Girls battle hard but miss out on finals
BOTH Mayo girls soccer teams competing in the Gaynor Cup tournament in Limerick missed out on a place in their respective finals by a single goal today.
First on the pitch this morning were the Mayo Under 14s who lost out to MGL in the shield semi-final.
Mayo created a host of chances, especially in the first half, but couldn't get the breakthrough. MGL scored a very good goal midday through the second half to seal the win.
This was the first goal Mayo conceded in four matches but it turned out to be a decisive one.
The Under 14s will now play Galway tomorrow (Sunday) for the 7th/8th overall finishing position.
This afternoon, the Under 16s also lost by a goal - 1-0 - to Galway in the cup semi-final.
In a fiercely competitive match, Mayo were quick out of the traps and wave after wave of Mayo attacks were expertly defended by a rock solid defensive unit, with an impressive goalkeeper behind.
Mayo kept the momentum going in the second half, but the decisive goal in an absorbing game was to come on 28 minutes when, in a scramble on the edge of the box, a Galway shot went through a host of players and ended up in the net.
As Mayo chased the lead, the Galway 'keeper dealt comfortably with whatever was thrown at her, and it was a tough result in the end for Mayo to take, but such are the margins in elite girls football.
This was very much a game dominated by both defences, with Galway getting the vital goal.
Mayo will play MGL in the 3rd/4th place play-off tomorrow.
Mayo Under 16 squad: Abbiegayle Ronayne, Kelsey Munroe (Ballinrobe Town), Emma McNulty (Achill Rovers), Ava Keane, Louise Dowling, Roisin Kelly, Leah Conway (Castlebar Town), Alva Munnelly (Killala), Hana Ueno, Emer O’Neill, Maria Cannon (Castlebar Celtic), Kate O’Dowd, Ellen Boyle, Anna McDonnell, Olivia Flatley, (Kiltimagh/Knock), Nina McVann (Ballina Town), Saoirse Lally, Ava Lambert (Westport United), Annie Gough (Kilmurry).
Mayo Under 14 squad: Sarah McNamara (Achill Rovers), Farrah Giblin (Ballina Town), Amy Mahon, Natalia Fasciszewska (Castlebar Celtic), Jessica Casey (Charlestown Athletic), Molly O’Connor (Iorras Aontaithe), Alison Long (Killala), Deirbhle McHale (Killala), Anna Mae Clarke, Ella Vahey, Jillian Clarke (Manulla), Amy Dunleavy, Bria McLoughlin, Erin Murphy (Swinford), Aoife Staunton, Cliodhna Casey, Kaitlin Coughlan and Sorcha McCarney (Westport United).