Ladies blown off course by the Royals

Tyrone 0-2   Meath  4-4

TYRONE LADIES’ eagerly awaited return to top-flight football ended in defeat to a vaunted Meath side in a game that was overshadowed almost in its entirety by the merciless weather conditions at Newtownstewart on Sunday.

Sheets of rain in cahoots with a howling breeze made conditions nigh-on impossible for both sets of players, not to mention the few hundred hardy spectators huddled up in the shelter of the stand for a game where nobody reasonable could have complained had it been parked for another day.

2021 and 2022 All-Ireland champions Meath are in the midst of a transition but they’re still in the very top bracket of ladies teams in the country so this was always going to be a litmus test for a Tyrone side more accustomed to operating in the Intermediate ranks in recent times.

All Tyrone may have mustered across the hour was two Maria Canavan frees, but the game itself had a more competitive sheen than you might assume: Meath went 25 minutes without registering a single score in the second-half, and while yes the conditions were certainly a factor, so too was the tenaciousness of a disciplined and determined Tyrone rearguard who can take positives as they look down the line to one tough test after another in what’s likely to be a challenging – but hopefully educational – Division One campaign.

Early doors it was evident that it was going to take one hell of a an effort to upset the applecart against the visitors, who surged into a 1-2 to no score lead by the seventh minute of play, their goal coming virtue of Kerrie Cole after Megan Thynne provided the assist.

The Red Hands had found themselves hemmed in, struggling to get their hands on meaningful possession against a team who seemed determined to put the game to bed as soon as possible, but to their credit they grew into proceedings, typified by sterling defensive work around in the engine-room by the their hard-working half-forward line of Aoife Horisk, Sasha Byrne and Elle McNamee.

Tyrone got their account up and running with ten minutes gone with a Maria Canavan free, though Meath’s guile was very much to the fore as they carved open a 2-3 to 0-1 lead, Marion Farrelly landing a superb score against the breeze before playing provider for their second goal of the contest, her razor-sharp handpass over the top finding Kerrie Cole, who again made no mistake with the goal at her mercy.

On the plus side however, Claire Canavan, was on hand to prevent a possible goal chance as Tyrone just about kept their opponents from racing into an insurmountable lead.

Meath’s superior support play was one of the defining differences between the two teams in that opening period, but Tyrone showed that they have the capability when they conjured up a goal chance of their own, the lightning fast Sorcha Gormley (who had to be taken off shortly thereafter) and captain Aoibhinn McHugh taking the direct route forward, setting up Chloe McCaffrey whose goal-bound shot was tipped wide for a ‘45’.

Though it was too early to talk about a comeback, it seemed as if Tyrone had stemmed the tide somewhat, but it took some last-ditch defending from their full-backs on occasion. After the travails of the opening five minutes or so, Tyrone were getting their sharp-shooters on the ball, even if they were closely watched by a Meath side with a real sense of physical presence throughout their ranks.

Maria Canavan later knocked over another free before Meath responded in kind with another score from Farrelly, leaving the scoreboard reading 2-4 to 0-2 at the half-time interval. A long way back, but the game wasn’t quite a lost cause.

Most of the half-time small-talk centred around the rather unpleasant weather conditions, rather than the game itself, and the second-half was arguably even more affected by the strong gusts that made shot selection something of a lottery.

Meath, this time with a wind advantage of sorts, mounted plenty of attacks, but try as they might, couldn’t get the ball over the bar while Tyrone for their part battled hard with captain Aoibhinn McHugh leading by example with her regular forays forward. As with Meath, though, scores weren’t forthcoming.

It wasn’t as if it was unwatchable fare – both teams were trying hard and Tyrone will take particular heart from the solidity of their defensive unit – but it took until the 55th minute for another score to arrive, Meath sub Megan Collins palming the ball to the net after a speculative shot dropped short.

Like buses, another one arrived moments later as Collins, armed with a real poacher’s instinct, again rose highest to open up a 4-4 to 0-2 lead with minutes remaining.

That was more or less that and while Tyrone’s first outing on their return to the highest echelons ended in a 14-point defeat, for long stretches of the game they kept Meath reasonably quiet and that’s something they can hopefully build on as they turn their focus to their big round two clash away to neighbours Armagh next weekend.

Scorers

Tyrone: Maria Canavan 0-2 (0-2f)

Meath: Kerrie Cole (2-0), Megan Collins (2-0), Marion Farrelly (0-3, 0-2f), C Smyth (0-1)

Teams

Tyrone: Amelia Coyle, Jayne Lyons, Joanne Barrett, Grainne McKenna, Claire Canavan, Meabh Canavan, Meabh Mallon, Aoibhinn McHugh, Aine Grimes, Aoife Horisk, Sasha Byrne, Elle McNamee, Chloe McCaffrey, Maria Canavan, Sorcha Gormley. Subs:  Slaine McCarroll for Gormley, Aoife Quinn for Horisk, Caitlin Campbell for Canavan

Meath: Roybn Murray, Aine Sheridan, Sarah Wall, Nicole Troy, Niamh Gallogly, Mary Kate Lynch, Clodagh Millington, Aoibhin Clear, Ella Moyles, Megan Thynne, Orla Sheehy, Ciara Smyth, Meadbh Byrne, Marion Farrelly, Kerrie Cole. Subs: Megan Collins for Cole, Katie Newe for Byrne, Niamh McEntee for Millington