Mayo U-16s lose out to Cavan in All-Ireland final

All-Ireland Ladies Football Championship U-16 A Final 

Mayo 2-5 Cavan 3-11

In Ballinasloe

A first All-Ireland title since 1976 has eluded Mayo after an earth-scorching first quarter saw Cavan retain their crown in sunny Ballinasloe this afternoon. 

The Breffni girls scored 3-6 of their tally in the opening 15 minutes to leave a chasm that Mayo were unable to cross despite holding their own for most of the rest of the game. 

With a side imbued with skill, athleticism and unrelenting work ethic, Cavan were deserving winners on the day.

Cavan struck the Connacht champions for 2-6 without reply in a devastating opening 10 minutes, with the excellent Abby Reilly and Katie McGahern landing the goals.

Mayo eventually got up and running when Emma Stagg pointed a free in the 12th minute, but the green and red were quickly dealt another blow when Reilly crashed home her second goal in the 15th minute. 

Katie Hughes and Lilly Hession added points before the end of the first half, which finished on a high when Stagg struck a goal before Aoibhinn McNamara followed up with a point. 

This left Mayo 3-7 to 1-3 adrift at half-time against a Cavan team that was deadly on the offence and very tough to break down. 

To their credit, Mayo contained the Breffnis fairly well, holding them to just four points in the second half. 

They took a bit off the gap when Emma Stagg landed another goal - yet again, from another good long ball into the danger zone. 

Kayla Hughes made some outstanding saves, including a double-stop from a penalty, that kept the flame of hope alive for the green and red. 

However, that flame died in the heat of Duggan Park in the last ten minutes as Cavan calmly marched home with their second All-Ireland U-16 crown in as two tears. 

A full report plus reaction will be carried in Tuesday’s Mayo News.