Clinical Dublin cruise past Meath to retain Leinster title

Carla Rowe, Jennifer Dunne and Caoimhe O'Connor all struck goals at Croke Park on Sunday as Dublin claimed their 11th Leinster LGFA Senior Championship title in succession with an emphatic triumph over Meath.

A week on from getting the better of them in a provincial round robin game that took place at the nearby Parnell Park, Mick Bohan’s side - the current holders of the TG4 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship crown - once again had the measure of the Royal County in GAA HQ.

While Meath wing-forward Ciara Smyth opened the scoring with a fine point from play in the fourth-minute, Dublin subsequently gained a stranglehold on the action. Following a 0-02 salvo by Hannah Tyrrell off her dependable left boot, industrious Sky Blues skipper Rowe knocked over a routine free.

Rowe was posing a series of problems for the Royal defence and when O’Connor released her on goal at the end of a driving run on 11 minutes, the Clann Mhuire attacker coolly slotted the ball beyond the reach of Monica McGuirk.

Meath inside forward Emma Duggan and Tyrrell went on to trade points at either end of the pitch, before Dublin midfielder Dunne forced a turnover on 20 minutes and proceeded to palm home at the end of the ensuing attack.

This created significant daylight between the teams and after the half-back duo of Olwen Carey and Lauren Magee found the target along with Tyrrell and the hard-working Orlagh Nolan, Dublin brought a convincing 2-08 to 0-02 buffer into the interval.

Although Meath got the second half scoring underway with a routine Duggan free, Dublin reinforced their authority with back-to-back points from Tyrrell and Rowe.

Having been the creative force behind Rowe’s opening period goal, O’Connor rattled the net herself in the 39th