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Emma Duggan steers Meath into All-Ireland quarter-finals as she stars vs Kildare despite dire conditions
A FIVE-POINT shower from Emma Duggan helped Meath storm into the TG4 All-Ireland SFC quarter-finals as the Royals swept aside Kildare during a downpour.
Plenty of mistakes were being made yesterday as both sides struggled with their passing and ball control at a rain-lashed Manguard Park.
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And although the torrential cloudbursts ceased just before the interval, the quality of football on show remained poor.
But the Royals somehow managed to up their performance despite the dreadful conditions and that was the difference between the teams.
It was the hosts, however, who opened the scoring, with Lara Curran splitting the posts in the second minute.
Six minutes later, Róisín Byrne fired over a lovely point to double the lead.
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Duggan then opened her account with a free in the 11th minute for the visitors.
Four minutes later, Marion Farrelly's effort was blocked, while at the other end Byrne had a shot blocked down by Mary-Kate Lynch.
Just before half-time Duggan doubled her tally with a free. Meath had kicked four wides in the opening half too.
A third point from the boot of Duggan edged Meath in front for the first time in the 38th minute.
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Three minutes later, the Dunboyne woman doubled her side's advantage when she knocked over her third point of the game.
Meath were reduced to 14 players in the 44th minute when Vikki Wall was adjudged to have fouled Claire Sullivan and she was shown a yellow card, sending her to the sin-bin for ten minutes.
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With numerical advantage, Kildare went on the attack and Ellen Dowling brought an excellent save out of Meath keeper Robyn Murray in the 48th minute.
But Meath's lead was increased to four points in the 59th minute when Marion Farrelly kicked over two fantastic points in quick succession.
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Kildare got their first score of the second half — and their first since the eighth minute — when Alannah Prizeman fired over a free.
But once again it was Duggan who was on target with her second point from play to restore her side's fourpoint lead.
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Meath won out in a low-scoring affair by 0-7 to 0-4
Prizeman kicked over a late free for the hosts but the Royals held on for the win.
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MEATH: R Murray; A Sheridan, MK Lynch, K Newe; A Cleary, S Wall, K Kealy; O Sheehy, M Farrelly 0-2; M Thynne, N Gallogly, C Smyth; E Duggan 0-5, 2f, V Wall, K Cole.
Subs: K Vermingham for Cole 47 mins, S Ennis for Sheehy 59.
KILDARE: M Hulgraine; L Shaw, S Sargent, M Doherty; M Aspel, L Murtagh, L Lenehan; C Wheeler, R Byrne 0-1; L Reilly, A Rattigan 0-2f, M Ryan; E Dowling, A Prizeman, L Curran 0-1.
Subs: C Sullivan for Ryan h-t, L McGovern for Dowling 52 mins, G Wheeler for C Wheeler 54, C Moran for Rattigan 57, A Mahon for Curran 60.
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