Qualifier wins for Kerry, Dublin, Meath and Tyrone ladies

A solid team performance from Kerry ensured that they booked their place in the ladies football All-Ireland quarter-final with a 2-10 to 0-05 win over Donegal at Birr today.

Geraldine McLaughlin opened the scoring with a free for Donegal, but Kerry’s riposte was strong as they reeled of 1-3 without reply, Louise Galvin with an excellent individual goal while Sarah Houlihan kicked two fine points.

Only for a great Katie Herrin block on a Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh goalbound shot the lead would have been greater, and points by Geraldine McLaughlin and Yvonne McMonagle had Donegal back to within a goal before Kerry found the net again, Ní Mhuircheartaigh’s long-range free managing to elude Róisín McCafferty in the Donegal goal with the aid of the crossbar.

With Donegal further hampered by the yellow-carding of McMonagle, Kerry continued to build up their lead thanks to strong running through the middle and at half-time it was 2-8 to 0-4.

The heavy rain at the outset of the second half made things more difficult for both sides, and while Kerry outscored their opponents by two points to one in the early stages, they were reduced to 13 players as Deirdre Corridan and Patrice Dennehy were sin-binned within a minute of each other around the halfway stage.

Donegal were creating chances but not availing fully of them, and lost Katie Herrin to a yellow before Kerry’s Aislinn Desmond suffered the same fate. As the game ground to its finish, Kerry continued to augment their lead, finishing with two Ní Mhuircheartaigh points to round off the win.

Meanwhile in Birr's early game, Dublin were always in control as they earlier overcame Galway to book a place in the quarter-finals.

After an even opening, a goal from a tight angle that looped in by corner-forward Amy Ring set Dublin on their way and they never led by less than three points after that. Ring, fellow corner-forward Lyndsey Davey, who scored two goals, Lindsay Peat, Sinead Aherne and Sinead Goldrick all played excellently.

While full-forward Dora Gorman finished with 1-1 and Tracy Leonard showed up well, far too often Galway were left wanting in attack, with opportunities to eat into the lead squandered.

With Dublin leading by 1-6 to 0-2 as half-time neared, Aherne excellent as she scored three fine points, Galway gave themselves a chance in the 27th minute as Edel Concannon found the net, moments after Ring had hit the post at the other end.

When Aoibheann Daly got the first score of the second half, there was just three in it, but that was as close as they would come, Davey’s goal on 39, when she rounded off a great move involving Amy McGuinness, Denise Masterson and Aherne, restoring some breathing space for Dublin.

Davey’s second green flag came in the 51st minute, after Galway had cut the gap to five and Dublin goalkeeper Cliodhna O’Connor made a fine save to deny Gorman immediately after.

The Galway attacker would find the net two seconds before the hooter, finishing well after sub Niamh Fahey laid off a Barbara Hannon delivery, but it was far too late and Dublin march on.

In the other qualifiers there were wins for Meath and Tyrone. The Royal County enjoyed a 3-26 to 0-5 victory over Sligo in Ballymahon, having led by 2-16 to 0-2 at half-time. Elaine Duffy scored 1-7 for Meath, Geraldine Doherty got 1-6 and Katie O’Brien bagged 1-4, Noelle Gormley Sligo’s top scorer with two points.

Tyrone were 2-20 to 1-11 victors over Tipperary in The Downs in Westmeath, pulling away in the second half after leading by 0-10 to 0-5 at the interval. Early second-half goals from Gemma Begley and Cathy Donnelly opened up a cushion, Begley finishing with 1-6 while Caitriona McGahan also impressed. Tipp did produce a late rally, sub Edel Hanley scoring a goal, but it was never going to be enough.

The last two winners of the ladies football All-Ireland title will meet in this year’s quarter-final after this evening’s draw in Birr.

Dublin were drawn against Munster champions Cork, who had won the previous five titles.

In the other last-eight ties, Ulster champions Monaghan will play Meath while Laois, who won Leinster, meet Tyrone.