Ladies: Dominant first-half helps Dublin past Meath to All-Ireland senior glory

Dublin 2-16 Meath 0-10

by Daire Walsh

Hannah Tyrrell, Kate Sullivan and team captain Carla Rowe registered an impressive combined tally of 0-13 at Croke Park on Sunday as Dublin regained the TG4 All-Ireland senior football championship title with a commanding triumph over Leinster rivals Meath.

Nicole Owens and Niamh Hetherton also bagged goals in a dominant opening half as Dublin ended their first season under the joint management of Paul Casey and Derek Murray with the Brendan Martin Cup back in their possession for the seventh time in history.

Needing just three points to secure the ZuCar Golden Boot for 2025, Tyrrell got the ball rolling in a repeat of the 2021 All-Ireland decider with an early 0-2 salvo.

Things got even better for the Sky Blues when Owens struck a clinical sixth minute goal and Sullivan also added her name to the scoresheet before Emma Duggan finally opened Meath’s account with a successful free on 10 minutes.

While Duggan was on hand to cancel out a score from Rowe, Dublin pushed into overdrive either side of the first quarter mark with four points on the bounce from Tyrrell (two), Orlagh Nolan and Sullivan.

The rampant Jackies then moved twelve clear when Hetherton buried a shot to the roof of the Meath net in the 22nd minute and even though Duggan contributed a brace of frees in response to Sullivan’s third from play, Dublin brought an emphatic 2-9 to 0-4 buffer into the break.

22 Nóim #DUBvMEA@dublinladiesg 2-08 (14)@meathladiesMLGF 0-02 (2) Cad é mar chrioch ag Niamh Hetherton Dublin on fire in this opening half🔥🔥

BEO/LIVE AR @TG4TV @LadiesFootball #ProperFan pic.twitter.com/LQEno6attR

— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) August 3, 2025

This left the Royals with an enormous uphill task on the restart, but Meath were provided with fresh impetus when Duggan kicked two more points in advance of her Dunboyne club-mate Vikki Wall posting a fine effort from play.

However, Dublin reinforced their superiority when Rowe knocked over a place-ball effort of her own and Tyrrell’s fifth point of the day meant they were once again in front by double figures (2-11 to 0-7).

With Sullivan bringing her own personal haul up to 0-4 off a subsequent attack, the Metropolitan outfit were on the brink of another top-tier crown heading into the closing quarter.

56 Nóim #DUBvMEA@dublinladiesg 2-15 (21)@meathladiesMLGF 0-10 (10) Scór ealaíonta ag Carla Rowe What a score !!

BEO/LIVE AR @TG4TV @LadiesFootball #ProperFan pic.twitter.com/kguPosdhjS

— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) August 3, 2025

Ciara Smyth, skipper Aoibhin Cleary and Duggan (with her seventh of the tie) all found the target for Meath as the final whistle approached, but although Tyrrell was withdrawn through injury late on, points from Hetherton, Niamh Crowley and the influential Rowe (two) ensured Dublin eased towards their second All-Ireland success in the space of three years.

Scorers – Dublin: H Tyrrell 0-5 (3f), C Rowe 0-4 (2f), K Sullivan 0-4, N Hetherton 1-1, N Owens 1-0, N Crowley, O Nolan 0-1 each.

Meath: E Duggan 0-7 (6f), A Cleary, C Smyth, V Wall 0-1 each.

DUBLIN: A Shiels; J Tobin, L Caffrey, N Donlon; S Goldrick, M Byrne, N Crowley; E O’Dowd, H McGinnis; N Owens, C Rowe, O Nolan; H Tyrrell, N Hetherton, K Sullivan. Subs: S McIntyre for Owens (49), A Kane for McGinnis (51), H Leahy for Donlon (54), L Grendon for Tyrrell (55), C Darby for Sullivan (57).

MEATH: R Murray; K Kealy, MK Lynch, A Sheridan; S Ennis, S Wall, A Cleary; O Sheehy, M Farrelly; M Thynne, N Gallogly, C Smyth; E Duggan, V Wall, K Cole. Subs: K Bermingham for Farrelly (25), Farrelly for Ennis, E Moyles for Sheehy (both 42), N McEntee for Cole (49), C Lawlor for Kealy (51).

Referee: Gus Chapman (Sligo).

Scór Lán-Ama@dublinladiesg 2-16 (22) @meathladiesMLGF 0-10 (10)

Comhghairdeas le @dublinladiesg , seamipíní Peile 2025 .👏

Captain Carla Rowe accepts Corn 🏆 pic.twitter.com/DyVI6Ayjoj

— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) August 3, 2025