Dublin ease past Meath to reach Leinster final

Caoimhe O'Connor and Jodi Egan were in fine scoring form at Parnell Park as defending champions Dublin secured a convincing win against Meath to set up a final meeting with Kildare in the TG4 Leinster senior football championship.

Searching for their 13th consecutive Leinster SFC title in 2026, Dublin were on top of possession during the early exchanges and broke the deadlock when Niamh Hetherton kicked a right-footed effort between the posts in the eighth minute.

Orlagh Nolan was subsequently denied a goal at the end of an intricate move, but the two-time TG4 All Star doubled the home side’s cushion with a fine point from play at a tight angle.

Although the Meath defence made them work for their scores throughout the opening period, Dublin created further daylight courtesy of quickfire points from marauding wing-back Sophie McIntyre and Egan.

While the Royals, who needed a win in order to seal a provincial final spot, breathed a sigh of relief when O’Connor rattled the woodwork off a goal chance in the 26th minute, Wayne Freeman’s visitors finally opened their account 60 seconds later with a superbly struck free from Orlaith Mallon.

Although the Navan O’Mahonys player added a second point to leave Meath just two in arrears (0-4 to 0-2) at the interval, Hetherton had Dublin back up and running within 30 seconds of the resumption.

She was later joined on two points by Egan after the Foxrock/Cabinteely attacker knocked over a routine free and the increasingly-dangerous O’Connor went on to match their personal hauls with a quickfire brace that had Dublin firmly in the driving seat.

Meath were now struggling to contain their well-drilled opponents and a two-salvo from the impressive Egan left them 0-10 to 0-2 adrift moving into the final-quarter.

The Royals were hoping the introduction of Emma Duggan and Ali Sherlock as double substitutes might spark them back into life, but instead Dublin stretched further in front with an outstanding O’Connor goal on 47 minutes.

Meath finally enhanced their tally when Rachel Casserly kicked a point from play in the 54th minute, but even though Kate Bermingham and Duggan (free) also found the range, Caitlin Coffey was on target at the opposite end to ease Dublin into next week’s provincial showdown against Kildare in Croke Park.

Dublin: A Shiels; N Crowley, L Caffrey, H Leahy; S McIntyre (0-01), R Hartnett, H McGinnis; N Hetherton (0-02), L Magee; A Timothy, O Nolan (0-01), K Donaghy; C O’Connor (1-02), C Rowe, J Egan (0-04, 2f).

Subs: E Kearney for Rowe (h-t), C Coffey (0-01) for Magee (44), A Curran for McIntyre (53), O Keighran for O’Connor (57), N Byrne for Shiels (62, blood), C Fox for McGinnis (68).

Meath: R Murray; K Kealy, Á Sheridan, A Gaffney; O Sheehy, O Gore, K Bermingham (0-01); S Murphy, N Gallogly; M Farrelly, O Mallon (0-02, 2f), M Thynne; M Byrne, L Woods, R Casserly (0-01).

Subs: Ó Smith for Murphy (38), O Finnegan for Mallon (42), E Duggan (0-01f) for Woods, A Sherlock for Thynne (both 45), A Reilly for Farrelly (50).

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