TG4 All Ireland Senior Championship
Group 1
Armagh 2-10 Mayo 1-11, Athletic Grounds
A last-minute penalty goal from Aimee Mackin saw Armagh claim their place in the TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship quarter-finals, as Shane McCormack's side came from five points down to defeat Connacht champions Mayo in a thrilling contest.
Armagh were quickest off the mark at the Box-It Athletic Grounds with Aimee Mackin pointing from distance. However, Mayo responded with points from Sinéad Cafferky and Deirdre Doherty, before the former raised a green flag on eight minutes.
Shauna Howley played Cafferky in behind the Armagh defence, and she kept her composure, before drilling the ball into the roof of the net.
Kelly Mallon pointed to settle Armagh, before Aimee Mackin converted a free soon after. But Mayo, who had a strong breeze at their backs, used it to full effect with Doherty swinging a point over from range. The Connacht champions remained in control and points from Doherty and Howley had them five ahead.
Armagh were given a lifeline moments before half-time, when they were awarded a penalty, but Aimee Mackin couldn’t take advantage as her top corner effort was kept out by a tremendous Laura Brennan save.
Traded points between Aimee Mackin and Sinéad Cafferky saw Mayo take a five-point lead in at the break.
Armagh flew out of the traps at the start of the second half, and in the blink of an eye they had raced in front. Aimee Mackin and Lavery reduced the deficit to two, before the former laid the ball on a plate for Niamh Reel, and she finished to the Mayo net from a yard out to level matters, and Mallon scored to put the Orchard County ahead.
Mayo regained their composure and got back in front through points from Lisa Cafferky and Doherty, but an Aimee Mackin point drew the sides level again.
Armagh edged ahead in a thrilling finish through a Mallon free.
But Mayo looked to be on their way to victory with a superb solo score by Lisa Cafferky followed by two converted frees by Doherty putting them two ahead.
The drama wasn’t over yet however. A Mallon free made it a one-point game, and in the last minute referee Siobhan Coyle awarded Armagh a penalty for a foul on Aimee Mackin. Having missed in the first half, the Shane O’Neill’s star made no mistake this time around with just 15 seconds left on the clock, burying her effort past Brennan to seal a remarkable win for Armagh at the death.
Scorers – Armagh: A Mackin 1-05 (1-00 pen, 0-02f), K Mallon 0-04 (2f), N Reel 1-00, E Lavery 0-01 Mayo: D Doherty 0-06 (3f), S Cafferky 1-02, L Cafferky 0-02, S Howley 0-01
Group 2
Waterford 1-08 Meath 1-13, Fraher Field
Jenny Rispin made a winning start to her reign as Meath football manager on a day of sunshine and showers in Dungarvan as the reigning TG4 All-Ireland champions did enough to carve out victory.
All Star forward Emma Duggan fired 1-04 as the Royals advanced to the quarter-finals. Orlagh Lally landed four points from play for the visitors while Niamh Gallogly got two.
Waterford sharpshooter Lauren McGregor grabbed 1-04 as Pat Sullivan's side now enter a relegation battle. McGregor has shot nine goals this year across league and championship.
Bríd McMaugh opened the scoring after five minutes for the hosts. Wind assisted Meath took control as Niamh Gallogly, Orlagh Lally and Stacey Grimes opened up a 4-1 lead. The visitors were also guilty of seven first half wides.
The pre-match sunshine quickly turned to thunder and lightning. Despite the inclement weather, McMaugh fisted over on 24 minutes for Waterford after a driving run from Annie Fitzgerald. All Star attacker Emma Duggan was tightly marked but she eventually popped over her first point of the afternoon. Lally landed her third to make it 7-2 approaching the break.
Just before the half-time hooter, Waterford were awarded a close-range free and Lauren McGregor converted.
Kate McGrath narrowed the gap to three 70 seconds into the second period. Niamh O'Sullivan and Duggan split the posts at the other end. McGregor nailed a free for the hosts before Kellyann Hogan fired over a point from 40 metres (0-09 to 0-06).
That was as close as Waterford got. Duggan dispatched two frees before Meadhbh Byrne raised a white flag. McGregor got two frees to bring her total to four.
A late Orlagh Lally point wrapped up victory for Rispin's Royals. With two minutes left, Meath sub Ali Sherlock set up Duggan who slotted the ball into the corner of the Waterford net. Just before the full time hooter, McGregor rifled the ball to the top corner. Her ninth goal of the season, she has scored 9-18 in 2023 for the Déise.
Scorers: Meath: E Duggan 1-04 (2fs), O Lally 0-04, N Gallogly 0-02, S Grimes (f), M Byrne, N O'Sullivan 0-1 each Waterford: L McGregor 10-4 (4fs), B McMaugh 0-02, Kate McGrath, K Hogan 0-01 each
Group 3
Cavan 1-08 Dublin 5-15, Kingspan Breffni Park
Dublin captain Carla Rowe scored 3-06 as a ruthless Dublin side swept aside Cavan at Kingspan Breffni to record their first win of this year's TG4 All-Ireland SFC.
Rowe also missed a second half penalty after substitute Sinead Aherne was taken down in the 58th minute.
Cavan put it up to Dublin in the early exchanges and the sides were level twice in the opening seven minutes. Points from Jennifer Dunne and Hannah Tyrrell saw Dublin go two up in the 14th minute. One minute later Aisling Gilsenan’s free hit the crossbar.
A good move from the Dubs saw them get their first goal in the 18th minute. Tyrrell played the ball across the face of the goal and Eilish O’Dowd finished to the net. Dublin got a run on Cavan and in the 25th minute had extended their lead to seven points.
Aishling Sheridan fired over an excellent point for Cavan in the 25th minute and minutes later her sister Geraldine played the ball to Gilsenan but she hit her effort well wide.
Dublin were dangerous on the attack and at times opened the Cavan defence up with ease. Just before the break they got a second goal; Rowe played a one-two with Tyrrell before firing to the net to extend the lead to 12 points at 2-09 to 0-03.
As the rain lashed down in the second half, Cavan grabbed a goal in the 32nd minute. Aishling Sheridan spotted her sister Geraldine as she took a quick free, Geraldine raced through before raising the green flag.
Dublin’s reply was two Rowe frees before Aishling Sheridan hit a powerful effort over the bar. Mick Bohan’s charges got a third goal in the 40th minute; Rowe with an excellent shot for her second of the game.
Niamh Hetherton scored a fantastic fourth goal for Dublin as they were clinical in front of the posts. Right at the end Rowe grabbed her third of the game and Dublin’s fifth as they ran out comfortable winners.
Scorers - Dublin: C Rowe 3-06 (4f), N Hetherton 1-01, H Tyrrell 0-03 (1f), E O’Dowd 1-00, J Dunne 0-02, A Timothy, S Wylde, J Egan 0-01 each Cavan: A Gilsenan 0-04 (4f), G Sheridan 1-00, A Sheridan 0-02, N Keenaghan, C McCaffrey 0-01 each
Group 4
Galway 4-10 Tipperary 3-04, Templetuohy
Galway secured top spot in Group 4 of the TG4 All Ireland Senior Championship and a home quarter final as they overcame a spirited Tipperary outfit at Moyne Templetuohy GAA Grounds.
Tipperary face Cork next with that tie deciding who finishes second in the group and progresses to the quarter final stage.
There were hail showers and thunder before the contest but it was Tipperary who made a lightning start as they found the net inside the opening 90 seconds. A patient move saw Niamh Martin's long range delivery acrobatically punched to the net by Aishling Moloney.
Maghnus Breathnach and Fiona Wynne’s charges refused to panic though. The Leonard cousins – Tracey and Róisín – helped Galway draw level with the former firing over two scores while the latter curled over a neatly taken effort.
A superb long range Leanne Coen effort pushed Galway in front for the first time but the Tipperary response was emphatic. A flowing team move ended with Angela McGuigan’s long range strike flying to the roof of the net. Galway hit back in style as a rapid attack saw Tracey Leonard finishing to the bottom corner after being set up by cousin Róisín.
Shauna Brennan, Olivia Divilly and Róisín Leonard (free) slotted over before the break while Emma Morrissey grabbed Tipperary’s first point after 25 minutes with Galway leading 1-07 to 2-01 at the interval.
The third quarter saw Tipperary control possession as Emma Morrissey showed her class to strike over two superb long-range scores.
But Galway possess the class to cut through any defence in the country with Lynsey Noone finding the net after Kate Geraghty won a crucial turnover.
Despite Tipperary trying valiantly to push forward and carve out the scores to cut the gap on Galway, the Tribeswomen countered for a huge score as Louise Ward saw her long-range effort fly to the net.
Galway’s squad depth began to show as the ever dangerous Kate Slevin came off the bench to score their fourth goal after being set up by Olivia Divilly.
Moloney continued to be a threat for Tipperary and she got her second goal in the closing stages when the fisted the ball to the net.
Scorers – Galway: T Leonard 1-02, K Slevin 1-01 (0-01f), L Ward and L Noone 1-00 each, R Leonard 0-02 (1f), O Divilly 0-02, S Brennan, L Coen and E Noone 0-01 each Tipperary: A Moloney 2-01, A McGuigan 1-00, E Morrisey 0-03 (1f)
