Kerry have been beaten in the Lidl Ladies National Football League.
They went down to Waterford in Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney, the visitors winning 2-12 to 1-11.
Bríd McMaugh struck 1-4 as Waterford made it two wins on the bounce.
The teams came into the game with success on the road in Round 1 with Kerry overcoming Dublin in pretty rough conditions and Waterford having the better of Armagh.
Both sides adapted to the new rules quite well in the opening round and the same was the case at Fitzgerald Stadium with the solo and go in particular a prominent feature with Waterford particularly adept at using it.
Kerry played with a gale force wind into the scoreboard end in the first half and raced into a two point lead thanks to efforts from Niamh Ní Chonchúir and Danielle O’Leary.
Waterford struck back in devastating fashion in the fifth minute however when a flowing move involving Bríd McMaugh and Katie Murray saw Lauren McGregor round Eilis Lynch and finish brilliantly past Mary Ellen Bolger in the Kerry goal.
Chloe Fennell slotted a free before Siofra O’Shea replied in kind for Kerry and Rachel Dwyer pushed the home side into a one point lead in the 14th minute after Leah Boyle did very well.
Waterford were full of running into the breeze and McMaugh for Waterford and Jadyn Lucey for the home side traded points before Chloe Fennell slotted another free when the ball was brought forward after Kerry interference on a solo and go.
The game ebbed and flowed for the remainder of the first half with Siofra O’Shea adding a brace for Kerry and Dwyer kicking her second whilst Waterford’s Fennell (free) and Kellyanne Hogan, on as a temporary sub for the injured McMaugh, scored to see the sides go in level at half time, 0-8 to 1-5.
Dwyer slotted her third point at the start of the second half but a minute later McMaugh scored a brilliant lobbed goal after excellent approach work from Aine O’Neill and Clare Walsh.
The superb McMaugh added another fine individual point nine minutes in, but Kerry replied brilliantly when Leah McMahon, just on, fed the lethal Dwyer who finished superbly past Katelyn Gardiner.
Waterford put on the burners afterwards however and TG4 Player of the Match McMaugh, and a superb two-pointer from Fennell followed by another McMaugh special pushed the visitors 2-10 to 1-9 ahead.
Dwyer responded with a free but although there was time for O’Shea to slot a placed ball and agonisingly rattle the crossbar, 14 player Waterford, with Hannah McGrath in the sin bin for the final five minutes, added points from Murray and a Fennell free to seal a brilliant second victory for the Déise.
Scorers-Waterford: B McMaugh 1-4, C Fennell 0–6 (4f, 1tp) L McGregor 1-0, K Hogan 0-1, K Murray 0-1.
Kerry: R Dwyer 1-4 (1f), S O’Shea 0-4 (3f), N Ní Chonchuir 0-1, J Lucey 0-1, D O’Leary 0-1.
WATERFORD: K Gardiner; C Murray, L Mulcahy, R Casey; Á O’Neill, K McGrath, R Browne; E Power, E Murray K Murray, C Walsh, B McMaugh; C Fennell, L McGregor, M Daly. Subs: K Hogan for B McMaugh 20, B McMaugh for K Hogan, K Hogan for C Walsh 41, H McGrath for L McGregor 53, O Kennedy for R Browne 57.
KERRY: M.E. Bolger; E Lynch, C Lynch, A Doherty; J Lynch, A Dillane, K Brosnan; M O’Connell, C Evans; L Boyle, N Ní Chonchúir, R Dwyer; J Lucey, S O’Shea, D O’Leary. Subs: A Galvin for J Lynch 20, M O’Connor for L Boyle, L McMahon for N Ní Chonchúir both 41, K Ryan for K Brosnan, M Mulvihill for J Lucey both 47, N Quinn for R Dwyer 55.
Referee: Barry Redmond (Wexford).
Meath defeated Dublin 2-14 to 1-4.
Goals in either half from Emma Duggan and Ciara Smyth helped Meath to a comprehensive win over Dublin in their Lidl NFL Division 1 tie played at the St. Patrick’s GAA club grounds in Stamullen where a great crowd was in attendance to watch these two rivals in action.
Dublin had a chance to open the scoring first but hit a wide. Meath registered the first score of the game when Duggan pointed. Katie Bermingham followed with a neat point in the seventh minute.
The Royals created two goal opportunities in the space of a minute but both were hit wide. They controlled proceedings and Dublin struggled to gain possession.
Wayne Freeman’s side opened up a five point lead in the 17th minute when Duggan landed a free for her third point of the game. One minute later the lead was stretched to eight points when Duggan flicked the ball to the back of the net.
After 23 minutes of play Dublin got their first score on the board; a point from Kate Donaghy. Jodi Egan followed up with two points to cut the gap to five points. Just before the break Marion Farrelly hit an excellent point to leave the score 1-6 to 0-3 in favour of Meath.
Meath started the second half extremely well and were 11 points ahead after 35 minutes of play with Duggan, Smyth and Farrelly all kicking points. Dublin had a chance to get their opening point of the second half in the 37th minute but Meath keeper Robyn Murray was able to touch away Orla Nolan’s free.
Gallogly put 12 between the sides in the 40th minute but one minute later Rachel Harnett grabbed a goal for Dublin. Meath replied with a
fine score from Smyth before Farrelly was sin binned in the 50th minute. Substitute Rachel Cassley fired over a nice point in the 52nd minute to keep the scoreboard ticking over for Meath.
Things got a lot better for Meath in the 58th minute when Smyth grabbed their second goal to put 14 points between the sides. Substitute Laura Grendon hit a late point for Dublin right at the end.
Scorers – Meath: C Smyth 1-4, E Duggan 1-4 (2fs), N Gallogly, M Farrelly 0-2 each, K Bermingham, R Casserly 0-1 each.
Dublin: R Harnett 1-0, J Egan 0-2, K Donaghy 0-1, L Grendon 0-1 (f)
MEATH: R Murray; Á Sheridan, M.K. Lynch, A Gaffney; Ó Smith, S Wall, K Bermingham; O Sheehy, N Gallogly; M Thynne, C Smyth, M Farrelly; E Duggan, O Finnegan, M Byrne. Subs: R Casserly for Finnegan (40), L Woods for C Lawlor for Smith (48), A Farrell for Thynne (60).
DUBLIN: K Moran Tighe; N Crowley, A Nyhan, K Kenehan; G Connolly, H Leahy, E Gribben; R Hartnett, H McGinnis; S McIntyre, O Nolan, K Donaghy; A Timothy, J Egan, E Kearney. Subs: N Byrne for Kearney and L Grendon for Connolly (ht), S Birnie for Kenehan (44), S Russell for Egan and C Murphy for K Donaghy (53), J Kane for Nolan and Hetherton for McIntrye (55), A Doyle for McGinnis (58) Almeida for Leahy (59), N Smith for Gribben (60+2), E Leddy Doyle for Harnett (60+3).
Referee: Shane Curley (Galway).
