Four Mayo teams in action in girls Interleagues
MAYO had four underage teams in action right across the western seaboard on Saturday.
First up was the John Hennelly-managed Under 13s who made the trip to McSharry Park in Sligo to face the local Sligo-Leitrim side.
Mayo opened brightly and took the lead on five minutes in a quick counterattack following a corner to the opposition. Good work by Leah Kilcullen and Emily Coleman found Ava Mitchell, who finished with aplomb high into the net.
Despite the home side having the advantage of the strong wind, Mayo coped well in the main but conceded two goals to trail at the half-time break.
The second half was a good open display of attacking football by both sides, with Mayo goalkeeper Aoibheann McGreal distinguishing herself with some top saves. The Mayo defence, led by Sive Flanagan, impressed despite conceding two further goals in a two-minute spell. Juliette Rawson pulled a goal back for Mayo, leaving the final score Sligo-Leitrim 4, Mayo 2.
The Under 12s had to make the longest journey of all, taking the field at the Aileach FC grounds in Inishowen.
Travel fatigue certainly was not an issue here as the Edel Mullin-managed squad put on a five-star performance to run out convincing 5-1 winners in a part of the world synonymous with excellent footballers, with Erin McLaughlin the latest player from the peninsula to be in with the Ireland senior women’s squad.
Kicking off at Eamon Deacy Park was the Michael Collins-managed Under 15s facing their Galway counterparts. In a very closely contested first half, Mayo were pinned back by an impressive home side and despite excellent defensive performances from captain Aine Monaghan, Kate Byrne and Cara Culkin, it was Galway who scored in the 19th minute to lead at the break.
The first 10 minutes of the second half saw Mayo push the home side back and Mary Ann Ward was just wide after a searching Amy Murphy free kick. Galway netted again in the 48th minute. Kasey Ruane was just off target five minutes later after being released by Murphy and the home side showed their clinical edge a minute later with a third goal. Roise Burke carried the fight right to the final minute when her superb run and shot was saved by the ‘keeper. A resounding 3-0 victory to a Galway side who, on the day, were the much better side.
The Mayo Under 16s were further south, facing Clare at Lees Road, Ennis. Sinead Mulhern manages this squad and they put on a superb opening half of football. A Kate Brennan cross was not held by the home ‘keeper and Maura Hughes finished to the net. An excellent piece of football up the Mayo left from left-back Emma Walsh to Ashleagh Salmon saw her cutback to the edge of the box hammered to the bottom corner of the net by Kayla Doherty. Christina McEvilly then added Mayo’s third directly from a corner before Salmon seized on a defence-splitting pass, kept her composure and finished to the bottom corner.
With a 4-0 lead having been established in the first half, the second was always going to be about squad rotation and game management. Clare got the only goal of this period 10 minutes from time. It finished 4-1 to Mayo after a brilliant all round team performance.
Speaking after all four sides completed their games, Mayo League Girls Emerging Talent head coach John Flanagan remarked that it was no mean feat to have four sides involving 77 players out playing away matches at the same times down the western coast from Burnfoot in Co. Donegal to Ennis in Co. Clare - some 200 miles apart.
“It reflects the healthy status of the game in Mayo,” remarked John.
He also reported that he is delighted to have retained all staff who worked on the programme last year and has added some new faces which will be mentioned in due course.