Coming in to today’s LGFA Connacht final, it would have been easy to write off Mayo’s chances. The county hadn’t tasted provincial success since 2016 and in this year’s NFL Division 1 campaign Michael Moyles’ team had narrowly avoided relegation while today’s opponents Galway had contested the final.
Despite how the team had fared in terms of League results, however, there were encouraging signs in the spring that things were pointing in the right direction. That hunch got emphatic confirmation at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park earlier today as Mayo stormed to a 3-13 to 2-9 victory to claim the provincial title.
The narrative for this game was laid out from the start as Mayo came roaring from the traps. Within seven minutes they were 1-3 to 0-0 in front, the goal coming from Tamara O’Connor. With the wind behind them in the opening half, however, Galway hit back and a Kate Slevin goal helped them to establish a narrow one-point lead at the break.
Mayo got the opening two points of the second half but then Galway struck for a second goal, this one scored by Leanne Coen. From then to the finish, though, the home team were dominant.
They were back in front before they got their second goal. That one came via a Rachel Kearns penalty following a foul on her MacHale Rovers clubmate Sinéad Walsh. Sinéad bagged the team’s third goal shortly before the finish as they ran out seven-point winners.
Like the men, the LGFA Championship now moves onto the group stage and today’s win should help to ensure a more favourable draw for the newly-crowned Connacht champions. Congrats to them on a fine win today and the best of luck to them from here on this summer.
Match reports: Mayo News, Ladies Gaelic
Mayo: Laura Brennan; Éilis Ronayne, Róisín Flynn, Saoirse Lally; Kathryn Sullivan, Fiona McHale, Tamara O’Connor (1-0); Aoife Geraghty, Rachel Kearns (1-2, penalty goal and a free); Sarah Mulvihill, Danielle Caldwell, Sinéad Cafferky (0-2); Lisa Cafferky (0-2), Deirdre Doherty (0-3, frees), Tara Needham (0-1). Subs: Sinéad Walsh (1-1) for Tara Needham, Shauna Howely (0-2) for Flynn, Maria Cannon for Mulvihill, Ciara Needham for McHale, Lucy Wallace for O’Connor.
Comhghairdeas do foireann Mhuigeo. What a fantastic victory by our ladies! Go neiri libh I gconai!
Mhuigeo Abú!
Well done ladies and management
Congratulations to Mayo ladies footballers, fantastic win so onwards & upwards, well done.
Well done Mayo ladies …moving Danielle Caldwell up the pitch made all the difference, wasted in full back line up to now
Congratulations to our ladies, it was too long a wait since our last title. Signs of real progress, Galway were league finalists and Mayo narrowly avoided relagation so well done to Michael Moyles and his backroom team.
Fantastic win ..The Mayo Ladies are showing the way
Fantastic performance and very well deserved Connacht title.
Best match of the day by some distance.
Well done to all the girls. Great to see our two McHale rovers players having a significant role in the victory.
Very proud of this Mayo team. There is an amount of talent there and it was simply a matter of time before they clicked. Well done Mayo. Thoroughly deserved and hope you continue to play with belief and confidence.
Mile buiochas.
Maigheo abu
Congrats to the ladies!!
A Great Result when you consider where both teams have been in recent years . Well done to all involved.
Let’s give them the support they deserve.
Great achievement! We done ladies onwards & upwards!
In fairness, the league, were all close games, and easily could have won alot of them. From all accounts Ger Cafferkey, great trainer, so seem to be a great addition to Michael Moyles backroom team. So hopefully the draw for group stages kind, to Mayo Ladies
Massive congrats ladies .
Super win