Kate Slevin powers Galway to victory over Meath

Kate Slevin scored seven points for Galway - including a two-pointer - in her side's victory over Meath. Pic: ©INPHO/Grace Halton

Lidl NFL Division 1: Galway 0-16 Meath 0-8 

Kate Slevin scored seven points as Galway made a winning return to the Lidl NFL Division 1 with an eight point victory over Meath in Grangegoggen, Kells.

Slevin was in fine form throughout with Galway very much in control for large parts of the game. Meath struggled to get scores and their first point of the second half didn’t arrive until the 53rd minute. They ended the game with four points in a row but they were mere consolation scores.

Galway dominated proceedings from the start but Meath’s defence held them firm for the early exchanges. Andrea Trill opened the scoring in the fourth minute. Galway were ahead by two in the eighth minute before Emma Duggan got Meath’s first point in the 10th minute from a free.

A second point from Roisin Leonard gave the Tribeswomen a three point lead in the 15th minute. Duggan replied for the home side before Galway hit a purple patch and kicked over four unanswered points; Niamh Divilly and Leanne Coen with two excellent scores. A point from Meadhbh Byrne just before the break saw Meath trail by five - 0-9 to 0-4.

Points from Leonard and Slevin (2) in the early minutes of the second half extended Galway’s lead to eight points after 38 minutes of play. Minutes later Slevin scored the first two pointer of the game to stretch the lead to 10 points.

Galway were excellent in the tackle in the second half and Meath found it hard to break them down when in forward positions. Aoife Molloy got up from wing-back to fire over a point for the Connacht side in the 50th minute. 

Meath got their first point of the second half and first in over 23 minutes of play in the 53rd minute through captain Niamh Gallogly. Duggan and Megan Thynne followed up with points for the Royals.

Meath sub Orla Finnegan fired over a free in the 60th minute to cut the deficit to eight points in the end.

Scorers for Galway: K Slevin 0-7 (1tp, 1f), R Leonard 0-3 (1f), M Glynn 0-2, A Trill, N Divilly, L Coen, A Molloy 0-1 each.

Scorers for Meath: E Duggan 0-3 (1f), R Casserly, M Byrne, M Thynne, N Gallogly, O Finnegan (1f) 0-1 each.

GALWAY: L O’Halloran; R Quinn, S Ní Loingsigh, B Quinn; S Healy, C Trill, A Molloy; N Divilly, A Madden; M Glynn, K Slevin, K Thompson; A Trill, L Coen, R Leonard. 

Subs: E Noone for Leonard and A O’Rourke for Glynn 44, E Power for Molloy and H Noone for Healy 53, S McGovern for Quinn and K Mee for C Trill 60+1.

MEATH: R Murray; Á Sheridan, M.K. Lynch, O Gore; Ó Smith, S Wall, K Bermingham; O Sheehy, N Gallogly; M Thynne, C Smyth, M Farrelly; E Duggan, R Casserly, M Byrne. 

Subs: L O’Neill for Smyth and O Finnegan for Byrne 41, C Lawlor for Farrelly 42, A Gaffney for Gore 47, M McConnell for Duggan 54, S Ní Scaláin for Quinn 55.

Referee: Ray McBride (Dublin).