All-Ireland SFC: Meath stun Dublin to win the Brendan Martin cup
Last updated on .From the section Gaelic Games
Meath stunned champions Dublin to win their first All-Ireland Senior Championship with a 1-11 to 0-12 victory at Croke Park.
Emma Duggan's superb first-half goal was decisive following a pulsating decider at Croke Park.
Trailing 1-8 to 0-6 at half-time, Dublin tried to get back on terms in the second half but they couldn't get close enough to reel in the Royals.
Meath's victory ends Dublin's four-year domination of the Brandan Martin Cup.
It was the culmination of an incredible journey for Eamonn Murray's side who were Intermediate champions last year before claiming the Football League Division Two title earlier this year, and now the Senior All-Ireland.
After a tight opening in Dublin, it was Meath who struck on 24 minutes when Duggan latched onto Ciara Trant's loose kick-out and her pin-point effort from distance crept under the crossbar over the back-pedalling goalkeeper.
The boot of Hannah Tyrrell kept Dublin in touch after Duggan's moment of magic, however the holders trailed at the break as they struggled to reel Meath in.
Tyrrell was on target again at the start of the second half but that was the only score for 11 minutes as both sides tried to wrestle control of the encounter.
With nerves appearing, Carla Rowe's huge point in the 43rd minute gave Dublin real hope and they only trailed by a goal.
But just like they did in the first half, Meath scored just before the water break and Stacey Grimes' third point left them with a 1-9 to 0-8 lead heading into the final quarter.
And Meath remained in the ascendency when Duggan popped up to send another point over her left shoulder.
Second-half substitute Kate Sullivan hit back and Tyrrell was in the right place to deliver again, and leave the game perfectly poised, 1-10 to 0-10, with ten minutes remaining.
Lyndsey Davey closed the gap further but O'Sullivan had the answer for Meath and they held on despite Tyrrell's seventh point and a frantic finish.
