Ladies football round-up: Wins for Kerry and Dubs

The TG4 provincial championships began with a bang on Sunday, with key victories for Cork, Kerry, Dublin and Donegal at senior level.

Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh sparkled for Kerry as the Kingdom secured a 2-08 to 0-08 victory over Waterford at Fraher Field.

Ní Mhuircheartaigh, top scorer during the victorious Lidl NFL Division 1 campaign for Kerry, scored 1-07 against the Déise on Sunday afternoon.

Ní Mhuircheartaigh had posted by 1-04 by half-time as Kerry led by 1-05 to 0-04, with her goal arriving in first half stoppage time.

Substitute Danielle O'Leary put the gloss on the final scoreline with a goal in stoppage time at the end.

In Cahir, meanwhile, a haul of 1-12 for Aishling Moloney wasn’t enough for Tipperary as the Premier County fell to a 1-14 to 1-17 defeat against Cork.

Moloney was in sensational form on home soil but Cork had a key haul of 1-04 from Eimear Kiely, while the O’Sullivan sisters, Ciara and Doireann, contributed 0-09 between them.

Cork led by 0-08 to 0-05 at the break and a three-point deficit remained between the sides at full-time.

In Leinster, a big crowd was present at Páirc Tailteann as Dublin claimed early bragging rights in the Leinster Championship with victory over Meath, the reigning All-Ireland champions.

Dublin are current provincial holders and Mick Bohan’s charges made the trip to Navan a winning one, with Hannah Tyrrell’s goal proving decisive.

Tyrrell lobbed the ball into the Meath net in the first half for the crucial strike, helping the Sky Blues to a 1-3 to 0-2 interval lead.

Meath were much improved in the second half but Dublin held on and these sides could meet again in a provincial Final.

In the Ulster Senior Championship, Donegal showed real spirit to dig out a 1-6 to 0-4 victory