Waterford 2-12
Cork 1-6
By ANTHONY NEWMAN
Waterford picked up their first points in the Lidl Ladies NFL after they brushed aside the challenge of Cork at Pairc Ui Rinn.
The visitors dominated from start to finish with Cork unable to live with their running game, led by the likes of Aine O’Neill, Kellyann Hogan and Clare Walsh, and they are now drawn firmly into the relegation battle.
Waterford were on the front foot from the outset and O’Neill opened the scoring in the first minute as they gained possession from the throw-in.
She added a second five minutes later as the visitors were enjoying the better of the opening exchanges.
Cork were finding it hard to make inroads as Waterford were defending well and driving forward at pace.
They added a third point through Hogan in the sixth minute as Cork were yet to have a shot at goal.
They got on the score board after 10 minutes when Daire Kiely was quickest to react to the breaking ball from a Ellie Jack free.
The width of the post prevented Waterford from going further ahead when Walsh’s effort rebounded out rather than into the net.
But Waterford were still dominating and Katie Murray pointed, to make it 0-4 to 0-1 after 12 minutes.
Hogan increased their lead and from the restart they regained possession with O’Neill finding the back of the net to put Waterford in control by 1-5 to 0-1.
Walsh hit the post again before Hogan raised another white flag before the former finally got on the scoring sheet to make it 1-7 to 0-1.
Lauren McGregor stretched their lead further as Cork were finding it hard to cope with Waterford’s running game.
Just before half-time Brid McMaugh pointed from a free for Waterford to put them well in control at half-time as they led by 1-9 to 0-1.
Early points from Kiely and Sadhbh O’Leary reduced the deficit but it wasn’t long before Waterford stamped their authority on the game again, when Walsh got their second goal.
Hogan hit two more points and with 40 minutes gone the game was well and truly over as a contest as Waterford led by 2-11 to 0-3.
Walsh added a point before Abigail Ring got Cork’s fourth point from a free to make it 2-12 to 0-4 after 50 minutes.
By then Cork had brought on 12 subs but it made little or no difference as Waterford were by far the better team.
Lydia McDonagh got a late goal for Cork but it was no more than a consolation score as Waterford outplayed and outclassed their opponents from start to finish.
Scorers – Waterford: C Walsh, A O’Neill 1-2 each, K Hogan 0-5 (1f), K Murray, L McGregor, B McMaugh (f) 0-1 each.
Cork: L McDonagh 1-0, D Kiely 0-2 (2f), A Ring 0-3 (3f), S O’Leary 0-1.
Dublin 0-16
Galway 1-12
By DARREN KELLY
All-Ireland champions Dublin staged a stunning comeback in the closing minutes to come from three points down to beat Galway in the Lidl Ladies National Football League in Parnell Park.
Trailing by 1-11 to 0-11, Mick Bohan’s team got five of the last six scores to edge past the Tribeswomen by just one.
Entering the final minutes of normal time, Jennifer Dunne and Hannah Tyrrell left one between them before Olivia Divilly replied for Galway.
But as much as the visitors held out opposing attacks, Kate Sullivan and Orlagh Nolan levelled while Galway captain Ailbhe Davoren got a yellow card. Tyrrell landed the winning free following a foul on Leah Caffrey.
Galway got off to the ideal start with Roisin Leonard converting two frees in as many minutes before a Tyrrell placed ball opened for Dublin. However, the visitors maintained their momentum with Leonard from play and Aoife O’Rourke making it 0-4 to 0-2 on 10 minutes.
Another Tyrrell free was Dublin’s reply and then they enjoyed their best spell. Nolan, Tyrrell and Annabelle Timothy scored by the 13th minute putting Dublin one ahead.
The Tribeswomen responded two minutes later. Starting with Aoife Ni Cheallaigh, Shauna Hynes and Leanne Coen were involved resulting in the latter offloading to Linda Booth who kicked to the roof of the net.
Galway maintained their advantage even though Kate Sullivan replied with a Dublin point. Coen and Aoife O’Rourke had Daniel Moynihan’s charges three in front on 20 minutes. Chloe Darby and Sullivan reduced arrears but Ailbhe Davoren’s point had Galway 1-7 to 0-8 up at half-time.
The hosts came out quickest after the break with Murray pointing on 32 minutes. Galway midfielder Mairead Glynn pushed forward to convert two minutes later before Sullivan’s third of the afternoon left Dublin 1-8 to 0-10 down on 37 minutes.
O’Rourke registered for Galway on the three quarter mark. Danielle Lawless hit back but a Leonard free four minutes later kept the maroon and white 1-10 to 0-11 up.
But it was Dublin who kicked on for their second win of the campaign as Galway slipped to their fourth loss and are bottom of the table.
Scorers – Dublin: H Tyrrell 0-5 (4f), K Sullivan 0-4 (1f), O Nolan 0-2, C Darby 0-1, A Timothy 0-1, K Murray 0-1, J Dunne 0-1, D Lawless 0-1.
Galway: R Leonard 0-4 (3f), L Booth 1-0, A O’Rourke 0-3, L Coen 0-2, A Davoren 0-1, M Glynn 0-1, O Divilly 0-1.
Armagh 2-12
Meath 0-8
By DAIRE WALSH
Aimee Mackin and Kelly Mallon struck 1-4 apiece at Ashbourne as Armagh moved to the summit of Lidl National Football League Division 1 table with a convincing triumph over Meath.
Both teams had come into this game with 100% records from the opening three rounds of this year’s NFL, but with Mackin and Mallon leading their charge, it is Armagh who are the new pace-setters in the top tier.
While Emma Duggan shone brightly throughout, Meath — who are under the guidance of former Orchard boss Shane McCormack in 2024 — ultimately suffered their first defeat of the campaign.
Fresh from featuring for Leeds Rhinos in the Netball Superleague on Saturday, Caroline O’Hanlon got Armagh up and running with a second minute point at the end of a patient move. 2020 TG4 Senior Players’ Player of the Year Mackin followed up with a neat score, before both she and O’Hanlon doubled their respective tallies to offer Armagh an early stranglehold on the contest.
Meath finally opened their account through a Niamh Gallogly point on the first-quarter mark and their deficit was further reduced when Emma Duggan found the target either side of a Mallon free.
Mallon and Mackin went on to add placed-ball efforts for the visitors, but with Maire O’Shaughnessy and Duggan splitting the uprights in fine style, Meath were just two points in arrears at 0-7 to 0-5 at the interval.
It was an initially tentative start to the second period from both teams, but the excellent Mackin brought the tie back to life by finishing superbly to the net off her reliable left boot seven minutes after the resumption. And while the Royals responded to this set-back with points from Aoibhin Cleary and Marion Farrelly (free), Mackin and Eve Lavery also raised white flags to keep Armagh in the driving seat.
Their chances of extending their winning run were given a further boost heading into the final-quarter as Mallon lashed home a second goal for the Ulster side via impressive approach work by Mackin.
This effectively placed the outcome beyond doubt and in spite of Duggan contributing her fourth point of the action, Emily Druse and Mallon (two) also found the range late on to put the seal on an emphatic Armagh victory.
Scorers – Armagh: K Mallon 1-4 (0-2f), A Mackin 1-4 (0-1f), C O’Hanlon 0-2, E Druse, E Lavery 0-1 each.
Meath: E Duggan 0-4 (2f), M Farrelly 0-1 (f), N Gallogly, A Cleary, M O’Shaughnessy 0-1 each.
