and displayed a midas touch in attack to ensure Dublin recorded a third-place finish in the final standings.Kate Sullivan also helped herself to 1-04 for the Metropolitans and while Kellyann Hogan registered 0-06 for their opponents, Waterford had to be content with fifth spot in Division 1 for 2023.Following a tentative opening, Dublin eventually came to life with a powerful scoring blitz.
After an Ellen Gribben point had given them a slender lead, wing-forward Caoimhe O'Connor was fouled inside the square with nine minutes on the clock.Former Republic of Ireland underage international Nolan comfortably slotted home the ensuing penalty and also raised a green flag moments later when she palmed the ball past Deise goalkeeper Evelyn O'Brien.Raiding half-back Emma Murray finally got Waterford up and running with a 12th-minute point and while Kate Sullivan responded at the opposite end, a brace of frees from Ballymacarbry ace Kellyann Hogan offered the Munster outfit some solace.Nevertheless, Dublin were attacking with supreme confidence and Gribben clinically grabbed their third goal on the 20-minute mark after midfielder Eilish O’Dowd was initially denied by O’Brien.
A Sullivan free edged the Jackies further in front, before a quickfire two-point salvo from Jodi Egan handed them a commanding 3-05 to 0-03 advantage at the interval.While Waterford were faced with an uphill task on the resumption, they did manage to cut into their deficit with three unanswered points from