Mighty Mayo are Connacht champions

TG4 Connacht LGFA Senior Final

Mayo 3-13

Galway 2-9

Michael Gallagher

There were scenes of wild delight in Castlebar on Sunday as Mayo won their first provincial title since 2016. The women in green and red were clear and deserved winners after an impressive display founded on a superb tactical approach.

All-Star corner-back Danielle Caldwell was superb in her role as a roving centre-half-forward while regular full-forward Rachel Kearns excelled in the middle of the pitch. 

The Mayo women started and ended the game impressively and although Galway were a point clear at half time there was rarely any doubt that Mayo were going to win the game.

The stiff breeze played a major role in the opening half with misdirected kick-outs having a major impact on the scoreboard. Galway, who were backed by the gale had the vast majority of their restarts gobbled up by Mayo, while a mistake at the other end led to Galway’s opening goal from Kate Slevin after 14 minutes.

Mayo began with Kearns at midfield and Caldwell at centre-forward with a licence to roam. Both had a major impact on proceedings as the home side banged in 1-3 in the opening eight minutes.

The goal was a product of Mayo’s dogged and adventurous efforts. Aoife Geraghty won a ball on the left wing and it was quickly moved through Kearns and Kathryn Sullivan before Tara Needham raced straight through and passed the ball across the square for Tamara O’Connor to flick to the net.

That shook Galway into life and they were level midway through the half, thanks mainly to Slevin’s goal which arrived when she intercepted a kick-out and chipped the ball home.

As the half progressed, Galway looked to open up a lead but Deirdre Doherty, Needham and Lisa Cafferky looked dangerous whenever Mayo attacked and the green and red were only a point adrift at the interval, 1-7 to 1-8.

Two Sinead Cafferky points nudged them in front early in the new half before a highly controversial decision led to a Galway goal. An extremely debatable line-ball was awarded to the guests and they made use of the good fortune by shaking the net courtesy of Leanne Coen.

However, Mayo didn’t panic and with Kearns, Geraghty and Caldwell prominent they gathered themselves and hit the front again. They were two points up with eight minutes left when awarded a soft penalty for a tackle on impressive substitute Sinead Walsh and Kearns almost took the net off with the spot-kick.

That left Mayo five clear going down the straight, 2-13 to 2-8, and they were never going to be caught.

The final score of the day arrived two minutes from the end when Walsh got her hands on the ball in the square and gleefully smashed it into the roof of the net to put the icing on a very sweet Mayo cake.

MAYO: L Brennan; E Ronayne, R Flynn, S Lally; K Sullivan, F McHale, T O’Connor (1-0); A Geraghty, R Kearns (1-2, 1-0p, 0-1f); S Mulvihill, D Caldwell, S Cafferky (0-2); L Cafferky (0-2), D Doherty (0-3f), T Needham (0-1)

Subs; S Walsh (1-1) for T Needham (36), S Howley (0-2f) for Flynn (45), M Cannon for Mulvihill (48), C Needham for McHale (56), L Wallace for O’Connor (56)

GALWAY: A Griffin; K Geraghty, S Ní Loingsigh, A Ní Cheallaigh; C Cooney (0-1), N Ward, H Noone; A Davoren (0-1), S Divilly; E Noone, O Divilly (0-1), L Coen (1-0); T Leonard (0-2, 1f), L Ward (0-1), K Slevin (1-2, 0-1f)

Subs; B Quinn for Ní Cheallaigh (40), L Noone for E Noone (40), A Molloy for H Noone (40), M Seoighe for Leonard (47), R Leonard (0-1f) for Slevin (47)

Referee: J Niland (Sligo)