Just the two Mayo matches today, with a win for the women footballers, while the hurlers lost again.
In the LGFA game, victory over Donegal was secured at the Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence largely on the back of a strong first half. Playing with the wind, we kept the visitors scoreless for 24 minutes of the opening half, in a spell where goals by Sinéad Walsh (the newcomer’s fourth goal in three appearances) and Shauna Howley put the home team in a strong position.
Donegal hit back before half-time, though, with an unanswered 1-1 to cut the gap to a more manageable five points. With the wind now at their backs, the margin was further reduced and it stood at just two points at the second water break.
Michael Moyles’ team reasserted control of the game in impressive fashion over the final quarter. They did this by holding onto the ball for long spells, taking the sting from Donegal’s challenge as they did so.
An Aoife Geraghty point, which came at the end of a controlled, patient build-up, was a good illustration of this. When Shauna Howley pointed a free soon after the gap was now back out to four and, while Donegal had the last say on the scoreboard, they were unable to add further to their tally as we won out by 2-7 to 1-7.
The win sees Mayo unbeaten after three games and topping the Division 1A table. Their reward for this is a Division One semi-final against All-Ireland champions Meath, who were pipped by a point in yesterday’s match against Dublin. That semi-final tie takes place the weekend after next.
Match reports: Ladies Football, Connaught Telegraph, Highland Radio (audio).
The county’s hurlers, meanwhile, had another disappointing afternoon as they fell to another defeat in Division 2B. This time it was at home to Sligo, where the visitors ran out winners by 4-13 to 0-19.
This was certainly a case of goals win games. The home side were motoring nicely at James Stephens Park just after the half-hour, at which point they led by four points. Two goals in quick succession for the Yeatsmen, however, changed all that and so they went in at the break two points in front.
Two further majors followed for the visitors in the second half, the fourth one putting the game beyond the reach of Derek Walsh’s team, with Sligo winning at the finish by six points.
The loss leaves second Mayo from bottom in Division 2B, ahead of Wicklow on points difference, with both of them on just a single point from four outings. Relegation might yet be avoided but to do this Mayo will need to get a result against Donegal in their final outing in a fortnight’s time.
Brendan Cawley, Kildare. Our réiteoir for Kerry game
Well done ladles
Hard luck to our hurlers, but well done our ladies. Ye will be well fit for the Royals next day out, the champs don’t look too invisible.
Willie Joe, I was trawling thru the archives and there’s nothing showing for the 2009 season!
I’ve gone in there a couple of times but no joy. I know a few of those pre JH mk 1 years are probably forgettable, but I just like to read thru each year’s stats etc and to remember some of the misery too..ha!
Thanks, RP – the link to the page appears to be broken. I’ll fix it when I get a chance.
Top man WJ, cheers.
Congrats to the Ladies and best of luck next day day out. So far ye appear to be punching above ye’re weight but then I think neither ye nor your supporters really know what you are capable of yet.
Tough going for the hurlers this year but it’s not easy for two clubs – for that is basically what it is – to carry a county’s fortunes. Good luck v Donegal, ye deserve a turn of luck.
What is going on with the hurlers? They were excellent last year and the personnel doesn’t seem to have changed that much has it? Zippy is back in 6 now which might be impacting scoring but
Great to see some clubs coming back together again, Claremorris togged in a competitive hurling match at the weekend for the first time in, well a long time.
Well done ladies, a really plucky and talented squad. Any indications yet as to where and when for the Meath game? Hopefully supporters and players receive adequate notice of it….same day as the lads game on 19th?
What about all the ladies in Australia now, will they return to panel, think its time to forget about them , it might stop others from going if they are left off Mayo panel.
Culmore is sport about winning or about values particapation team work becoming the best you can be. GAA is ameteur and ladies gaa a very impoverished amateur sport. If the ladies can go to Australia and achieve success they should not be penalised but encouraged to come back play for Mayo and inspire other’s to be the best they can be….
Thread carefully Lahanman, there’s people here who would cut you in half with opinions like that. Saying that, I couldn’t agree more with ya. I think it’s brilliant we have such talent in Australia, long may it continue and hopefully we’ll see them back in the Green n Red later in the year
RP – that link to the 2009 page in the results archive is fixed now. Apologies, I meant to do it sooner but it slipped my mind.
Spot on Willie Joe, no problem.
Thanks again.
I’m with ‘culmore’ on this one but rather, to give existing panel maximum exposure at the highest level, for maximum duration.