Kerry joint manager Darragh Long paid tribute to his charges for the way they mastered the conditions in Tralee to oust reigning TG4 All-Ireland champions Meath and take another step towards ending their 30-year famine since the Brendan Martin Cup rested in the Kingdom.
Kerry laid the foundation for their 2-8 to 0-10 win over two-in-a-row champions Meath when goals from Siofra O’Shea and Niamh Carmody helped them build up a 2-7 to 0-3 interval lead when they had the wind behind them in the opening half and they then defended superbly after the restart.
"I’m massively proud. No wind ever won any game for you but it was massively strong out there and the easy part was the first half playing with that wind and we knew at half time that the easy part was done and the hard part was going to be there for thirty minutes. We needed to show character and we needed to show heart and desire and I thought that we showed that in abundance.
"We got a few of the breaks as well but you get those breaks when you try hard and you’re trying to do the right thing and the girls were doing that all night. We’ve been doing that all year so you’re going to get those breaks and I’m delighted they fell for us."
15 July 2023; Cáit Lynch of Kerry in action against Meath players, including Katie Newe, 4, during the TG4 Ladies Football All-Ireland Senior Championship quarter-final match between Kerry and Meath at Austin Stack Park in Tralee, Kerry. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
The holders battled back after the restart with Emma Duggan leading the way and while they restricted Kerry to a point in the second half, Meath were unable to close the gap and bowed out.
"All credit to the girls in the second half for the way they chipped away at that lead and they gave it absolutely everything,” said Meath manager Jenny Rispin. “In the conditions they had to put their bodies on the line and they certainly did that. If we had a few more minutes or if a piece of luck fell our way it could have been very different. All credit to Kerry, they’ll be a hard to beat team and probably the ones to watch now with only four teams left in it."
Kerry, seeking their first TG4 All-Ireland senior crown since 1993, are through to a semi-final showdown with Mayo, while Cork will meet Dublin in the other semi-final after a dramatic weekend of action in the four quarter-finals.
The scene is now set for a semi-final double-header at FBD Semple Stadium on Saturday, July 29. The games are fixed for 5pm and 7pm and both will be televised live by TG4.
Cork, seeking their first crown since 2016, defeated Armagh by 0-14 to 2-6 at the Box-It Athletic Grounds. The sides were deadlocked at 0-5 apiece at the break. Armagh, forced to start without injured forward Aimee Mackin, edged in front when Niamh Coleman got their first goal after the restart but Cork, with the O’Sullivan sisters Doireann and Ciara prominent, got back in front and when Blaithin Mackin got Armagh’s second goal, two late frees from Katie Quirke got Cork over the line.
“We’re delighted with the win because we played a great game against Mayo last year and lost at this stage,” said Cork manager Shane Ronayne. We won ugly today and sometimes that’s just what you have to do at this stage of the season. It’s just about winning.
“We need to be better next day out but we’re looking forward to the semi and playing in Thurles in what we know will be another tough game.”
15 July 2023; Eimear Meaney of Cork in action against Eve Lavery of Armagh during the TG4 Ladies Football All-Ireland Senior Championship quarter-final match between Armagh and Cork at BOX-IT Athletic Grounds in Armagh. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile
Armagh manager Shane McCormack said they gave it everything they had but came up short.
“Very proud of the players efforts today we couldn’t ask for anything more from them. Getting back to Division One is a big thing for us and we saw today the standard in that league. A couple of breaks didn’t go our way but I’m very proud of all the squad.”
Connacht champions Mayo defeated arch rivals Galway by 0-10 to 1-6 at Pearse Stadium in Salthill when substitute Shauna Howley pointed with just 20 seconds remaining on the clock.
A sixth minute goal from Lynsey Noone gave Galway a great start but Mayo rallied and led by 0-6 to 1-2 at the interval. The sides continued to trade scores in difficult conditions after the restart and extra-time seemed inevitable when they were level for the seventh time but Howley struck for her late winner after an intercept from deep by Ciara Needham set her up.
Mayo manager Michael Moyles said he hadn’t slept in two weeks trying to plot a way past their neighbours and great rivals Galway.
15 July 2023; Danielle Caldwell of Mayo in action against Ailbhe Davoren of Galway during the TG4 Ladies Football All-Ireland Senior Championship quarter-final match between Galway and Mayo at Pearse Stadium in Galway. Photo by Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
“We got a lucky break and we just broke up the pitch. I thought it actually went short for a second. It’s just heart-stopping stuff at the end. But two teams that gave everything.
“This is my third year and I think every night the last two weeks, you can ask my wife, I’ve been awake trying to see ‘we could do it this way, we could do it that way.’ There’s very little between these players. The Connacht final proved that.”
Galway joint manager Fiona Wynne said they were all set to go for extra-time when Mayo struck for their dramatic winner.
“With a minute left, I thought it was going to go to extra-time and I was looking forward to getting into the dressing room and regrouping, but it didn't work out that way. Fair play to Mayo, it was a cagey affair from start to finish but they came out on the better side of it.
“We're just very, very disappointed with the final result. There was a point in it at half-time and a point in it again at the end and it comes down to very small margins.”
Dublin booked their semi-final date with Cork when they impressively defeated Donegal by 3-12 to 0-6 in another game played in difficult conditions.
Dublin led by 1-6 to 0-3 at the break in Ballybofey with a goal from Kate Sullivan after 17 minutes pushing the 2020 champions clear. Sullivan also found the net in the second half and Sinéad Aherne got their goal to set up a semi-final meeting with Cork.
16 July 2023; Kate Sullivan of Dublin shoots to score her side's second goal despite the tackle by Roisin Rodgers of Donegal during the TG4 LGFA All-Ireland Senior Championship Quarter-Final match between Donegal and Dublin at MacCumhaill Park in Ballybofey, Donegal. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
Dublin manager Mick Bohan was impressed with the way his side got on top of the Ulster champions.
“I suppose that’s the first time where we’ve completely nullified Donegal. There was a period at the start of the second-half when we looked jittery. But besides that we gave a really good performance.
“We haven't had a good recent history against Donegal so that was pleasing on a number of fronts. Playing against that system, to put a team like Donegal to bed in the last 15 minutes, like they did, was very encouraging.”
Donegal manager Maxi Curran said that while they were well beaten they could reflect on a good season which included winning the Ulster title for the first time since 2019.
Dublin were just far superior on the day. We’ve been up and down all season with who we’d available and the injuries we’ve had. It’s been a real rollercoaster of a season. It was a huge privilege to be involved with the group.
They can all depart now from the season with their heads held high. And that’s all you can ask of your players — they have given everything. We ended the year with a trophy. Yeah, we got to a league final and an All-Ireland semi-final in 2022 but we’d nothing to show for it.
Meanwhile, Tipperary and Laois preserved their senior championship status for 2024. Tipperary edged out Waterford in a free-taking competition, while Laois defeated Cavan by 0-10 to 1-5 in a game where five players were yellow-carded.
Laois, the reigning TG4 All-Ireland intermediate champions, extended their 0-4 to 0-3 interval advantage to lead by five points but while Ellyanna Madden responded with a goal, Cavan were unable to close the gap.
Laois manager Donie Brennan said they hope to keep building next year after a good season.
“We got to the Division Two final. There are eight teams in Division One, so obviously we were in the top ten teams. We beat senior teams in Division Two and we’re still senior for next year, so all-in-all, the objectives were ticked off and it’s onwards and upwards for Laois ladies football, and to get more younger players into the panel next year will be the next job.”
Cavan manager Gerry Moane said they will now be without a few players for next weekend’s relegation clash with Waterford.
Everybody’s absolutely gutted, because those girls badly want to stay playing senior football. Everything was on today because there’s a few players that have planned to go away after this weekend. There was so much riding on today, it’s not the last chance saloon but because we’ve those few players going away, it makes it very difficult.
They will now face Waterford next weekend in a relegation showdown with the losers dropping to the TG4 All-Ireland intermediate championship for 2024.
Waterford finished level at 0-8 apiece against neighbours Tipperary after extra-time, forcing the tie to a free-taking competition which Tipperary won 6-5 with corner-back Emma Cronin converted the crucial free in sudden death to ensure Peter Creedon’s side will be in senior next year.
“When you come to that situation, it's a lottery to be fair,” said Creedon. “Look, we'll take it. I had no worries about Emma because Emma is one of the better shooters in training. Left leg, straight over the bar. There was fair pressure on all the girls, both Waterford and Tipp. As we said to them beforehand, regardless of the outcome of the shootout, we were proud of them because of the effort that was made."
Waterford manager Pat Sullivan said they would now regroup for next weekend’s relegation showdown with Cavan.
When it went to frees, it was a lotto. I told them before we kicked any free 'we'll take the result'. We had enough chances in normal time to win the game. We know what we have to do next week. The biggest problem we have now is recovery, we picked up a lot of injuries today.
Meanwhile, Cork and Cavan played out a thrilling 0-12 to 1-9 draw in the All-Ireland U-16 A final, while Kerry captured the All-Ireland U-16 B title with a 4-10 to 2-13 win over Sligo, and Antrim won the All-Ireland U-16 C crown with a 3-12 to 1-6 triumph over Clare.
Results
Saturday July 15
TG4 All-Ireland SFC quarter-finals
Mayo 0-10 Galway 1-6
Cork 0-14 Armagh 2-6
Kerry 2-8 Meath 0-10
TG4 All-Ireland SFC relegation play-offs
Tipperary 0-8 Waterford 0-8 (Tipperary win 6-5 in free-taking competition)
Laois 0-10 Cavan 1-5
Sunday July 16
TG4 All-Ireland SFC quarter-final
Dublin 3-12 Donegal 0-6
All-Ireland U16 A Final
Cork 0-12 Cavan 1-9
All-Ireland U16 B Final
Kerry 4-10 Sligo 2-13
All-Ireland U16 C Final
Antrim 3-12 Clare 1-6
