Mayo crowned Gaynor Trophy champions after emphatic 3-0 victory

Mayo are the 2023 Gaynor Trophy champions after a well deserved 3-0 victory over Inishowen at University of Limerick today.

The north Donegal side opened very brightly with their right winger very dangerous but Lola Tiernan at left back marked her well.

Mayo had their first chance on eight minutes when a dangerous cross from Sophie O Donnell had the keeper in all kinds of trouble but she somehow kept the ball out.

Two minutes later, the vigilant Ciara Kearney seized on a defensive lapse to fire Mayo ahead.

Mayo almost doubled the lead a minute later when a towering Niamh Curran header from a Sophie O' Donnell was just too high.

Caoimhe O'Donnell then worked the 'keeper before Kearney was upended in the box.

Up stepped the unflappable Emily Coleman to stroke the ball down the centre of the goal to double Mayo's lead on fourteen minutes.

The remainder of the half was a scrappy disjointed affair not helped by the swirling cross field wind.

Inishowen had a few half chances in another half of scrappy football in the second half with Mayo quite content to soak up the pressure and look to hit the opposition on the counter.

Sarah Gallagher, in the Mayo goal, comfortably dealt with anything that came her way and in the last minute an excellent Mayo attack up the right involving Grace Mulroy, Riona Moynihan and Ciara Kearney saw the ball arrive at the back post where the rampaging Rachel Gallagher hammered it to the roof of the bet to seal a 3-0 victory.

Ciara Kearney of Mayo was a worthy recipient of the official player of the match award.

An interesting footnote emphasising the quality of opposition that Mayo faced in the group stage was that both Wexford and Carlow and District also made it to the final of their knock-out phases.

Three of the four teams in a group reaching three of the four finals is unheard of.

Well done to everybody involved.