Mayo ladies off to flying start against Westmeath

Aiden Henry

Mayo got their 2022 competitive season off to a flying start with a huge 7-22 to 1-12 victory over Westmeath in the opening round of the Lidl Ladies National League this evening.

The Division 1A contest, played in the NUI Galway Connacht GAA Air Dome, was as good as over by half-time, at which stage Michael Moyles' charges had built up a 4-11 to 1-5 lead over the reigning All-Ireland intermediate champions.

It was a very encouraging performance, especially as Moyles and his selectors had to pick a side without several members of the team who played in 2021.

Judging by the eye-catching displays from many of those who lined against Westmeath this evening, the returning players will have a big task to get back into the team.

The game was just 14 seconds old when Mayo had already raised a green flag. The goal came after a lobbed high ball by Maria Reilly dipped under the crossbar and into the net.

Almost immediately Westmeath hit back in style, scoring an unanswered 1-2, with the goal coming from a penalty scored by Anna Jones. This left it 1-2 to 1-0 in favour of the visitors after just four minutes, but that was as good as it got for Westmeath.

Once the Mayo forwards got into full flight, the scores came thick and fast. They had raised six white flags before Reilly got a second goal in the 15th minute to leave them 2-6 to 1-3 ahead at the first water break.

It got no better for Westmeath in the second quarter as Mayo continued to dominate in every area of the pitch. Before the half-time whistle blew, they had added another 2-5 to their tally, with the goals coming from Shauna Howley and Sinead Cafferky.

All that had to be decided in the second half was the winning margin. Despite the fact that Moyles emptied his bench, giving all his players game time, it did not stop Mayo from racking up the scores.

Indeed, in the second half they ended up just a goal short of their first-half total by adding a further 3-11 to their tally, with Sinéad Walsh, Laura Moran and Ava Keane the goal scorers.

In the end it was all-too-easy for Mayo, who are bound to find things much tougher in their other two group games – against Galway in Tuam next weekend and then a home tie against Donegal, who beat Galway by 0-10 to 0-7 in tonight’s other Division 1A game.