The county’s women footballers made a winning start this afternoon to the group stage in this year’s LGFA All-Ireland Championship. In a first round Group A match played at MacHale Park they proved far too strong for Tipperary and ran out winners by 1-16 to 1-6.

The Premier County bagged the opening score of the game, pointing soon after the throw-in, but the home team were quickly back on terms via a Sineád Cafferkey point. Sineád Walsh pushed Mayo in front before Lisa Cafferkey weighed in with 1-1 to establish a clear lead for Michael Moyles’ team.

It was pretty much plain sailing from there on. By half-time the lead had widened to nine points, the home side in front by 1-10 to 0-4, and it was in double figures before a late goal for the visitors reduced the margin back to nine.

Mayo still had the final say on the scoreboard, however, with a late Shauna Howley free leaving ten points between the teams at the finish.

Next up for the women is a trip to Cavan on Sunday week, where they’ll be looking for another win to boost their chances of making the knockout stages. Well done to them today and now here’s hoping the men can do the business at Croke Park as well.

Match report by Oisín McGovern for Ladies Football is here.