Donegal somen’s gaelic footballers suffered their second defeat of the Lidl national football league division 1 campaign on Saturday with a 1-7 to 0-5 loss to reigning league and All-Ireland champions Meath at O’Donnell Park in Letterkenny.
The fixture was a repeat of last seaon’s Division 1 final at Croke Park which Meath won narrowly by two points.
However, Saturday’s encounter didn’t have quite the same fireworks.
Both teams had lost their opening league games last weekend – Donegal to Galway, and Meath to Dublin.
Donegal, shorn of several household names such as Footballer of hte Year Niamh McLaughlin, Geraldine McLaughlin, Yvonne Bonner and Karen Guthrie, lacked the firepower up front to hurt their opponents.
The sides were level at 0-3 each at half-time, but Mary Kate Lynch’s goal in the second-half on 46 proved to be the critical clear as the Royals registered their first win under new manager Davy Nelson.
In Saturday’s other Division 1 game, Kerry beat Mayo by a single point at the Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence in Bekan.
Saturday’s Lidl NFL Div 1 results
Donegal 0-5 Meath 1-7
Mayo 0-13 Kerry 3-5
Donegal team
Aoife McColgan (Malin), Katie Dowds (MacCumhaills), Evelyn McGinley (Termon), Emer Gallagher (Termon), Amy Boyle Carr (Naomh Conaill), Jodie McFadden (Termon), Tara Hegarty (Moville), Shelly Twohig (St Mary’s, Convoy), Roisin Rodgers (Naomh Muire), Saskia Boyle (Dungloe), Katie Long (Glenfin 0-1), Laoise Ryan (St Eunan’s), Suzanne White (Killybegs 0-3), Shannon McGroddy (Downings), Ciara McGarvey (Termon 0-1).
Subs: Nicole McLaughlin (Termon) for McFadden (42), Ava Walsh (Naomh Padraig) for McGroddy (46), Niamh Carr (Milford) for Dowds (57), Codie Walsh (St Mary’s, Convoy) for Long (59), Cáit Gillespie 9Aodh Ruadh) and Shauna Higgins (St Eunan’s) for McGinley and McGarvey (both 63).
