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Vikki Wall in action for Meath against Hannah Reape. Tom Maher/INPHO

Wall marks Meath comeback with two goals in win over Mayo, Kerry defeat Waterford

The home side ran out nine-point winners in Navan.

LAST UPDATE | 3 Feb

Results – Division 1 Ladies Football League

  • Meath 4-9 Mayo 2-6
  • Kerry 2-6 Waterford 0-9

******

THE RETURNING VIKKI Wall bagged 2-1 at Pairc Tailteann in Navan on Monday as Meath made it two wins from two in Division 1 of the Lidl National Football League with an impressive triumph over Mayo.

Former TG4 Senior Players’ Player of the Year Wall was added to the Meath side for her first start since a TG4 All-Ireland senior quarter-final defeat to Kerry in July 2023.

The multi-sport exponent made her presence felt in the early moments and the Royals were four points clear at the end of the opening quarter.

Even though Sinead Walsh cancelled out a free from Ciara Smyth to finally get Mayo up and running in the 21st minute, Meath reinforced their authority when Wall drilled the ball to the opposition net moments later.

Yet Mayo were back in contention when Walsh claimed a superb solo goal of her own on 26 minutes and Maria Cannon converted a close-in free to leave the westerners just three points adrift (1-5 to 1-2) at the interval.

Walsh narrowed the gap at the start of the second half with a place-ball strike from distance, before Meath regained a firm stranglehold when a Smyth point was supplemented by a green flag finish from Kerrie Cole – who had bagged a brace of goals in her county’s opening round win over Tyrone.

sinead-walsh-shoots-to-score-her-sides-first-goal-of-the-match Mayo's Sinead Walsh shoots to score her side's first goal of the match. Tom Maher / INPHO Tom Maher / INPHO / INPHO

However, Walsh was proving to be a real thorn in the side of the Meath defence and she rattled the net for a second time on 38 minutes via a neat one-two with Hession.

But Wall hammered home from a tight angle for Meath’s third goal in the wake of Mayo defender Ella Brennan being sin-binned for a foul on the Dunboyne ace.

Even though Walsh continued to lead the way for the visitors, a fourth goal off a counter-attack by raiding wing-back Niamh Gallogly helped Meath to ease over the line.

Elsewhere, goals in either half from Niamh Ní Chonchúir and Siofra O’Shea gave TG4 All-Ireland champions Kerry their first win in Division 1 at a windswept SETU Arena as they defeated Waterford.

These Munster rivals were level on four occasions before O’Shea’s punched effort ten minutes into the second half put the Kingdom clear. Captain Anna Galvin came up with two massive points. Two goal saving blocks from sub Mary O’Connell just before the break also proved crucial. Déise captain Emma Murray drove her team forward all evening and struck two points from play.

Sixteen year old Gemma Corcoran made her debut between the sticks for the home side, the first Ballysaggart player to line out for the Waterford seniors. She produced two fantastic second half saves. Kerry took the field with eight of the team that defeated Galway in the All Ireland final last August.

Written by The 42 and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.

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